Blog: Merged Folders and undocumented interfaces

[vicmarcal]

https://reactos.org/node/862

[erkinalp]

It would be better if you provide a way to rename predefined menu folders.(Maybe someone wants to rename 'Programs' into 'Programs That Have Bothered to Create Shortcuts', 'Start' into 'Begin Reacting')

[gigaherz]

If I recall correctly the folders are defined in the registry, so it's theoretically possible to rename/relocate them. Problem is for many of the folders, you can't do that while programs are running inside them.

[erkinalp]

An unlocked file opening mode will solve the rename issue, though, Windows does not have one.

[Webunny]

An interesting read, as usual.

[PurpleGurl]

If I recall correctly the folders are defined in the registry, so it's theoretically possible to rename/relocate them. Problem is for many of the folders, you can't do that while programs are running inside them.

Yes that is true. And sloppy coders might hard code them and then cannot find the custom ones since they don't properly utilize the registry or environment variables. That would not be a ROS problem, but a compatibility one caused by 3rd party vendors who break the rules.

An unlocked file opening mode will solve the rename issue, though, Windows does not have one.

Or use a tool that lets you do things on reboot. Yes, we likely won't have an unlocker since Windows doesn't, but anyone can download and install Unlocker. It is a simple shell extension and all you have to do is right click the locked file and go to Unlocker and have options on what you want to do with the file.

[gigaherz]

If I recall correctly the folders are defined in the registry, so it's theoretically possible to rename/relocate them. Problem is for many of the folders, you can't do that while programs are running inside them.

Yes that is true. And sloppy coders might hard code them and then cannot find the custom ones since they don't properly utilize the registry or environment variables. That would not be a ROS problem, but a compatibility one caused by 3rd party vendors who break the rules.

An unlocked file opening mode will solve the rename issue, though, Windows does not have one.

Or use a tool that lets you do things on reboot. Yes, we likely won't have an unlocker since Windows doesn't, but anyone can download and install Unlocker. It is a simple shell extension and all you have to do is right click the locked file and go to Unlocker and have options on what you want to do with the file.

In my opinion, we should do things right, and if we find programs doing things wrong, make some sort of compatibility setting for that. Which is what NT6 does.

[dizt3mp3r]

Always impressed by the ability of proper programmers to understand the intricacies of convoluted Windows o/s level progamming,even if not the Windows core it all seems unnecessarily complicated. Kudos to you for being able to do it.

[gigaherz]

Always impressed by the ability of proper programmers to understand the intricacies of convoluted Windows o/s level progamming,even if not the Windows core it all seems unnecessarily complicated. Kudos to you for being able to do it.

Thanks! I like to think I have a talent for understanding how things work, but working on ReactOS keeps reminding me just how complex puzzles can really be.

[dizt3mp3r]

I read all your posts and I am always faced with an impression of the huge task that ReactOS programmers have set themselves. I have programmed for years in QB4.5, DCL, VB6, PHP and javascript as well as bein a sys. admin for VMS systems and I have no idea where to begin on the sort of programming practices/methods/terminology that you use. It is only when you have a certain level of competence that you can truly realise how ignorant one is.

[BigChimp]

Nice to see progress, gigaherz - not just because it's progress but more importantly because trying to fix bugs for hours or days and not succeeding can be intensely frustrating

Keep up the good work!

[gigaherz]

Nice to see progress, gigaherz - not just because it's progress but more importantly because trying to fix bugs for hours or days and not succeeding can be intensely frustrating

Keep up the good work!

Thanks! And yes, it is.

[dsp8195]

[deleted]

[middings]

What I think is "sloppy programmers" should've been punished severely each time they hard code paths. I've met examples when they even hard coded paths to System32 and, surprise, I'm never installing Windows into "Windows" directory.

Such punishment is a job for instructors, mentors, colleagues, employers, and customers. If OS builders choose to dish out punishment, they strike the end users and their own customers not those sloppy programmers.

Raymond Chen discussed Why not just block the apps that rely on undocumented behavior? and What about BOZOSLIVEHERE and TABTHETEXTOUTFORWIMPS? during the early days of Windows XP in his blog The Old New Thing. His examples were taken from his experiences with Windows 3.1 and Windows 95 but his criticisms, laments, and lessons still sometimes apply today.

[Webunny]

Hmmm...isn't the next report/blog/progression-status overdue again?

Or did Giga have leave for the summer-vacation?