Integrate with the Windows 11 Context Menu
Problem
The new Windows 11 context menu uses IExplorerCommand + app identity for app integration. Identity is established for unpackaged Win32 like VS Code using Sparse Manifests. A sample can be found here: https://github.com/microsoft/AppModelSamples/tree/master/Samples/SparsePackages The context menu extension is useful for a few key reasons: 1. File Type associations don't work with extensionless files 2. A context menu verb is the only way to open a whole folder of files in VS Code 3. File Type Associations can be an extra set of steps when opening a file is a one-off action
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1 Fix
Implement Sparse Manifest for Windows 11 Context Menu Integration
The new Windows 11 context menu requires applications to use Sparse Manifests to establish identity for integration. Unpackaged Win32 applications like VS Code do not have this integration by default, leading to issues with context menu functionality, especially for extensionless files and bulk file operations.
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- 1
Create Sparse Manifest File
Develop a Sparse Manifest file for your application that defines the context menu commands. This file should include the necessary IExplorerCommand entries to integrate with the Windows 11 context menu.
xml```xml <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <SparsePackage> <Commands> <Command Id="OpenInVSCode" Name="Open with VS Code" /> </Commands> </SparsePackage> ``` - 2
Register Sparse Manifest
Register the Sparse Manifest with the Windows operating system using the 'AppInstaller' tool. This will allow Windows to recognize the commands defined in the Sparse Manifest.
bash```bash AppInstaller.exe install <path-to-your-sparse-manifest.xml> ``` - 3
Implement Command Logic in Application
In your application code, implement the logic to handle the context menu command. For example, when the 'OpenInVSCode' command is invoked, it should open the selected files or folder in VS Code.
typescript```typescript function openInVSCode(files: string[]) { const exec = require('child_process').exec; exec(`code ${files.join(' ')}`); } ``` - 4
Test Context Menu Integration
Right-click on an extensionless file or folder in Windows Explorer and verify that the 'Open with VS Code' option appears in the context menu. Select it to confirm that VS Code opens with the selected files or folder.
Validation
To confirm the fix worked, test the context menu by right-clicking on various file types, including extensionless files, and ensure the 'Open with VS Code' option is available and functions correctly.
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Environment
Submitted by
Alex Chen
2450 rep