Refresh Explorer.exe

[ro231270]

We are creating a little program to change the desktop of our users. We want to change the wallpaper and the style of the icons on the desktop (dropshadow of labels of the Icons). The settings must be effective immediately after running our program.

Changing and activating the wallpaper is not a problem. After adapting the registry, the settings will be put into effect by this command:

$rc = _RunDos(@SystemDir & "\RunDll32.exe USER32.DLL,UpdatePerUserSystemParameters ,1 ,True")

The style of the icons, however, will only be changed after a Log-Off and log-On to the system. Thus: a reload of the HKCU or just sending a "F5" is not enough.

The only way to disable the shadows of labels of the icons, without loging Off, is to kill Explorer.exe and restart it again. Disadvantage of this is that ALL open windows explorer windows will be closed, not only the explorer.exe used for displaying the desktop.

The key we have changed to affect the shadow in the icon labels is: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\ListviewShadow

(0-> no shadow, 1-> shadows).

Is it possible to refresh the desktop icons (restart Explorer.exe ??) , without closing all other open Explorer Windows?

[mrbond007]

maybe if you use this

ControlFocus("Program Manager", "", "")
Send("{F5}")

or

EnvUpdate()

Edited July 17, 2007 by mrbond007

[ro231270]

No, sending a "F5" or a relaod of the HKCU (USER32.DLL,UpdatePerUserSystemParameters ,1 ,True") is NOT enough.

maybe if you use this

ControlFocus("Program Manager", "", "")
Send("{F5}")

or

EnvUpdate()

[Siao]

So have you actually tried EnvUpdate()?

Works fine here.

[mrbond007]

No, sending a "F5" or a relaod of the HKCU (USER32.DLL,UpdatePerUserSystemParameters ,1 ,True") is NOT enough.

The only think left is to rebuild the toolbox calls but only pros can help you with this.