Multi-project solution & cross-application data handling

Time for another "what am I overlooking" question! Thanks in advance for your guidance, and as ever, you guys rock开发者_StackOverflow中文版! :)

.NET 2010 Winforms, but I only have the Express version. I have 05 Pro, but am trying to transition to 2010. If I need to upgrade... well, maybe I'll stick with 05, since this is just for my own amusement.

I want to make a multi-application suite for a project I've got in mind. The project has several components that should interact together, but still be robust and stand-alone.

The components include:

1) A Notification Area utility (I/E System Tray) - I anticipate using this as a quick-launch, data-passing medium, and other minor things. I'd like to keep it as small as possible. Double-click to launch main menu, right-click to launch another app.

2) The Main Menu. This is what would start if you run the program normally, and essentially organizes the other apps.

3-6) These other apps each do some things, but are fairly self-contained.

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Question 1: What is a multi-app or multi-project solution called? I think I'm missing a buzz-word here, because my search-fu isn't getting any results. For the most part, I'm looking for some pointers, more precise vocabulary, and some suggestions on what existing features can handle these sorts of things.

Question 2: How can I make each of these apps/projects able to launch independently? I don't want to go through the Main Menu each time; I want the ability to start the app from Program Files directly. Despite that requirement, I also need to check if the Notification Utility is running, and start it if it isn't. The Utility should be running any time any other app is running, and closing it would close all the other apps. Also, the Notification (and Main Menu) apps need to be able to start the other apps.

Question 3: How can I pass data between the windows?

The concept in my head is to have Window A send a packet to the Utility, which would then pass it to Window B. Window B also needs to send a confirmation packet.

Question 4: How can I set up one of the apps (the Notification Utility)

Question 1 - "Solutions" typically contain one or more projects.