C# Signature:
[DllImport("shell32.dll")]
static extern int SHGetFolderPath(IntPtr hwndOwner, int nFolder, IntPtr hToken,
uint dwFlags, [Out] StringBuilder pszPath);
VB.Net Signature:
<DllImport("shell32.dll")> _
Private Shared Function SHGetFolderPath(ByVal hwndOwner As IntPtr, ByVal nFolder As Int32, ByVal hToken As IntPtr, ByVal dwFlags As Int32, ByVal pszPath As StringBuilder) As Int32
End Function
C# struct for nFolder:
public enum SpecialFolderType
{
// Version 5.0. The file system directory that is used
// to store administrative tools for an individual user.
// The Microsoft Management Console (MMC) will save customized
// consoles to this directory, and it will roam with the user.
AdministrativeTools = 0x0030,
// Version 5.0. The file system directory containing
// administrative tools for all users of the computer.
CommonAdministrativeTools = 0x002f,
// Version 4.71. The file system directory that serves as
// a common repository for application-specific data.
// A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data.
// This CSIDL is supported by the redistributable Shfolder.dll
// for systems that do not have the Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0
// integrated Shell installed
ApplicationData = 0x001a,
// Version 5.0. The file system directory containing
// application data for all users. A typical path is
// C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data.
CommonAppData = 0x0023,
// The file system directory that contains documents
// that are common to all users. A typical paths is
// C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents.
// Valid for Windows NT systems and Microsoft Windows 95 and
// Windows 98 systems with Shfolder.dll installed.
CommonDocuments = 0x002e,
// The file system directory that serves as a common repository
// for Internet cookies. A typical path is
// C:\Documents and Settings\username\Cookies.
Cookies = 0x0021,
// Version 5.0. Combine this CSIDL with any of the following CSIDLs
// to force the creation of the associated folder.
CreateFlag = 0x8000,
// The file system directory that serves as a common repository
// for Internet history items.
History = 0x0022,
// Version 4.72. The file system directory that serves as
// a common repository for temporary Internet files. A typical
// path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files.
InternetCache = 0x0020,
// Version 5.0. The file system directory that serves as a data
// repository for local (nonroaming) applications. A typical path
// is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data.
LocalApplicationData = 0x001c,
// Version 5.0. The file system directory that serves as
// a common repository for image files. A typical path is
// C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\My Pictures.
MyPictures = 0x0027,
// Version 6.0. The virtual folder representing the My Documents
// desktop item. This is equivalent to CSIDL_MYDOCUMENTS.
// Previous to Version 6.0. The file system directory used to
// physically store a user's common repository of documents.
// A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents.
// This should be distinguished from the virtual My Documents folder
// in the namespace. To access that virtual folder,
// use SHGetFolderLocation, which returns the ITEMIDLIST for the
// virtual location, or refer to the technique described in
// Managing the File System.
Personal = 0x0005,
// Version 5.0. The Program Files folder. A typical
// path is C:\Program Files.
ProgramFiles = 0x0026,
// Version 5.0. A folder for components that are shared across
// applications. A typical path is C:\Program Files\Common.
// Valid only for Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP systems.
// Not valid for Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me).
CommonProgramFiles = 0x002b,
// Version 5.0. The Windows System folder. A typical
// path is C:\Windows\System32.
System = 0x0025,
// Version 5.0. The Windows directory or SYSROOT.
// This corresponds to the %windir% or %SYSTEMROOT% environment
// variables. A typical path is C:\Windows.
Windows = 0x0024,
// Fonts directory. A typical path is c:\Windows\Fonts.
Fonts = 0x0014
}
Another C# Struct for nFolder:
public enum SpecialFolderCSIDL : int
{
CSIDL_DESKTOP = 0x0000, // <desktop>
CSIDL_INTERNET = 0x0001, // Internet Explorer (icon on desktop)
CSIDL_PROGRAMS = 0x0002, // Start Menu\Programs
CSIDL_CONTROLS = 0x0003, // My Computer\Control Panel
CSIDL_PRINTERS = 0x0004, // My Computer\Printers
CSIDL_PERSONAL = 0x0005, // My Documents
CSIDL_FAVORITES = 0x0006, // <user name>\Favorites
CSIDL_STARTUP = 0x0007, // Start Menu\Programs\Startup
CSIDL_RECENT = 0x0008, // <user name>\Recent
CSIDL_SENDTO = 0x0009, // <user name>\SendTo
CSIDL_BITBUCKET = 0x000a, // <desktop>\Recycle Bin
CSIDL_STARTMENU = 0x000b, // <user name>\Start Menu
CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORY = 0x0010, // <user name>\Desktop
CSIDL_DRIVES = 0x0011, // My Computer
CSIDL_NETWORK = 0x0012, // Network Neighborhood
CSIDL_NETHOOD = 0x0013, // <user name>\nethood
CSIDL_FONTS = 0x0014, // windows\fonts
CSIDL_TEMPLATES = 0x0015,
CSIDL_COMMON_STARTMENU = 0x0016, // All Users\Start Menu
CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS = 0x0017, // All Users\Programs
CSIDL_COMMON_STARTUP = 0x0018, // All Users\Startup
CSIDL_COMMON_DESKTOPDIRECTORY = 0x0019, // All Users\Desktop
CSIDL_APPDATA = 0x001a, // <user name>\Application Data
CSIDL_PRINTHOOD = 0x001b, // <user name>\PrintHood
CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA = 0x001c, // <user name>\Local Settings\Applicaiton Data (non roaming)
CSIDL_ALTSTARTUP = 0x001d, // non localized startup
CSIDL_COMMON_ALTSTARTUP = 0x001e, // non localized common startup
CSIDL_COMMON_FAVORITES = 0x001f,
CSIDL_INTERNET_CACHE = 0x0020,
CSIDL_COOKIES = 0x0021,
CSIDL_HISTORY = 0x0022,
CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA = 0x0023, // All Users\Application Data
CSIDL_WINDOWS = 0x0024, // GetWindowsDirectory()
CSIDL_SYSTEM = 0x0025, // GetSystemDirectory()
CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES = 0x0026, // C:\Program Files
CSIDL_MYPICTURES = 0x0027, // C:\Program Files\My Pictures
CSIDL_PROFILE = 0x0028, // USERPROFILE
CSIDL_SYSTEMX86 = 0x0029, // x86 system directory on RISC
CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILESX86 = 0x002a, // x86 C:\Program Files on RISC
CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMON = 0x002b, // C:\Program Files\Common
CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMONX86 = 0x002c, // x86 Program Files\Common on RISC
CSIDL_COMMON_TEMPLATES = 0x002d, // All Users\Templates
CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS = 0x002e, // All Users\Documents
CSIDL_COMMON_ADMINTOOLS = 0x002f, // All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools
CSIDL_ADMINTOOLS = 0x0030, // <user name>\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools
CSIDL_CONNECTIONS = 0x0031, // Network and Dial-up Connections
CSIDL_CDBURN_AREA = 0x003B, // Data for burning with interface ICDBurn
};
User-Defined Types:
Private Const CSIDL_WINDOWS As Integer = &H24
Sample Code:
Dim winPath As New StringBuilder(300)
If SHGetFolderPath(Nothing, CSIDL_WINDOWS, Nothing, 0, winPath) <> 0 Then
Throw New ApplicationException("Can't get window's directory")
End If
Console.WriteLine(winPath.ToString)
Sample Code C#:
const int MaxPath = 260;
StringBuilder SB = new StringBuilder(MaxPath);
SHGetFolderPath(IntPtr.Zero,0x0019,IntPtr.Zero,0x0000,SB);
DesktopPath = SB.ToString();
Sample Code C#:
/// <summary>
/// Gets the system fonts directory path.
/// </summary>
/// <returns>The fonts directory path</returns>
private static String GetFontsDirectory()
{
const int MaxPath = 260;
StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(MaxPath);
int fontFolder = 0x0014;
SHGetFolderPath(IntPtr.Zero, fontFolder, IntPtr.Zero, 0x0000, sb);
return sb.ToString();
}
Sample Code C#:
/// <summary>
/// Get the path to a special folder
/// </summary>
/// <param name="folder">The special folder's CSIDL enumeration</param>
/// <returns>The full path of the special folder</returns>
public static string GetSpecialFolder(SpecialFolderCSIDL folder)
{
const int MaxPath = 260;
StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder(MaxPath);
SHGetFolderPath(IntPtr.Zero, (int)folder, IntPtr.Zero, 0x0000, builder);
return builder.ToString();
}
Alternative Managed API:
Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder enumFolder)
