Microsoft Releases Desktop Search API

Developers looking to extend Microsoft's Desktop Search utility, which is included as part of the MSN Toolbar Suite, now have extra tools at their fingertips. Microsoft quietly rolled out APIs, or application program interfaces, for its search this week, along with an SDK and command-line interface.

The APIs are designed to allow developers to create applications with search features that utilize Windows Desktop Search. Results are returned directly to the application and can be displayed in any format. But developers beware, as Microsoft notes "The methods and columns returned by Windows Desktop Search ISearchDesktop interface are in beta and may change in future releases."