Get Path To Windows Special Folders (such as Desktop)

Slighthaze = [color blue]NULL[/color]

[img http://www.sweetpotatosoftware.com/ttimages/specialfolders.gif]

Have you ever needed to get the path to one of Windows Special folders? Such as the Desktop, Favorites, Fonts, Start-up, etc. Well with the code below you can easily accomplish it.

There are three solutions below. I know the code below seems long, but it's really just the defined constants taking up all the room. Cut-N-Paste the code below into prg file(s) and run the alternatives within VFP to see how they work.



#DEFINE CSIDL_FLAG_CREATE 0x8000
[color green]*!* Version 5.0. Combine this CSIDL with any of the following CSIDLs to force the creation of the associated folder. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_ADMINTOOLS 0x0030
[color green]*!* 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. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_ALTSTARTUP 0x001d
[color green]*!* The file system directory that corresponds to the user's nonlocalized Startup program group. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_APPDATA 0x001a
[color green]*!* 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. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_BITBUCKET 0x000a
[color green]*!* The virtual folder containing the objects in the user's Recycle Bin. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_CDBURN_AREA 0x003b
[color green]*!* Version 6.0. The file system directory acting as a staging area for files waiting to be written to CD. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\CD Burning. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_COMMON_ADMINTOOLS 0x002f
[color green]*!* Version 5.0. The file system directory containing administrative tools for all users of the computer. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_COMMON_ALTSTARTUP 0x001e
[color green]*!* The file system directory that corresponds to the nonlocalized Startup program group for all users. Valid only for Microsoft Windows NT« systems. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA 0x0023
[color green]*!* 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. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_COMMON_DESKTOPDIRECTORY 0x0019
[color green]*!* The file system directory that contains files and folders that appear on the desktop for all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop. Valid only for Windows NT systems. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS 0x002e
[color green]*!* 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. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_COMMON_FAVORITES 0x001f
[color green]*!* The file system directory that serves as a common repository for favorite items common to all users. Valid only for Windows NT systems. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_COMMON_MUSIC 0x0035
[color green]*!* Version 6.0. The file system directory that serves as a repository for music files common to all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Music. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_COMMON_PICTURES 0x0036
[color green]*!* Version 6.0. The file system directory that serves as a repository for image files common to all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Pictures. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS 0x0017
[color green]*!* The file system directory that contains the directories for the common program groups that appear on the Start menu for all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs. Valid only for Windows NT systems. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_COMMON_STARTMENU 0x0016
[color green]*!* The file system directory that contains the programs and folders that appear on the Start menu for all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu. Valid only for Windows NT systems. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_COMMON_STARTUP 0x0018
[color green]*!* The file system directory that contains the programs that appear in the Startup folder for all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup. Valid only for Windows NT systems. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_COMMON_TEMPLATES 0x002d
[color green]*!* The file system directory that contains the templates that are available to all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Templates. Valid only for Windows NT systems. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_COMMON_VIDEO 0x0037
[color green]*!* Version 6.0. The file system directory that serves as a repository for video files common to all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Videos. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_CONTROLS 0x0003
[color green]*!* The virtual folder containing icons for the Control Panel applications. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_COOKIES 0x0021
[color green]*!* The file system directory that serves as a common repository for Internet cookies. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Cookies. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_DESKTOP 0x0000
[color green]*!* The virtual folder representing the Windows desktop, the root of the namespace. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORY 0x0010
[color green]*!* The file system directory used to physically store file objects on the desktop not to be confused with the desktop folder itself. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Desktop.[/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_DRIVES 0x0011
[color green]*!* The virtual folder representing My Computer, containing everything on the local computer: storage devices, printers, and Control Panel. The folder may also contain mapped network drives. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_FAVORITES 0x0006
[color green]*!* The file system directory that serves as a common repository for the user's favorite items. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Favorites. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_FONTS 0x0014
[color green]*!* A virtual folder containing fonts. A typical path is C:\Windows\Fonts. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_HISTORY 0x0022
[color green]*!* The file system directory that serves as a common repository for Internet history items. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_INTERNET 0x0001
[color green]*!* A virtual folder representing the Internet. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_INTERNET_CACHE 0x0020
[color green]*!* 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. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA 0x001c
[color green]*!* 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. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_MYDOCUMENTS 0x000c
[color green]*!* Version 6.0. The virtual folder representing the My Documents desktop item. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_MYMUSIC 0x000d
[color green]*!* The file system directory that serves as a common repository for music files. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\User\My Documents\My Music. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_MYPICTURES 0x0027
[color green]*!* 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. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_MYVIDEO 0x000e
[color green]*!* Version 6.0. The file system directory that serves as a common repository for video files. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\My Videos. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_NETHOOD 0x0013
[color green]*!* A file system directory containing the link objects that may exist in the My Network Places virtual folder. It is not the same as CSIDL_NETWORK, which represents the network namespace root. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\NetHood. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_NETWORK 0x0012
[color green]*!* A virtual folder representing Network Neighborhood, the root of the network namespace hierarchy. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_PERSONAL 0x0005
[color green]*!* 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. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_PRINTERS 0x0004
[color green]*!* The virtual folder containing installed printers. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_PRINTHOOD 0x001b
[color green]*!* The file system directory that contains the link objects that can exist in the Printers virtual folder. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\PrintHood.[/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_PROFILE 0x0028
[color green]*!* Version 5.0. The user's profile folder. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username. Applications should not create files or folders at this level; they should put their data under the locations referred to by CSIDL_APPDATA or CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_PROFILES 0x003e
[color green]*!* Version 6.0. The file system directory containing user profile folders. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES 0x0026
[color green]*!* Version 5.0. The Program Files folder. A typical path is C:\Program Files. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMON 0x002b
[color green]*!* 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. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_PROGRAMS 0x0002
[color green]*!* The file system directory that contains the user's program groups which are themselves file system directories. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Start Menu\Programs. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_RECENT 0x0008
[color green]*!* The file system directory that contains shortcuts to the user's most recently used documents. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Recent Documents. To create a shortcut in this folder, use SHAddToRecentDocs. In addition to creating the shortcut, this function updates the Shell's list of recent documents and adds the shortcut to the My Recent Documents submenu of the Start menu. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_SENDTO 0x0009
[color green]*!* The file system directory that contains Send To menu items. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\SendTo. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_STARTMENU 0x000b
[color green]*!* The file system directory containing Start menu items. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Start Menu. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_STARTUP 0x0007
[color green]*!* The file system directory that corresponds to the user's Startup program group. The system starts these programs whenever any user logs onto Windows NT or starts Windows 95. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Start Menu\Programs\Startup. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_SYSTEM 0x0025
[color green]*!* Version 5.0. The Windows System folder. A typical path is C:\Windows\System32. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_TEMPLATES 0x0015
[color green]*!* The file system directory that serves as a common repository for document templates. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Templates. [/color]

#DEFINE CSIDL_WINDOWS 0x0024
[color green]*!* Version 5.0. The Windows directory or SYSROOT. This corresponds to the %windir% or %SYSTEMROOT% environment variables. A typical path is C:\Windows. [/color]



[color green]*****************FIRST SOLUTION***********************[/color]
LOCAL cFolderPath, cDesktopPath
cFolderPath = space(255)

DECLARE SHORT SHGetFolderPath IN SHFolder.dll ;
INTEGER hwndOwner, INTEGER nFolder, INTEGER hToken, ;
INTEGER dwFlags, STRING @pszPath

SHGetFolderPath(0, CSIDL_DESKTOP, 0, 0, @cFolderPath)

cDesktopPath = Alltrim(cFolderPath)

cDesktopPath = SubStr(cDesktopPath,1, Len(cDesktopPath)-1)
Messagebox(cDesktopPath,0,"USING SHGetFolderPath")


[color green]*****************SECOND SOLUTION***********************[/color]
LOCAL cSpecialFolderPath, cDesktopPath
cSpecialFolderPath = space(255)

DECLARE SHGetSpecialFolderPath IN SHELL32.DLL ;
LONG hwndOwner, ;
STRING @cSpecialFolderPath, ;
LONG nWhichFolder

SHGetSpecialFolderPath(0, @cSpecialFolderPath, CSIDL_DESKTOP)
cDesktopPath = Alltrim(cSpecialFolderPath)
cDesktopPath = SubStr(cDesktopPath,1, Len(cDesktopPath)-1)
Messagebox(cDesktopPath,0,"USING SHGetSpecialFolderPath")


[color green]*****************THIRD SOLUTION***********************
*!* cSpecialFolder = "AllUsersDesktop"
*!* cSpecialFolder = "AllUsersPrograms"
*!* cSpecialFolder = "AllUsersStartMenu"
*!* cSpecialFolder = "AllUsersStartup"
*!* cSpecialFolder = "Favorites"
*!* cSpecialFolder = "Fonts"
*!* cSpecialFolder = "MyDocuments"
*!* cSpecialFolder = "NetHood"
*!* cSpecialFolder = "PrintHood"
*!* cSpecialFolder = "Programs"
*!* cSpecialFolder = "Recent"
*!* cSpecialFolder = "SendTo"
*!* cSpecialFolder = "StartMenu"
*!* cSpecialFolder = "Startup"
*!* cSpecialFolder = "Templates"[/color]

LOCAL cDesktopPath, cSpecialFolder
cSpecialFolder = "Desktop"
WSHShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
IF TYPE("WSHShell") = "O"
cDesktopPath = WSHShell.SpecialFolders(cSpecialFolder)
endif
Messagebox(cDesktopPath,0,"USING WINDOWS SCRIPT")