win32 api virtual folder

Question

this software can mount zip/iso archives into virtual folder created in the same directory with the same name as archive file. and the original files becomes invisible.

http://www.pismotechnic.com/pfm/ap/

can anybody tell me how this works in background? it has some drivers installed.

I think it makes hooks on filesystem calls. Hides original file, shows folder, hijacks file manipulation functions if it is working with file inside the virtual folder.. and does some mapping to the archive.. it also can control visibility to owner or to the system.. control read/write rights to other users.. so hooks has to know user ID. Am I right?

Thanks

Answer 1

It is probably a shell name space extension. Here are a couple of Microsoft articles on the subject:

Shell Developer's Guide

MSJ July 1996: Extending the Windows Explorer with Name Space Extensions

Create Namespace Extensions for Windows Explorer with the .NET Framework