microsoft/PowerToys

Shell extensions for 32-bit context menu

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#21,671 opened on Nov 3, 2022

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Help WantedIdea-EnhancementPriority-3Product-File Locksmith

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Description

Description of the new feature / enhancement

PowerToys shell extensions (Image Resizer, File Locksmith, etc.) should show in both 32-bit and 64-bit context menus. Right now, they only show up in 64-bit applications like File Explorer, but it's possible to support 32-bit applications as well. A dll for each bitness would probably be the standard way of doing that.

Scenario when this would be used?

File Explorer shows a 64-bit context menu, but some third-party software can show a 32-bit context menu with shell extensions. For example, XYplorer is a popular advanced file manager. It can show a 64-bit menu but since it itself is a 32-bit application, its own context menu items can only show up in the 32-bit menu. Some people use it specifically because it can load old 32-bit shell extensions, but generally it's used as a file explorer substitute.

So, the default context menu in that app will not include the PowerToys shell extensions. By adding 32-bit versions of PowerToys' shell extensions, they will show up in the context menus for 32-bit applications.

Supporting information

See Attribute Changer or TortoiseSVN for an example shell extension that shows in both 32 and 64-bit context menus.

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