C# Definition:

// The CharSet must match the CharSet of the corresponding PInvoke signature
[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, CharSet=CharSet.Auto)]
struct WIN32_FIND_DATA
{
    public uint dwFileAttributes;
    public System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes.FILETIME ftCreationTime;
    public System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes.FILETIME ftLastAccessTime;
    public System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes.FILETIME ftLastWriteTime;
    public uint nFileSizeHigh;
    public uint nFileSizeLow;
    public uint dwReserved0;
    public uint dwReserved1;
    [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValTStr, SizeConst=260)]
    public string cFileName;
    [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValTStr, SizeConst=14)]
    public string cAlternateFileName;
    public uint dwFileType;
    public uint dwCreatorType;
    public uint wFinderFlags;
}

VB.NET Definition:

' The CharSet must match the CharSet of the corresponding PInvoke signature
<StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, CharSet := CharSet.Auto)> _
Structure WIN32_FIND_DATA
    Public dwFileAttributes As UInteger
    Public ftCreationTime As System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes.FILETIME
    Public ftLastAccessTime As System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes.FILETIME
    Public ftLastWriteTime As System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes.FILETIME
    Public nFileSizeHigh As UInteger
    Public nFileSizeLow As UInteger
    Public dwReserved0 As UInteger
    Public dwReserved1 As UInteger
    <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValTStr, SizeConst := 260)> Public cFileName As String
    <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValTStr, SizeConst := 14)> Public cAlternateFileName As String
End Structure

User-Defined Field Types:

None.

.net 1.1 Comment:

FILETIME is in System.Runtime.InteropServices. The ComTypes namespace is introduced with .net 2.0

Notes:

I actually discovered a problem using the System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes.FILETIME structure for the ftLastAccessTime and ftLastWriteTime members. The FILETIME is defined by the .NET framework as a high and low component, both of type int. This worked fine in almost all cases.

The problem I saw was when the file had no FILETIME information (0) as the file was created on a MAC inside of a ZIP file. When trying to get back to a DateTime using the DateTime.FromFileTimeUtc the DateTime created was 12/31/1979 23:52:50 (seven minutes and ten seconds before 1/1/1980) instead of 1/1/1980 00:00:00. I am in Arizona which always has a seven HOUR offset from GMT so I don't know if that played into the calculation or not (seven minutes vs. seven hours).

When I created my own structure and defined the components as UInt32 the problem disappeared. Here is the structure I used instead. A uint would also work instead of the UInt32, I have seen that used also.

    /// <summary>
    /// Structure used for Windows API calls related to file information.
    /// </summary>
    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, CharSet = CharSet.Auto)]
    public struct WIN32_FIND_FILETIME
    {
    /// <summary>
    /// Specifies the low 32 bits of the FILETIME.
    /// </summary>
    public UInt32 dwLowDateTime;
    /// <summary>
    /// Specifies the high 32 bits of the FILETIME.
    /// </summary>
    public UInt32 dwHighDateTime;
    }

Neal Park

A Better Structure for VB.NET allows you to use DateTime.FromFileTime()

VB.NET Definition:

  'Use Pack:=4 to keep 8byte integers(Longs) from word alinging
  'yet allowing 4byte integers and the strings to properly align

  'requires: Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices

  <StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, Pack:=4)> _
  Private Structure WIN32_FIND_DATA
    Public dwFileAttributes As Integer
    Public ftCreationTime As Long
    Public ftLastAccessTime As Long
    Public ftLastWriteTime As Long
    Public nFileSizeHigh As UInteger
    Public nFileSizeLow As UInteger
    Public dwReserved0 As Integer
    Public dwReserved1 As Integer
    <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValTStr, SizeConst:=260)> Public cFileName As String
    <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValTStr, SizeConst:=14)> Public cAlternate As String
  End Structure

Notes:

No need for a FILETIME Structure just use DateTime.FromFileTime

  Dim LastWrite As DateTime = DateTime.FromFileTime(ftLastWriteTime)

Better file size calculation with size elements defined as Unsigned Integers

  Dim FileSize As Long = ((nFileSizeHigh << 32&) Or nFileSizeLow)

Ron Weller

Added:

I had the same problem: DateTime.FromFileTimeUtc. Solved it using:

<StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)> _

Public Structure FILETIME

    Public dwLowDateTime As UInteger
    Public dwHighDateTime As UInteger
    Public Function ToDate() As Date
    Dim v = CLng(dwHighDateTime) << 32
    Return Date.FromFileTime(v + CLng(dwLowDateTime))
    End Function

End Structure

Jens Madsen

(BTW, it IS the GMT that makes the difference: With 'utc' on Win7, I had the date 7/13/2009 for \system32\cmd.exe

The real date is 7/14/2009 https://www.pinvoke.net/emoticons/wink_smile.gif (I'm from Denmark...))

(Ehh - The 'FILETIME' issues seems exhausted, but I add this one, because the use of '<StructLayout(LayoutKind.Explicit)>'

has more uses that eases conversions...

  <StructLayout(LayoutKind.Explicit, Pack:=4, Size:=8)> _
    Public Structure FILETIME
    <FieldOffset(0)> Public dwLowDateTime As UInteger
    <FieldOffset(0)> Private LongValue As Long
    <FieldOffset(4)> Public dwHighDateTime As UInteger

    Public ReadOnly Property dotNETDate As Date
        Get
        Return Date.FromFileTime(LongValue)
        End Get
    End Property
    Public ReadOnly Property Value() As Long
        Get
        Return LongValue
        End Get
    End Property
    End Structure

Please edit this page!

Do you have...

• helpful tips?
• corrections to the existing content?
• alternate definitions?
• additional languages you want to include?

Select "Edit This Page" on the right hand toolbar and edit it! Or add new pages containing any supporting types needed.