GPO option for "Show Desktop Icons"?

Question

The below is part of the callback function. as per this http://computer-programming-forum.com/81-vc/6dab353ca40b7def.htm . I trying to catch the URL from outlook when user trying to open hyperlink in outlook

if (nCode < 0)
    CallNextHookEx(hkb, nCode, wParam, lParam);

CWPSTRUCT* pwsStruct = (CWPSTRUCT*)lParam;

    if (pwsStruct->message == EM_GETTEXTEX)
    {
        writetofile("EM_GETTEXTEX:", f1);
        getTextEx = (GETTEXTEX*)pwsStruct->wParam;

        streamcb << (DWORD) getTextEx->cb;
        args = streamcb.str();
        writetofile(args, f1);

        streamcb << (UINT)getTextEx->codepage;
        args = streamcb.str();
        writetofile(args, f1);

        switch (getTextEx->flags)
        {
            case GT_DEFAULT:
                writetofile("GT_DEFAULT", 11, f1);
                break;
            case GT_NOHIDDENTEXT:
                writetofile("GT_NOHIDDENTEXT", 16, f1);
                break;
            case GT_RAWTEXT:
                writetofile("GT_RAWTEXT", 11, f1);
                break;
            case GT_SELECTION:
                writetofile("GT_SELECTION", 13, f1);
                break;
            case GT_USECRLF:
                writetofile("GT_USECRLF", 11, f1);
                break;
        default:
            break;
        }
        ***streamcb << (LPSTR)pwsStruct->lParam; 
        args = streamcb.str();
        fwrite(args.c_str(), 128, 1, f1);***
    }

Solution 1

Yes, there is an option in GPO.

Do realize that users can still add or create shortcuts or items on their desktops. You can also prohibit this if needed.

If you want to do it using the registry, you can do it in

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\HideIcons 

you can still deploy this using GPO. You can find this under computer configuration > prefrences > Windows settings and add there the registry you want to create.

Solution 2

I don't know of any GPO policy on its own that will do this, but the registry key to do this is

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\HideIcons

Set to 1 to hide the icons. If you change the registry directly you'll need to log off and back on to affect the change.

Comments

[Terrence McGinnis]

thank you good sir i would upvote your answer if i can but i don't have 15 reputation yet haha

[MrGigu]

You can always vote on answers to your own questions, but it's all good.

[MrGigu]

The answer by saeed is a better answer. You should give them the check mark.

[MDMoore313]

Also, if there was not a specific policy to do this, you could always add this reg key to the gpo.