In PeekMessageW we check, whether the thread which called the function is the main Skype window thread, and if so, then menu redrawing is performed using already hooked DrawMenuBar function, and after this PeekMessageW hook is turned off. How to add your own option to the Skype menu? I hooked WinAPI functions DrawMenuBar and PeekMessageW. As a result I came to the following decisions on Skype functionality modifications:ġ. Fortunately, Skype user interface is window-based (usual windows, without WPF and other wrappers), and this plays into our hands, because we will be able to intercept window messages and WinAPI functions responsible for text drawing (I remind that it is required to display link content preview when the cursor hovers it). Thus, the only way to introduce your own functionality to Skype is to examine the program structure and try to embed your own code (hooks, windows messages interception or something) in it.

There is a defective mini-API based on URI ( description), but it is impossible to do something useful with it. Earlier there was an SDK based on COM interfaces (skype4com), but it is not supported anymore, and it is unreasonable to use it. It turned out that there is no SDK for Skype.

So, I opened Visual Studio opened Google to see, what public API are available for Skype at the moment. Those who want to download the plugin right away please go to the end of the article. Running ahead, I'll show you the result:Īnd now some history and coding details. If the link leads to usual HTML page, it is possible to display its title. It is possible to open pictures in reduced size, if the link points to the image (including animated ones). Once upon a time I chatted in one cozy Skype conference and suddenly one of the members got a rather interesting idea: to develop a Skype plugin, which allows to view content of links thrown into chat without opening them.

What is skype preview vs skype