title: c# webbrowser control displaying "special folder" contents : why are Document and DocumentDom always null?
body: <p>In a C# WinForms, .NET Framework 3.5, project with a WebBrower control on the form :</p>
  
  <p>... with a project reference set to MSHTMLdll and the WinForm code : "using mshtml;" ...</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li><p>you can load a "special folder," like the Favorites folder, into the browser easily.</p></li>
  <li><p>after you've loaded a "special folder" : what appears in the WebBrowser is essentially a kind of "explorer" view : you have the choice of typical "explorer" view-styles of 'Details, etc. in Details view you have a row-column matrix, with typical "Explorer" style column heads, etc.</p></li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>Normally I would "get at" the DOM of the WebBrowser via casting the Document, or the DomDocument of the Document, to the IHTMLDocument2 interface exposed by mshtml.dll :</p>
  
  <p>IHTMLDocument2 HTMLDocument = (IHTMLDocument2)webBrowser1.Document;</p>
  
  <p>// also tried this </p>
  
  <p>// IHTMLDocument2 HTMLDocument = (IHTMLDocument2)webBrowser1.Document.DomDocument;</p>
  
  <p>// also tried this</p>
  
  <p>// HTMLDocumentClass HTMLDocument = webBrowser1.Document.DomDocument as HTMLDocumentClass;    </p>
  
  <p>But in this case, viewing a "special folder" contents, I'm always getting the Document as null.</p>
  
  <p>It is interesting that you can while viewing a special folder, like the Favorites, create a new folder and do other "file ops" : I wonder if I am "getting away with this" because I have protected mode turned off on IE8 ?</p>
  
  <p>Appreciate any ideas about how to access the DOM while viewing special folder in the WebBrowser controls.</p>
  
  <p>thanks ! Bill</p>