Search
Module:
Directory

   Desktop Functions:

   Smart Device Functions:


Show Recent Changes
Subscribe (RSS)
Misc. Pages
Comments
FAQ
Helpful Tools
Playground
Suggested Reading
Website TODO List
Download Visual Studio Add-In

GetUserName (advapi32)
 
.
Summary
The GetUserName function retrieves the name of the user associated with the current thread.

C# Signature:

[DllImport("advapi32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
static extern bool GetUserName(System.Text.StringBuilder sb, ref Int32 length);

VB.NET Signature:

<DllImport("advapi32.dll", EntryPoint:="GetUserNameW", SetLastError:=True)> _
Public Function GetUserName(<MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPTSTR)>System.Text.StringBuilder sb, _
         ByRef length As Integer) As <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)>Boolean
End Function

VB Signature:

Declare Function GetUserName Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "GetUserNameA" (ByVal lpBuffer As String, ByRef nMax As Integer) As Boolean

User-Defined Types:

None.

Alternative Managed API:

Environment.UserName (System.Environment)

Notes:

None.

Tips & Tricks:

Please add some!

Sample Code:

using System;
using System.Text;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
namespace GetUserNameExample
{
    class Class1
    {
        [DllImport("Advapi32.dll")]
        static extern bool GetUserName(StringBuilder lpBuffer, ref int nSize);    
        [STAThread]
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            StringBuilder Buffer = new StringBuilder(64);
            int nSize=64;
            GetUserName(Buffer, ref nSize);
            Console.WriteLine(Buffer.ToString());
        }
    }
}

Sample Code (VB.NET):

Imports System
Imports System.Text
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Namespace GetUserNameExample

    Class Class1

        <DllImport("advapi32.dll", EntryPoint:="GetUserNameA", SetLastError:=True)> _
        Public Function GetUserName(<MarshalAs(UnamagedType.LPTSTR)>System.Text.StringBuilder sb, _
            ByRef length As Integer) As <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)>Boolean
        End Function

        <STAThread> _
        Public Sub Main()

            Dim Buffer = new StringBuilder(64)
            Dim nSize As Integer =64
            GetUserName(Buffer, nSize)
            Console.WriteLine(Buffer.ToString())
        End Sub
    End Class
End Namespace

Sample Code (VB):

Dim xstr as String = Space(255)
Dim max as Integer = 255
Dim rc as Integer

rc = GetUserName(xstr,max)
' max will now contain the total number of
' characters written to the buffer (here: xstr)
MessageBox.Show(Mid(xstr,1,max))

Sample Code (PowerShell):

$sig = @'
[DllImport("advapi32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
public static extern bool GetUserName(System.Text.StringBuilder sb, ref Int32 length);
'@

Add-Type -MemberDefinition $sig -Namespace Advapi32 -Name Util

$size = 64
$str = New-Object System.Text.StringBuilder -ArgumentList $size

[Advapi32.Example2]::GetUserName($str,[ref]$size) |Out-Null
$str.ToString()

Documentation
GetUserName on MSDN

Please edit this page!

Do you have...

  • helpful tips or sample code to share for using this API in managed code?
  • corrections to the existing content?
  • variations of the signature you want to share?
  • additional languages you want to include?

Select "Edit This Page" on the right hand toolbar and edit it! Or add new pages containing supporting types needed for this API (structures, delegates, and more).

 
Access PInvoke.net directly from VS:
Terms of Use
Find References
Show Printable Version
Revisions