🚀 go-pugleaf

I was wondering if anyone could help me out with any of the following
3 problems (I am not new to C++, the winapi, or the shell, but just
started using C++ Builder a couple of days ago, and ran into some
minor problems).  To make my questions a little more clear, I've
included an equivalent of what I want to do using Delphi code)

1 : I'm trying to declare external functions from shell32 (ILCombine
and others).  Since some are not exported by name, I have to use
LoadLibrary and GetProcAddress functions.  The problem is that I have
to use ILCombine (as well as others) in multiple modules, and I do not
want to do use LoadLibrary, etc eveyrtime.  While I can probably get
away with making a class or file that contains a bunch of
functions/methods to wrap this, I figured it would be easier if I
could declare it in a similar way to other extern "C" declarations.

In delphi, the equivalent is:
function ILCombine(pidl1 : PItemIDList; pidl2 : PItemIDList):
PItemIDList;
   stdcall; external 'shell32.dll' index 25;

Is there anything similar in C++ Builder?

2 : I want to use some COM objects that are not defined in .h files. 
I know the GUIDs of these, and I know the functions and their
signatures, but I do not know how to declare them.  Once again, using
a delphi example, I'll show you what I would like to do:


{$EXTERNALSYM ISomeComObject}
  ISomeComObject = interface(IUnknown)
    ['{....a guid........}']

    function blah(x : Integer): HResult; stdcall;
  end;


3 : I have included <CommCtrl.h>, but some of the constants that are
defined in it (such as LVM listview messages) do not show when i use
Ctrl-Space to auto-complete.  I can type them in myself, and it will
compile fine, but I am not sure why it doesn't show up in the IDE's
autocomplete list (or whatever it's called).  Does anyone have similar
problems?  Is there a .hpp file I should use instead?


If anyone can answer any of these questions, it would be greatly
appreciated.  Thanks