Fetches all shell folders from Windows Registry and creates a shortcut to each, while attempting to determine the proper name and icon. Also outputs CSV file with results.

Get_All_Shell_Folder_Shortcuts.ps1

# NOTE - THIS SCRIPT IS NOW OBSOLETE - SEE MY OTHER REPO FOR A MUCH MORE COMPREHENSIVE TOOL: https://github.com/ThioJoe/Windows-Super-God-Mode

# Get All Shell Folder Shortcuts Script (Updated 8/10/2024)
# Original source: https://gist.github.com/ThioJoe/16eac0ea7d586c4edba41b454b58b225
# This PowerShell script is designed to find and create shortcuts for all special shell folders in Windows.
# These folders can be identified through their unique Class Identifiers (CLSIDs) or by their names.
# The script also generates CSV files listing these folders and associated tasks/links.

# How to Use:
# 1. Open PowerShell and navigate to the path containing this script using the 'cd' command.
# 2. Run the following command to allow running scripts for the current session:
#        Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy unrestricted -Scope Process
# 3. Without closing the PowerShell window, run the script by typing the name of the script file starting with  .\  for example:
#        .\Get_All_Shell_Folder_Shortcuts.ps1
# 4. Wait for it to finish, then check the "Shell Folder Shortcuts" folder for the generated shortcuts.

# ------------------------- OPTIONAL ARGUMENTS -------------------------
# -SaveCSV
#     Switch (Takes no values)
#     Save info about all the shortcuts into CSV spreadsheet files for each type of shell folder
#
# -SaveXML
#     Switch (Takes no values)
#     Save the XML content from shell32.dll as a file containing info about the task links
#
# -Output
#     String (Optional)
#     Specify a custom output folder path (relative or absolute) to save the generated shortcuts. If not provided, a folder named "Shell Folder Shortcuts" will be created in the script's directory.
#
# -DeletePreviousOutputFolder
#     Switch (Takes no values)
#     Delete the previous output folder before running the script if one exists matching the one that would be created
#
# -Verbose
#     Switch (Takes no values)
#     Enable verbose output for more detailed information during script execution
#
# -DontGroupTasks
#     Switch (Takes no values)
#     Prevent grouping task shortcuts, meaning the application name won't be prepended to the task name in the shortcut file
#
# -SkipCLSID
#     Switch (Takes no values)
#     Skip creating shortcuts for shell folders based on CLSIDs
#
# -SkipNamedFolders
#     Switch (Takes no values)
#     Skip creating shortcuts for named special folders
#
# -SkipTaskLinks
#     Switch (Takes no values)
#     Skip creating shortcuts for task links (sub-pages within shell folders and control panel menus)
#
# -DLLPath
#     String (Optional)
#     Specify a custom DLL file path to load the shell32.dll content from. If not provided, the default shell32.dll will be used.
#     NOTE: Because of how Windows works behind the scenes, DLLs reference resources in corresponding .mui and .mun files.
#        The XML data (resource ID 21) that is required in this script is actually located in shell32.dll.mun, which is located at "C:\Windows\SystemResources\shell32.dll.mun"
#        This means if you want to reference the data from a DLL that is NOT at C:\Windows\System32\shell32.dll, you should directly reference the .mun file instead. It will auto redirect if it's at that exact path, but not otherwise.
#            > This is especially important if wanting to reference the data from a different computer, you need to be sure to copy the .mun file
#        See: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/68389730/windows-dll-function-behaviour-is-different-if-dll-is-moved-to-different-locatio
#
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------
#
#   EXAMPLE USAGE FROM COMMAND LINE:
#       .\Get_All_Shell_Folder_Shortcuts.ps1 -SaveXML -SaveCSV
#
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------
[CmdletBinding()]
param(
    [switch]$DontGroupTasks,
    [switch]$SaveXML,
    [switch]$SaveCSV,
    [switch]$DeletePreviousOutputFolder,
    [string]$DLLPath,
    [string]$Output,
    [switch]$SkipCLSID,
    [switch]$SkipNamedFolders,
    [switch]$SkipTaskLinks
)

# Set the output folder path for the generated shortcuts based on the provided argument or default location. Convert to full path if necessary
if ($Output) {
    # Convert to full path only if necessary, otherwise use as is
    if (-not [System.IO.Path]::IsPathRooted($Output)) {
        $mainShortcutsFolder = Join-Path $PSScriptRoot $Output
    } else {
        $mainShortcutsFolder = $Output
    }
} else {
    # Default output folder path is a subfolder named "Shell Folder Shortcuts" in the script's directory
    $mainShortcutsFolder = Join-Path $PSScriptRoot "Shell Folder Shortcuts"
}

# `Join-Path` is used to construct the folder path by combining the script's root directory with the folder name.
#$mainShortcutsFolder = Join-Path $PSScriptRoot "Shell Folder Shortcuts"

# Set filenames for various output files (CSV and optional XML)
$clsidCsvPath = Join-Path $mainShortcutsFolder "CLSID_Shell_Folders.csv"
$namedFoldersCsvPath = Join-Path $mainShortcutsFolder "Named_Shell_Folders.csv"
$taskLinksCsvPath = Join-Path $mainShortcutsFolder "Task_Links.csv"
$xmlContentFilePath = Join-Path $mainShortcutsFolder "Shell32_XML_Content.xml"
$resolvedXmlContentFilePath = Join-Path $mainShortcutsFolder "Shell32_XML_Content_Resolved.xml"

# Check if the output folder already exists and delete it if the -DeletePreviousOutputFolder switch is used
if ($DeletePreviousOutputFolder -and (Test-Path $mainShortcutsFolder)) {
    Write-Host "Deleting previous output folder: $mainShortcutsFolder"
    Remove-Item -Path $mainShortcutsFolder -Recurse -Force
}

# `New-Item` creates the directory if it does not exist; `-Force` ensures it is created without errors if it already exists.
New-Item -Path $mainShortcutsFolder -ItemType Directory -Force | Out-Null


# Function to create a folder with a custom icon
function New-FolderWithIcon {
    param (
        [string]$FolderPath,
        [string]$IconFile,
        [string]$IconIndex  # Changed to string to allow both positive and negative values
    )

    # Create the folder
    New-Item -Path $FolderPath -ItemType Directory -Force | Out-Null

    # If there's not a negative sign at the beginning of the index, add one
    if ($IconIndex -notmatch '^-') {
        $IconIndex = "-$IconIndex"
    }

    # Create desktop.ini content
    $desktopIniContent = @"
[.ShellClassInfo]
IconResource=$IconFile,$IconIndex
"@

    # Create desktop.ini file
    $desktopIniPath = Join-Path $FolderPath "desktop.ini"
    Set-Content -Path $desktopIniPath -Value $desktopIniContent -Encoding ASCII

    # Set desktop.ini attributes
    (Get-Item $desktopIniPath).Attributes = 'Hidden,System'

    # Set folder attributes
    (Get-Item $FolderPath).Attributes = 'ReadOnly,Directory'
}

# Create relevant subfolders for different types of shortcuts, and set custom icons for each folder
# Notes for choosing an icon:
#    - You can use the tool 'IconsExtract' from NirSoft to see icons in a DLL file and their indexes: https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/iconsext.html
#    - Another good dll to use for icons is "C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll" which has a lot of icons

if (-not $SkipCLSID) {
    $CLSIDshortcutsOutputFolder = Join-Path $mainShortcutsFolder "CLSID Shell Folder Shortcuts"
    New-FolderWithIcon -FolderPath $CLSIDshortcutsOutputFolder -IconFile "C:\Windows\System32\shell32.dll" -IconIndex "20"
}

if (-not $SkipNamedFolders) {
    $namedShortcutsOutputFolder = Join-Path $mainShortcutsFolder "Named Shell Folder Shortcuts"
    New-FolderWithIcon -FolderPath $namedShortcutsOutputFolder -IconFile "C:\Windows\System32\shell32.dll" -IconIndex "46"
}

if (-not $SkipTaskLinks) {
    $taskLinksOutputFolder = Join-Path $mainShortcutsFolder "All Task Links"
    New-FolderWithIcon -FolderPath $taskLinksOutputFolder -IconFile "C:\Windows\System32\shell32.dll" -IconIndex "137"
}


# The following block adds necessary .NET types to PowerShell for later use.
# The `Add-Type` cmdlet is used to add C# code that interacts with Windows API functions.
# These functions include loading and freeing DLLs, finding and loading resources, and more.
Add-Type -TypeDefinition @"
    using System;
    using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
    using System.Text;
    public class Windows
    {
        [DllImport("user32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto)]
        public static extern int LoadString(IntPtr hInstance, uint uID, StringBuilder lpBuffer, int nBufferMax);

        [DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true, CharSet = CharSet.Auto)]
        public static extern IntPtr LoadLibraryEx(string lpFileName, IntPtr hFile, uint dwFlags);

        [DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true, CharSet = CharSet.Auto)]
        public static extern IntPtr FindResource(IntPtr hModule, int lpName, string lpType);

        [DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
        public static extern IntPtr LoadResource(IntPtr hModule, IntPtr hResInfo);

        [DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
        public static extern IntPtr LockResource(IntPtr hResData);

        [DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
        public static extern uint SizeofResource(IntPtr hModule, IntPtr hResInfo);

        [DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
        public static extern bool FreeLibrary(IntPtr hModule);
    }
"@



# Function: Get-LocalizedString
# This function retrieves a localized (meaning in the user's language) string from a DLL based on a reference string given in the registry
# `StringReference` is a reference in the format "@<dllPath>,-<resourceId>".
function Get-LocalizedString {
    param ( [string]$StringReference )

    # Check if the provided string matches the expected format for a resource reference.
    if ($StringReference -match '@(.+),-(\d+)') {
        $dllPath = [Environment]::ExpandEnvironmentVariables($Matches[1])  # Extract and expand the DLL path.
        $resourceId = [uint32]$Matches[2]  # Extract the resource ID.

        # Load the specified DLL into memory.
        $hModule = [Windows]::LoadLibraryEx($dllPath, [IntPtr]::Zero, 0)
        if ($hModule -eq [IntPtr]::Zero) {
            Write-Error "Failed to load library: $dllPath"
            return $null
        }

        # Prepare a StringBuilder object to hold the localized string.
        $stringBuilder = New-Object System.Text.StringBuilder 1024
        # Load the string from the DLL.
        $result = [Windows]::LoadString($hModule, $resourceId, $stringBuilder, $stringBuilder.Capacity)

        # Free the loaded DLL from memory. Must add '[void]' or else PowerShell will make the function return as an array.
        [void][Windows]::FreeLibrary($hModule)

        # If the string was successfully loaded, return it.
        if ($result -ne 0) {
            return $stringBuilder.ToString()
        } else {
            Write-Error "Failed to load string resource: $resourceId from $dllPath"
            return $null
        }
    } else {
        Write-Error "Invalid string reference format: $StringReference"
        return $null
    }
}

# Function: Get-FolderName
# This function retrieves the name of a shell folder given its CLSID, to be used for the shortcuts later
# It attempts to find the name by checking several potential locations in the registry.
function Get-FolderName {
    param (
        [string]$clsid  # The CLSID of the shell folder.
    )

    # Initialize $nameSource to track where the folder name was found (for reporting purposes in CSV later)
    $nameSource = "Unknown"

    Write-Verbose "Attempting to get folder name for CLSID: $clsid"

    # Step 1: Check the default value in the registry at HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\<clsid>.
    $defaultPath = "Registry::HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\$clsid"
    Write-Verbose "Checking default value at: $defaultPath"
    $defaultName = (Get-ItemProperty -Path $defaultPath -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).'(default)'

    # If a default name is found, check if it's a reference to a localized string.
    if ($defaultName) {
        Write-Verbose "Found default name: $defaultName"
        if ($defaultName -match '@.+,-\d+') {
            Write-Verbose "Default name is a localized string reference"
            $resolvedName = Get-LocalizedString $defaultName
            if ($resolvedName) {
                $nameSource = "Localized String"
                Write-Verbose "Resolved default name to: $resolvedName"
                return @($resolvedName, $nameSource)
            }
            else {
                Write-Verbose "Failed to resolve default name, using original value"
            }
        }
        $nameSource = "Default Value"
        return @($defaultName, $nameSource)
    }
    else {
        Write-Verbose "No default name found"
    }

    # Step 2: Check for a `TargetKnownFolder` in the registry, which points to a known folder.
    $initPropertyBagPath = "Registry::HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\$clsid\Instance\InitPropertyBag"
    Write-Verbose "Checking for TargetKnownFolder at: $initPropertyBagPath"
    $targetKnownFolder = (Get-ItemProperty -Path $initPropertyBagPath -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).TargetKnownFolder

    # If a TargetKnownFolder is found, check its description in the registry.
    if ($targetKnownFolder) {
        Write-Verbose "Found TargetKnownFolder: $targetKnownFolder"
        $folderDescriptionsPath = "Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\$targetKnownFolder"
        Write-Verbose "Checking for folder name at: $folderDescriptionsPath"
        $folderName = (Get-ItemProperty -Path $folderDescriptionsPath -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).Name
        if ($folderName) {
            $nameSource = "Known Folder ID"
            Write-Verbose "Found folder name: $folderName"
            return @($folderName, $nameSource)
        }
        else {
            Write-Verbose "No folder name found in FolderDescriptions"
        }
    }
    else {
        Write-Verbose "No TargetKnownFolder found"
    }

    # Step 3: Check for a `LocalizedString` value in the CLSID registry key.
    $localizedStringPath = "Registry::HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\$clsid"
    Write-Verbose "Checking for LocalizedString at: $localizedStringPath"
    $localizedString = (Get-ItemProperty -Path $localizedStringPath -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).LocalizedString

    # If a LocalizedString is found, resolve it using the Get-LocalizedString function.
    if ($localizedString) {
        Write-Verbose "Found LocalizedString: $localizedString"
        $resolvedString = Get-LocalizedString $localizedString
        if ($resolvedString) {
            $nameSource = "Localized String"
            Write-Verbose "Resolved LocalizedString to: $resolvedString"
            return @($resolvedString, $nameSource)
        }
        else {
            Write-Verbose "Failed to resolve LocalizedString"
        }
    }
    else {
        Write-Verbose "No LocalizedString found"
    }

    # Step 4: Check the Desktop\NameSpace registry key for the folder name.
    $namespacePath = "Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\$clsid"
    Write-Verbose "Checking Desktop\NameSpace at: $namespacePath"
    $namespaceName = (Get-ItemProperty -Path $namespacePath -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).'(default)'

    # If a name is found here, return it.
    if ($namespaceName) {
        $nameSource = "Desktop Namespace"
        Write-Verbose "Found name in Desktop\NameSpace: $namespaceName"
        return @($namespaceName, $nameSource)
    }
    else {
        Write-Verbose "No name found in Desktop\NameSpace"
    }

    # Step 5: New check - Recursively search in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
    $explorerPath = "Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer"
    Write-Verbose "Recursively checking Explorer registry path for CLSID: $explorerPath"

    function Search-RegistryKey {
        param (
            [string]$Path,
            [string]$Clsid
        )

        $keys = Get-ChildItem -Path $Path -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

        foreach ($key in $keys) {
            if ($key.PSChildName -eq $Clsid) {
                $defaultValue = (Get-ItemProperty -Path $key.PSPath -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).'(default)'
                if ($defaultValue -and $defaultValue -ne "") {
                    return $defaultValue
                }
            }

            $subResult = Search-RegistryKey -Path $key.PSPath -Clsid $Clsid
            if ($subResult) {
                return $subResult
            }
        }

        return $null
    }

    $explorerName = Search-RegistryKey -Path $explorerPath -Clsid $clsid
    if ($explorerName) {
        $nameSource = "Explorer Registry"
        Write-Verbose "Found name in Explorer registry: $explorerName"
        return @($explorerName, $nameSource)
    }
    else {
        Write-Verbose "No name found in Explorer registry"
    }

    # Step 6: If no name is found, return the CLSID itself as a last resort to be used for the shortcut
    Write-Verbose "Returning CLSID as folder name"
    $nameSource = "Unknown"
    return @($clsid, $nameSource)
}

# Function: Create-Shortcut
# This function creates a shortcut for a given CLSID or shell folder.
# It assigns the appropriate target path, arguments, and icon based on the CLSID information.
function Create-Shortcut {
    param (
        [string]$clsid,         # The CLSID of the shell folder
        [string]$name,          # The name of the shortcut
        [string]$shortcutPath,  # The full path where the shortcut will be created
        [string]$pageName = ""  # Optional: the name of a specific page within the shell folder (usually used for control panels)
    )

    try {
        Write-Verbose "Creating Shortcut For: $name"
        # Create a COM object representing the WScript.Shell, which is used to create shortcuts
        $shell = New-Object -ComObject WScript.Shell

        # Create the actual shortcut at the specified path
        $shortcut = $shell.CreateShortcut($shortcutPath)
        # Set the 'target' to explorer so it opens with File Explorer. The 'arguments' part of the target will be set next and contain the 'shell:' part of the command.
        $shortcut.TargetPath = "explorer.exe"

        # If a specific page is provided, include it in the arguments, otherwise just set the shell command used to open the folder
        if ($pageName) {
            $shortcut.Arguments = "shell:::$clsid\$pageName"
        } else {
            $shortcut.Arguments = "shell:::$clsid"
        }

        # Attempt to find a custom icon for the shortcut by checking the registry
        $iconPath = (Get-ItemProperty -Path "Registry::HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\$clsid\DefaultIcon" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).'(default)'
        if ($iconPath) {
            Write-Verbose "Setting custom icon: $iconPath"
            $shortcut.IconLocation = $iconPath
        }
        # Otherwise use the Windows default folder icon
        else {
            Write-Verbose "No custom icon found. Setting default folder icon."
            $shortcut.IconLocation = "%SystemRoot%\System32\shell32.dll,3"
        }

        $shortcut.Save()

        # Release the COM object to free up resources.
        [System.Runtime.Interopservices.Marshal]::ReleaseComObject($shell) | Out-Null
        return $true
    }
    catch {
        Write-Host "Error creating shortcut for $name`: $($_.Exception.Message)"
        return $false
    }
}

function Get-TaskIcon {
    param (
        [string]$controlPanelName,
        [string]$applicationId
    )

    $iconPath = $null

    if ($controlPanelName) {
        # Try to get icon from control panel name
        $regPath = "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ControlPanel\NameSpace\$controlPanelName"
        $iconPath = (Get-ItemProperty -Path $regPath -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).Icon
    }

    if (-not $iconPath -and $applicationId) {
        # Try to get icon from application ID
        $regPath = "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ControlPanel\NameSpace\$applicationId"
        $iconPath = (Get-ItemProperty -Path $regPath -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).Icon

        if (-not $iconPath) {
            # If not found, try CLSID path
            $regPath = "Registry::HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\$applicationId\DefaultIcon"
            $iconPath = (Get-ItemProperty -Path $regPath -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).'(default)'
        }
    }

    if ($iconPath) {
        return Fix-CommandPath $iconPath
    }

    # Default icon if none found
    return "%SystemRoot%\System32\shell32.dll,0"
}

# Fix issues with command paths spotted in at least one XML entry, where double percent signs were present at the beginning like %%windir%
function Fix-CommandPath {
    param (
        [string]$command
    )

    # Fix double % at the beginning
    if ($command -match '^\%\%') {
        $command = $command -replace '^\%\%', '%'
    }

    # Expand environment variables
    #$command = [Environment]::ExpandEnvironmentVariables($command)

    return $command
}

function Create-TaskLink-Shortcut {
    param (
        [string]$name,
        [string]$shortcutPath,
        [string]$command,
        [string]$controlPanelName,
        [string]$applicationId,
        [string[]]$keywords
    )

    try {
        Write-Verbose "Creating Task Link Shortcut For: $name"

        $shell = New-Object -ComObject WScript.Shell
        $shortcut = $shell.CreateShortcut($shortcutPath)

        # Parse the command
        if ($command -match '^(\S+)\s*(.*)$') {
            $targetPath = Fix-CommandPath $Matches[1]
            $arguments = Fix-CommandPath $Matches[2]

            $shortcut.TargetPath = $targetPath
            $shortcut.Arguments = $arguments
        } else {
            $fixedCommand = Fix-CommandPath $command
            $shortcut.TargetPath = $fixedCommand
        }

        $iconPath = Get-TaskIcon -controlPanelName $controlPanelName -applicationId $applicationId
        $shortcut.IconLocation = $iconPath

        # Combine keywords into a single string and set as Description
        if ($keywords -and $keywords.Count -gt 0) {
            $descriptionLimit = 259 # Limit for Description field in shortcuts or else it causes some kind of buffer overflow
            $keywordString = ""
            $separator = " "

            foreach ($keyword in $keywords) {
                $potentialNewString = if ($keywordString) { $keywordString + $separator + $keyword } else { $keyword }
                if ($potentialNewString.Length -le $descriptionLimit) {
                    $keywordString = $potentialNewString
                } else {
                    break
                }
            }

            $shortcut.Description = $keywordString
        }

        $shortcut.Save()

        [System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::ReleaseComObject($shell) | Out-Null
        return $true
    } catch {
        Write-Host "Error creating shortcut for $name`: $($_.Exception.Message)"
        return $false
    }
}

# Function: Get-Shell32XMLContent
# This function extracts and returns the XML content embedded in the shell32.dll file, which contains info about sub-pages within certain shell folders and control panel menus.
# Apparently these are sometimes referred to as "Task Links"
function Get-Shell32XMLContent {
    param(
        [switch]$SaveXML,
        [string]$CustomDLL
    )

    # If a custom DLL path is provided, use it; otherwise, use the default shell32.dll path
    if ($CustomDLL) {
        Write-Verbose "Using custom DLL path: $CustomDLL"
        $dllPath = $CustomDLL
    } else {
        Write-Verbose "Using default shell32.dll path"
        $dllPath = "shell32.dll"
    }

    # Constants used for loading the shell32.dll as a data file.
    $LOAD_LIBRARY_AS_DATAFILE = 0x00000002
    $DONT_RESOLVE_DLL_REFERENCES = 0x00000001

    # Initialize an empty string to hold the XML content
    $xmlContent = ""

    # Load shell32.dll as a data file, preventing the DLL from being fully resolved as it is not necessary
    $shell32Handle = [Windows]::LoadLibraryEx($dllPath, [IntPtr]::Zero, $LOAD_LIBRARY_AS_DATAFILE -bor $DONT_RESOLVE_DLL_REFERENCES)
    if ($shell32Handle -eq [IntPtr]::Zero) {
        Write-Error "Failed to load $dllPath"
        return $null
    }

    try {
        # Attempt to find the XML resource within shell32.dll. '21' is necessary to use here.
        $hResInfo = [Windows]::FindResource($shell32Handle, 21, "XML")
        if ($hResInfo -eq [IntPtr]::Zero) {
            Write-Error "Failed to find XML resource"
            Write-Error "Did you move the DLL from the original location? If so you may need to directly specify the corresponding .mun file instead of the DLL."
            Write-Error "See the comments for the DLLPath argument at the top of the script for more info."
            return $null
        }

        # Load the XML resource data.
        $hResData = [Windows]::LoadResource($shell32Handle, $hResInfo)
        if ($hResData -eq [IntPtr]::Zero) {
            Write-Error "Failed to load XML resource"
            return $null
        }

        # Lock the resource in memory to access its data.
        $pData = [Windows]::LockResource($hResData)
        if ($pData -eq [IntPtr]::Zero) {
            Write-Error "Failed to lock XML resource"
            return $null
        }

        # Get the size of the XML resource and copy it into a byte array.
        $size = [Windows]::SizeofResource($shell32Handle, $hResInfo)
        $byteArray = New-Object byte[] $size
        [System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::Copy($pData, $byteArray, 0, $size)

        # Convert the byte array to a UTF-8 string.
        $xmlContent = [System.Text.Encoding]::UTF8.GetString($byteArray)
        $xmlContent = $xmlContent -replace "`0", "" # Remove any null characters from the string, though this probably isn't necessary
    }
    finally {
        # Ensure that the loaded DLL is always freed from memory.
        [void][Windows]::FreeLibrary($shell32Handle)
    }

    # Clean and trim any extraneous whitespace from the XML content
    $xmlContent = $xmlContent.Trim()

    # Save XML content if the SaveXML switch is used
    if ($SaveXML) {
        Save-PrettyXML -xmlContent $xmlContent -outputPath $xmlContentFilePath
    }

    # Return the XML content as a string
    return $xmlContent
}

# Save the XML content from shell32.dll to a file for reference if the user uses the -SaveXML switch
function Save-PrettyXML {
    param (
        [string]$xmlContent,
        [string]$outputPath
    )

    try {
        # Load the XML content
        $xmlDoc = New-Object System.Xml.XmlDocument
        $xmlDoc.LoadXml($xmlContent)

        # Create XmlWriterSettings for pretty-printing
        $writerSettings = New-Object System.Xml.XmlWriterSettings
        $writerSettings.Indent = $true
        $writerSettings.IndentChars = "  "
        $writerSettings.NewLineChars = "`r`n"
        $writerSettings.NewLineHandling = [System.Xml.NewLineHandling]::Replace

        # Create XmlWriter and write the document
        $writer = [System.Xml.XmlWriter]::Create($outputPath, $writerSettings)
        $xmlDoc.Save($writer)
        $writer.Close()

        Write-Verbose "XML content formatted and saved: $outputPath"
    }
    catch {
        Write-Error "Failed to format and save XML: $_"
    }
}

# Function: Get-TaskLinks
# This function parses the XML content extracted from shell32.dll to find "task links", which are basically sub-menu pages, often in the Control Panel
function Get-TaskLinks {
    param(
        [switch]$SaveXML,
        [string]$DLLPath
    )
    $xmlContent = Get-Shell32XMLContent -SaveXML:$SaveXML -CustomDLL:$DLLPath

    try {
        $xml = [xml]$xmlContent
        Write-Verbose "XML parsed successfully."
    } catch {
        Write-Error "Failed to parse XML content: $_"
        return
    }

    # Create a copy of the XML for resolved content
    $resolvedXml = $xml.Clone()

    $nsManager = New-Object System.Xml.XmlNamespaceManager($xml.NameTable)
    $nsManager.AddNamespace("cpl", "http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/cpltasks/v1")
    $nsManager.AddNamespace("sh", "http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/tasks/v1")
    $nsManager.AddNamespace("sh2", "http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/tasks/v2")

    $tasks = @()

    $allTasks = $xml.SelectNodes("//sh:task", $nsManager)

    foreach ($task in $allTasks) {
        $taskId = $task.GetAttribute("id")
        $nameNode = $task.SelectSingleNode("sh:name", $nsManager)
        $controlPanel = $task.SelectSingleNode("sh2:controlpanel", $nsManager)
        $commandNode = $task.SelectSingleNode("sh:command", $nsManager)
        $keywordsNodes = $task.SelectNodes("sh:keywords", $nsManager)

        # Resolve name
        $name = $null
        if ($nameNode -and $nameNode.InnerText) {
            if ($nameNode.InnerText -match '@(.+),-(\d+)') {
                $name = Get-LocalizedString $nameNode.InnerText
                # Update resolved XML
                $resolvedNameNode = $resolvedXml.SelectSingleNode("//sh:task[@id='$taskId']/sh:name", $nsManager)
                if ($resolvedNameNode) {
                    $resolvedNameNode.InnerText = $name
                }
            } else {
                $name = $nameNode.InnerText
            }
        }
        if ($name) {
            $name = $name.Trim()
        } elseif ($task.Name -eq "sh:task" -and $task.GetAttribute("idref")) {
            Write-Verbose "Skipping category entry: $($task.OuterXml)"
            continue
        } else {
            Write-Warning "Task $taskId is missing a name and is not a category reference. This may indicate an issue: $($task.OuterXml)"
            continue
        }

        $command = $null
        $appName = $null
        $page = $null

        $appId = $task.ParentNode.id
        if (-not $appId) {
            $appId = $task.GetAttribute("id")
        }

        if ($controlPanel) {
            $appName = $controlPanel.GetAttribute("name")
            $page = $controlPanel.GetAttribute("page")
            $command = "control.exe /name $appName"
            if ($page) {
                $command += " /page $page"
            }
        } elseif ($commandNode) {
            $command = $commandNode.InnerText
        }

        $keywords = @()
        foreach ($keywordNode in $keywordsNodes) {
            $keyword = $null
            if ($keywordNode.InnerText -match '@(.+),-(\d+)') {
                $keyword = Get-LocalizedString $keywordNode.InnerText
                # Update resolved XML
                $resolvedKeywordNode = $resolvedXml.SelectSingleNode("//sh:task[@id='$taskId']/sh:keywords[text()='$($keywordNode.InnerText)']", $nsManager)
                if ($resolvedKeywordNode) {
                    $resolvedKeywordNode.InnerText = $keyword
                }
            } else {
                $keyword = $keywordNode.InnerText
            }
            if ($keyword) {
                $splitKeywords = $keyword.Split(';', [StringSplitOptions]::RemoveEmptyEntries)
                foreach ($splitKeyword in $splitKeywords) {
                    if ($splitKeyword) {
                        $keywords += $splitKeyword.Trim()
                    }
                }
            }
        }

        # If no app name, look it up via CLSID in the registry
        if (-not $appName) {
            $appName = (Get-ItemProperty -Path "Registry::HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\$appId" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)."System.ApplicationName"
        }
        # If still no app name, check if any other task has the same app ID with a name, and if so use that, but only the first instance
        if (-not $appName) {
            $otherTask = $tasks | Where-Object { $_.ApplicationId -eq $appId -and $_.ApplicationName } | Select-Object -First 1
            if ($otherTask) {
                $appName = $otherTask.ApplicationName
            }
        }

        if ($name -and ($command -or $appName)) {
            # Determine the ControlPanelName value before creating the object
            if ($controlPanel) {
                $controlPanelName = $controlPanel.GetAttribute("name")
            } else {
                $controlPanelName = $null
            }

            # Now create the $newTask object using the pre-determined $controlPanelName
            $newTask = [PSCustomObject]@{
                TaskId = $taskId
                ApplicationId = $appId
                Name = $name
                ApplicationName = $appName
                Page = $page
                Command = $command
                Keywords = $keywords
                ControlPanelName = $controlPanelName
            }

            # Check if a task with the same name and command already exists
            $isDuplicate = $tasks | Where-Object { $_.Name -eq $newTask.Name -and $_.Command -eq $newTask.Command }

            if (-not $isDuplicate) {
                $tasks += $newTask
            } else {
                Write-Verbose "Skipping duplicate task: $($newTask.Name)"
            }
        }
    }

    # Store the resolved XML content in a new variable
    $resolvedXmlContent = $resolvedXml.OuterXml

    # Save XML content if the SaveXML switch is used
    if ($SaveXML) {
        Save-PrettyXML -xmlContent $resolvedXmlContent -outputPath $resolvedXmlContentFilePath
    }

    return $tasks
}

# Function: Create-NamedShortcut
# This function creates a shortcut for a named special folder.
# The shortcut points directly to the folder using its name (e.g., "Documents", "Pictures").
function Create-NamedShortcut {
    param (
        [string]$name,          # The name of the special folder.
        [string]$shortcutPath,  # The full path where the shortcut will be created.
        [string]$iconPath       # The path to the folder's custom icon (if any).
    )

    try {
        Write-Verbose "Creating named shortcut for $name"
        # Create a COM object representing the WScript.Shell, which is used to create shortcuts.
        $shell = New-Object -ComObject WScript.Shell

        # Create the actual shortcut at the specified path.
        $shortcut = $shell.CreateShortcut($shortcutPath)
        $shortcut.TargetPath = "explorer.exe"  # The shortcut will open in Windows Explorer.
        $shortcut.Arguments = "shell:$name"  # Set the shortcut to open the specified folder by name. This will also be in the target path box for the shortcut.

        # Set the custom icon if one is provided in the registry
        if ($iconPath) {
            Write-Verbose "Setting custom icon: $iconPath"
            $shortcut.IconLocation = $iconPath
        }
        else {
            Write-Verbose "Setting default folder icon"
            $shortcut.IconLocation = "%SystemRoot%\System32\shell32.dll,3"  # Default folder icon.
        }

        # Save the shortcut.
        $shortcut.Save()

        # Release the COM object to free up resources.
        [System.Runtime.Interopservices.Marshal]::ReleaseComObject($shell) | Out-Null
        return $true
    }
    catch {
        Write-Host "Error creating shortcut for $name`: $($_.Exception.Message)"
        return $false
    }
}

# Function: Create-CLSIDCsvFile
# This function generates a CSV file containing details about all processed CLSID shell folders.
function Create-CLSIDCsvFile {
    param (
        [string]$outputPath,  # The full path where the CSV file will be saved.
        [array]$clsidData     # An array of objects containing CLSID data.
    )

    # Initialize the CSV content with headers.
    $csvContent = "CLSID,ExplorerCommand,Name,NameSource,CustomIcon`n"

    # Loop through each CLSID data object and append its details to the CSV content.
    foreach ($item in $clsidData) {
        $explorerCommand = "explorer shell:::$($item.CLSID)"  # The command to open the shell folder.
        $iconPath = if ($item.IconPath) {
            "`"$($item.IconPath -replace '"', '""')`""  # Escape double quotes in the icon path.
        } else {
            "None"
        }

        # Escape any double quotes in the name.
        $escapedName = $item.Name -replace '"', '""'

        # Convert the sub-items array to a string, separating items with a pipe character.
        #$subItemsString = ($item.SubItems | ForEach-Object { "$($_.Name):$($_.Page)" }) -join '|'

        # Append the CLSID details to the CSV content.
        $csvContent += "$($item.CLSID),`"$explorerCommand`",`"$escapedName`",$($item.NameSource),$iconPath`n"
    }

    # Write the CSV content to the specified output file.
    $csvContent | Out-File -FilePath $outputPath -Encoding utf8
}

# Function: Create-NamedFoldersCsvFile
# This function generates a CSV file containing details about all processed named special folders.
function Create-NamedFoldersCsvFile {
    param (
        [string]$outputPath  # The full path where the CSV file will be saved.
    )

    # Initialize the CSV content with headers.
    $csvContent = "Name,ExplorerCommand,RelativePath,ParentFolder`n"

    # Retrieve all named special folders from the registry.
    $namedFolders = Get-ChildItem -Path "Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions"

    # Loop through each named folder and append its details to the CSV content.
    foreach ($folder in $namedFolders) {
        $folderProperties = Get-ItemProperty -Path $folder.PSPath
        $name = $folderProperties.Name  # Extract the name of the folder.
        if ($name) {
            $explorerCommand = "explorer shell:$name"  # The command to open the folder.
            $relativePath = $folderProperties.RelativePath -replace ',', '","'  # Escape commas in the relative path.
            $parentFolderGuid = $folderProperties.ParentFolder  # Extract the parent folder GUID (if any).
            $parentFolderName = "None"  # Default value if there is no parent folder.
            if ($parentFolderGuid) {
                # If a parent folder GUID is found, retrieve the name of the parent folder.
                $parentFolderPath = "Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\$parentFolderGuid"
                $parentFolderName = (Get-ItemProperty -Path $parentFolderPath -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).Name
            }

            # Append the named folder details to the CSV content.
            $csvContent += "`"$name`",`"$explorerCommand`",`"$relativePath`",`"$parentFolderName`"`n"
        }
    }

    # Write the CSV content to the specified output file.
    $csvContent | Out-File -FilePath $outputPath -Encoding utf8
}

# Function: Create-TaskLinksCsvFile
# This function generates a CSV file containing details about all processed 'task links' aka sub-pages.
function Create-TaskLinksCsvFile {
    param (
        [string]$outputPath,
        [array]$taskLinksData
    )

    $csvContent = "XMLTaskId,ApplicationId,ApplicationName,Name,Page,Command,Keywords`n"

    foreach ($item in $taskLinksData) {
        $taskId = $item.TaskId -replace '"', '""'
        $applicationId = $item.ApplicationId -replace '"', '""'
        $applicationName = $item.ApplicationName -replace '"', '""'
        $name = $item.Name -replace '"', '""'
        $page = $item.Page -replace '"', '""'
        $command = $item.Command -replace '"', '""'
        $keywords = ($item.Keywords -join ';') -replace '"', '""'

        $csvContent += "`"$taskId`",`"$applicationId`",`"$applicationName`",`"$name`",`"$page`",`"$command`",`"$keywords`"`n"
    }

    $csvContent | Out-File -FilePath $outputPath -Encoding utf8
}

# Take the app name like Microsoft.NetworkAndSharingCenter and prepare it to be displayed in the shortcut name like "Network and Sharing Center - Whatever Task name"
function Prettify-App-Name {
    param(
        [string]$AppName,
        [string]$TaskName
    )

    # List of words to rejoin if split
    $wordsToRejoin = @(
        "Bit Locker",
        "Side Show",
        "Auto Play"
        # Add more words as needed
    )

    # Remove "Microsoft." prefix if present
    $AppName = $AppName -replace '^Microsoft\.', ''

    # Split camelCase into separate words, handling consecutive uppercase letters
    $AppName = $AppName -creplace '(?<=[a-z])(?=[A-Z])|(?<=[A-Z])(?=[A-Z][a-z])|\b(?=[A-Z]{2,}\b)', ' '

    # Rejoin specific words
    foreach ($word in $wordsToRejoin) {
        $AppName = $AppName -replace $word, $word.Replace(' ', '')
    }

    # Combine AppName and TaskName
    $PrettyName = "$AppName - $TaskName"

    # Sanitize the name to remove invalid characters for file names
    $PrettyName = $PrettyName -replace '[\\/:*?"<>|]', '_'

    return $PrettyName
}

# ---------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------
# ----------------------------------------------    Main Script    ----------------------------------------------
# ---------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------

# If statement to check if CLSID is skipped by argument
if (-not $SkipCLSID) {
    # Retrieve all CLSIDs with a "ShellFolder" subkey from the registry.
    # These CLSIDs represent shell folders that are embedded within Windows.
    $shellFolders = Get-ChildItem -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID' |
    Where-Object {$_.GetSubKeyNames() -contains "ShellFolder"} |
    Select-Object PSChildName

    Write-Host "`n----- Processing $($shellFolders.Count) Shell Folders -----"

    # Create an array to store information about each CLSID (name, icon, etc.).
    $clsidInfo = @()

    # Loop through each relevant CLSID that was found and process it to create shortcuts.
    foreach ($folder in $shellFolders) {
    $clsid = $folder.PSChildName  # Extract the CLSID.
    Write-Verbose "Processing CLSID: $clsid"

    # Retrieve the name of the shell folder using the Get-FolderName function and the source of the name within the registry
    $resultArray = Get-FolderName -clsid $clsid
    $name = $resultArray[0]
    $nameSource = $resultArray[1]

    # Sanitize the folder name to make it a valid filename.
    $sanitizedName = $name -replace '[\\/:*?"<>|]', '_'
    $shortcutPath = Join-Path $CLSIDshortcutsOutputFolder "$sanitizedName.lnk"

    Write-Verbose "Attempting to create shortcut: $shortcutPath"
    $success = Create-Shortcut -clsid $clsid -name $name -shortcutPath $shortcutPath

    if ($success) {
        Write-Host "Created CLSID Shortcut For: $name"
    }
    else {
        Write-Host "Failed to create shortcut for $name"
    }

    # Check for sub-items (pages) related to the current CLSID (e.g., control panel items).
    $appName = (Get-ItemProperty -Path "Registry::HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\$clsid" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)."System.ApplicationName"

    # Store the CLSID information for later use (e.g., in CSV file generation).
    $iconPath = (Get-ItemProperty -Path "Registry::HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\$clsid\DefaultIcon" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).'(default)'
    $clsidInfo += [PSCustomObject]@{
        CLSID = $clsid
        Name = $name
        NameSource = $nameSource
        IconPath = $iconPath
    }
}

}


if (-not $SkipNamedFolders) {
    # Retrieve all named special folders from the registry.
    $namedFolders = Get-ChildItem -Path "Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions"
    Write-Host "`n----- Processing $($namedFolders.Count) Special Named Folders -----"

    # Loop through each named folder and create a shortcut for it.
    foreach ($folder in $namedFolders) {
        $folderProperties = Get-ItemProperty -Path $folder.PSPath
        $folderName = $folderProperties.Name  # Extract the name of the folder.
        $iconPath = $folderProperties.Icon  # Extract the custom icon path (if any).

        if ($folderName) {
            Write-Verbose "Processing named folder: $folderName"

            # Sanitize the folder name to make it a valid filename.
            $sanitizedName = $folderName -replace '[\\/:*?"<>|]', '_'
            $shortcutPath = Join-Path $namedShortcutsOutputFolder "$sanitizedName.lnk"

            Write-Verbose "Attempting to create shortcut: $shortcutPath"
            $success = Create-NamedShortcut -name $folderName -shortcutPath $shortcutPath -iconPath $iconPath

            if ($success) {
                Write-Host "Created Shortcut For Named Folder: $folderName"
            }
            else {
                Write-Host "Failed to create shortcut for named folder $folderName"
            }
        }
        else {
            Write-Verbose "Skipping folder with no name: $($folder.PSChildName)"
        }
    }
}

if (-not $SkipTaskLinks) {
    # Process Task Links - Use the extracted XML data from Shell32 to create shortcuts for task links
    Write-Host "`n -----Processing Task Links -----"
    # Retrieve task links from the XML content in shell32.dll.
    $taskLinks = Get-TaskLinks -SaveXML:$SaveXML -DLLPath:$DLLPath
    $createdShortcutNames = @{} # Track created shortcuts to be able to tasks with the same name but different commands by appending a number

    foreach ($task in $taskLinks) {
        $originalName = $task.Name

        # Use Prettify-App-Name function by default, unless DontGroupTasks is specified
        if (-not $DontGroupTasks -and $task.ApplicationName) {
            $sanitizedName = Prettify-App-Name -AppName $task.ApplicationName -TaskName $originalName
        } else {
            $sanitizedName = $originalName -replace '[\\/:*?"<>|]', '_'
        }

        # Check if a shortcut with this name already exists, if so set a unique number to the end of the name
        $nameCounter = 1
        $uniqueName = $sanitizedName
        while ($createdShortcutNames.ContainsKey($uniqueName)) {
            $nameCounter++
            $uniqueName = "${sanitizedName} ($nameCounter)"
        }

        $shortcutPath = Join-Path $taskLinksOutputFolder "$uniqueName.lnk"
        $createdShortcutNames[$uniqueName] = $true

        # Determine the command based on available information. Some task XML entries have the entire command already given, others are implied to be used with control.exe
        if ($task.Command) {
            $command = $task.Command
        } elseif ($task.ApplicationName -and $task.Page) {
            $command = "control.exe /name $($task.ApplicationName) /page $($task.Page)"
        } else {
            Write-Verbose "Skipping task $originalName due to insufficient command information"
            continue
        }

        $success = Create-TaskLink-Shortcut -name $uniqueName -shortcutPath $shortcutPath -command $command -controlPanelName $task.ControlPanelName -applicationId $task.ApplicationId -keywords $task.Keywords

        if ($success) {
            Write-Host "Created task link shortcut for $uniqueName"
        } else {
            Write-Host "Failed to create task link shortcut for $uniqueName"
        }
    }
}

# Create the CSV files using the stored CLSID and 'task link' (aka menu sub-pages) data. Skip each depending on the corresponding switch.
$CLSIDDisplayPath = ""
$namedFolderDisplayPath = ""
$taskLinksDisplayPath = ""
if ($SaveCSV -and -not $SkipCLSID) {
    Create-CLSIDCsvFile -outputPath $clsidCsvPath -clsidData $clsidInfo
    $CLSIDDisplayPath = "`n" + $clsidCsvPath
}

if ($SaveCSV -and -not $SkipNamedFolders) {
    Create-NamedFoldersCsvFile -outputPath $namedFoldersCsvPath
    $namedFolderDisplayPath = "`n" + $namedFoldersCsvPath
}

if ($SaveCSV -and -not $SkipTaskLinks) {
    Create-TaskLinksCsvFile -outputPath $taskLinksCsvPath -taskLinksData $taskLinks
    $taskLinksDisplayPath = "`n" + $taskLinksCsvPath
}

# Output a message indicating that the script execution is complete and the CSV files have been created.
Write-Host "`n*** Script execution complete ***`n"
# If SaveXML switch was used, also output the paths to the saved XML files
if ($SaveXML -and (-not $SkipTaskLinks)) {
    Write-Host "XML files have been saved at:`n$xmlContentFilePath`n$resolvedXmlContentFilePath`n"
}
# As long as any of the CSV files were created, output the paths to them - check by seeing if strings are empty
if ($CLSIDDisplayPath -or $namedFolderDisplayPath -or $taskLinksDisplayPath){
    $csvPrintString = "CSV files have been created at:" + "$CLSIDDisplayPath" + "$namedFolderDisplayPath" + "$taskLinksDisplayPath" + "`n"
    Write-Host $csvPrintString
}

Thank you Joe. This helped my need for even more shortcuts in my file explorer.

I was contemplating on doing it myself until you mentioned it, Thanks!

thanks ^^

I was contemplating on doing it myself until you mentioned it, Thanks!

hahaha same!

interesting!

Thanks :)

Added support for sub-items / menu pages. You'll see a new CSV file created with those results and additional shortcuts in the CLSID Shell Folder Shortcuts:

Note: For some of these there may be multiple differently-named shortcuts that go to the same actual page. It's just the way the pages were listed in the schema in Windows. I guess it's to account for multiple actions being possible on the same menu.

Was this like half chat gpt? 🤣

This script is now made obsolete by my other Repo where I have added a ton more features:
https://github.com/ThioJoe/Windows-Super-God-Mode