To set a specific shell for a session, sometimes referred to as a sticky shell because the setting is retained for the duration of the session, a developer creates a link to the forceShell command. This command takes a returnUrl parameter, which redirects a user to the specified URL once the shell has been set.

For example, the URL for a link to the public folder with a sticky extranet shell is /?command=forceShell&shellURI=shell.extranet&returnUrl=folder.public. When users follow the link, they view the public folder now framed with the extranet shell. When users click another link from the public folder page, provided the link does not have a shell parameter, they see that page still framed with the extranet shell.