This function will return the system name for the computer you’re on.  It just fishes it out of the registry, but it is handy if you need that information for displaying in your UI or using for other purposes.  I use it to build job IDs that are unique since the system name can’t be duplicated on the same network.

//
//	Returns the system network name
//	looks like \\name
//
CString GetSystemName()
{
	long result;
	HKEY mainKey;
	result = RegOpenKeyEx(
		HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,
		_T("SYSTEM\\CurrentControlSet\\Control\\ComputerName\\ComputerName"),
		0,
		KEY_READ,
		&mainKey
	);
	TCHAR nameData[_MAX_PATH];
	DWORD nameType;
	DWORD nameDataSize;
	CString cs;
	if (result == ERROR_SUCCESS) {
		nameDataSize = sizeof nameData;
		LONG ret = RegQueryValueEx(mainKey, _T("ComputerName"), NULL, &nameType,
                    (unsigned char *)nameData, &nameDataSize);
		if (ret==ERROR_SUCCESS && nameType==REG_SZ) {
			cs = nameData;
		}
		RegCloseKey(mainKey);
	}
	return DOUBLE_SLASH + cs;
}

This is a function I use to delete all files, subfolders, and the parent folder in a tree. It’s a simple process, but a useful function. It uses a simple recursion to work down through the folder tree and a loop to enumerate the files and subfolders.

//
//	Remove all folders.
//
void RemoveAllDirectories(CString strDir)
{
	CFileFind ff;
	CString path = strDir;
	
	path = AddPathAndFile(path,_T("*.*"));
	BOOL res = ff.FindFile(path);

	while(res) {
		res = ff.FindNextFile();
		if (!ff.IsDots()) {
			if(!ff.IsDirectory())
				DeleteFile(ff.GetFilePath());
			else {
				path = ff.GetFilePath();
				RemoveAllDirectories(path);
			}
		}
	}
	RemoveDirectory(strDir);
}

Note to self: It never rains in Oregon, but don’t they warn ya, it pours, man it pours… IOW, keep an umbrella in the car dummy.

This function is handy for getting and formatting the string that is associated with critical errors.  You just pass in the errno returned from a Win32 call.  This information is available elsewhere, but I’ve found this encapsulated function to be handy.

Note to self:  Be more careful when walking on the treadmill.  When walking on the ground, it stops when you do.  The treadmill, not so much.

Note to self: Even though they call at 8:00a to tell you your package will arrive sometime between 8a and 7p that day and you have to be home to sign for it … staring out the window waiting for the UPS truck to arrive with your new computer does not make it arrive any faster.  You’d be more productive watching a pot of water boil.

I don’t really consider myself a C# programmer yet, but I recently had a need to figure out how to do this in C#.  As it turns out I couldn’t find a handy built in function so I Binged for a solution.  Unfortunately, I only found parts of solutions in different places.  So, I compiled all of them in to the following code.  Maybe some of this will help someone else with the same need.  This code is similar to what I do in C++ and I think it is pretty safe, but make sure you test it in your application.

MFC tries to write application program informatin into the HKLM (Local Machine) which isn’t allowed for non admin applicaitons on Vista and Win7.  The following functions will cause your program to redirect that information to the HKCU (Current User) area in the registry instead.  The OS will happily use the information from there.

In your application code InitInstance add the lines around:

This code will use the IExtractImage interface in the shell to get an HBITMAP of the shell representation of a thumbnail.  This is what shows up in the Explorer as a preview of a file.  It works for any file type that has a filter installed for the Explorer.  I cobbled this code together based on other articles that I read. I couldn’t find anything callable in C++/MFC so this might be useful to someone else.  The application that produces the preview in Explorer will need to be installed on the system where this code is called.

Simple routine to copy a HBITMAP in memory.  This routine assumes the HBITMAP has been read previously using something like:

Call as: