Library code snippets

Special Folder Paths

Throughout Windows there are now a large number of 'special' folders such as My Documents, the Start Menu, Program Files etc. Unfortunately, the location of these important folders can vary, so we need to use the SHGetSpecialFolderLocation API to accurately find them. This code shows you how.

'Module Code
Option Explicit
Declare Function SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Lib "Shell32.dll" _
(ByVal hwndOwner As Long, ByVal nFolder As Long, pidl As ITEMIDLIST) As Long
Declare Function SHGetPathFromIDList Lib "Shell32.dll" Alias "SHGetPathFromIDListA" _
(ByVal pidl As Long, ByVal pszPath As String) As Long
Public Type SHITEMID
    cb As Long
    abID As Byte
End Type

Public Type ITEMIDLIST
    mkid As SHITEMID
End Type
Public Const MAX_PATH As Integer = 260

Public Function fGetSpecialFolder(CSIDL As Long) As String
    Dim sPath As String
    Dim IDL As ITEMIDLIST
    '
    ' Retrieve info about system folders such as the "Recent Documents" folder.
    ' Info is stored in the IDL structure.
    '
    fGetSpecialFolder = ""
    If SHGetSpecialFolderLocation(Form1.hwnd, CSIDL, IDL) = 0 Then
        '
        ' Get the path from the ID list, and return the folder.
        '
        sPath = Space$(MAX_PATH)
        If SHGetPathFromIDList(ByVal IDL.mkid.cb, ByVal sPath) Then
            fGetSpecialFolder = Left$(sPath, InStr(sPath, vbNullChar) - 1) & ""
        End If
    End If
End Function

'Form Code
Private Const CSIDL_DESKTOP = &H0 '// The Desktop - virtual folder
Private Const CSIDL_PROGRAMS = 2 '// Program Files
Private Const CSIDL_CONTROLS = 3 '// Control Panel - virtual folder
Private Const CSIDL_PRINTERS = 4 '// Printers - virtual folder
Private Const CSIDL_DOCUMENTS = 5 '// My Documents
Private Const CSIDL_FAVORITES = 6 '// Favourites
Private Const CSIDL_STARTUP = 7 '// Startup Folder
Private Const CSIDL_RECENT = 8 '// Recent Documents
Private Const CSIDL_SENDTO = 9 '// Send To Folder
Private Const CSIDL_BITBUCKET = 10 '// Recycle Bin - virtual folder
Private Const CSIDL_STARTMENU = 11 '// Start Menu
Private Const CSIDL_DESKTOPFOLDER = 16 '// Desktop folder
Private Const CSIDL_DRIVES = 17 '// My Computer - virtual folder
Private Const CSIDL_NETWORK = 18 '// Network Neighbourhood - virtual folder
Private Const CSIDL_NETHOOD = 19 '// NetHood Folder
Private Const CSIDL_FONTS = 20 '// Fonts folder
Private Const CSIDL_SHELLNEW = 21 '// ShellNew folder

Private Sub form_load()
    MsgBox "Desktop Folder " & fGetSpecialFolder(CSIDL_DESKTOPFOLDER)
    MsgBox "Recent Folder " & fGetSpecialFolder(CSIDL_RECENT)
    '// etc...
End Sub

Comments

  1. 17 Oct 2005 at 14:22

    Thank you for your source code wich has helped me.

  2. 02 Dec 2003 at 13:26

    Code:

    '************************
    'A really shorthand and simple way to get the WIN SYS and TMP paths with API
    'For the beginners and someone asked so here it is...
    'Place the following code in a module and call as usual...
    '
    ************************
    Option Explicit


    Public Const MAX_PATH As Long = 260


    Public Declare Function GetWindowsDirectory Lib "kernel32" Alias _
             "GetWindowsDirectoryA" (ByVal lpBuffer As String, ByVal nSize As Long) As Long



    Public Declare Function GetSystemDirectory Lib "kernel32" Alias _
             "GetSystemDirectoryA" (ByVal lpBuffer As String, ByVal nSize As Long) As Long


    Public Declare Function GetTempPath Lib "kernel32" Alias _
             "GetTempPathA" (ByVal nBufferLength As Long, ByVal lpBuffer As String) As Long



    Public Function GetWINpath() As String
    Dim sBuffer As String * MAXPATH
                GetWINpath = Left(sBuffer, GetWindowsDirectory(sBuffer, MAX
    PATH))
    End Function


    Public Function GetSYSpath() As String
    Dim sBuffer As String * MAXPATH
                GetSYSpath = Left(sBuffer, GetSystemDirectory(sBuffer, MAX
    PATH))
    End Function


    Public Function GetTMPpath() As String
    Dim sBuffer As String * MAX_PATH
                GetTMPpath = Left(sBuffer, GetTempPath(255, sBuffer))
    End Function

    Code:

  3. 30 Sep 2003 at 02:57

    Pls check CSIDL_PROGRAMS does not return the path of program files folder instead it reurn the path of File system directory that contains the user's program groups.


    Private Const CSIDL_PROGRAMS = 2 '// Program Files


    to get the path of program files folder path use CSIDLPROGRAMSFILES macro with a value &h26.

  4. 13 Jan 2002 at 17:22

    Are there anymore path the API function can find?  I'm looking for the windows path, the system path, the program files folder path and the drive letter of where windows is installed path.  Please help me out.

  5. 01 Jan 1999 at 00:00

    This thread is for discussions of Special Folder Paths.

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