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Creating an Explorer-Style Application

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Many Windows system applications use the Windows Explorer user interface (UI). When you start Windows Explorer, for example, you see an application with a vertical bar dividing the client area. The left side of the client area makes navigation and browsing possible, while the right side of the client area shows details pertinent to the selection in the left pane. When you click an item in the left pane, the application repopulates the right pane. You can use commands on the View menu to change the amount of detail shown in the right pane.

You use Windows Explorer to navigate the computer file system. The left pane shows a hierarchical view of directories, computers, or computer groups, while the right pane shows individual files or computers and their subordinate directories and files.

You can have AppWizard produce an Explorer-style application for you by selecting the "Explorer Style" button in Step 5 of the AppWizard.

The generated application resembles either a single document interface application or a multiple document interface application. AppWizard will generate code so that each frame window created by the application has a horizontal bar using a . The left pane will always contain a tree view control. You can use Step 6 of the AppWizard to adjust the type of view used to display detail for the selected item in the application.

If you use the AppWizard default list view in the right pane, the Wizard creates additional menu choices and toolbar buttons to switch the view's style among report mode, small icon mode, and list mode.

Coding this application type is similar to coding a normal MFC application that uses a splitter; however, the AppWizard has provided code that creates control views within the splitter panes.