C# Signature:

[DllImport("kernel32.dll")]
static extern bool GetBinaryType(string lpApplicationName,
   out BinaryType lpBinaryType);

User-Defined Types:

public enum BinaryType : uint

{

    SCS_32BIT_BINARY = 0, // A 32-bit Windows-based application
    SCS_64BIT_BINARY = 6, // A 64-bit Windows-based application.
    SCS_DOS_BINARY = 1, // An MS-DOS – based application
    SCS_OS216_BINARY = 5, // A 16-bit OS/2-based application
    SCS_PIF_BINARY = 3, // A PIF file that executes an MS-DOS – based application
    SCS_POSIX_BINARY = 4, // A POSIX – based application
    SCS_WOW_BINARY = 2 // A 16-bit Windows-based application

}

Notes:

None.

Tips & Tricks:

Please add some!

Sample Code:

Powershell Example:

    function Get-BinaryType
    {
        <#
            .SYNOPSIS
                Gets the binary executable type for a given set of files
            .DESCRIPTION
                PowerShell wrapper around the GetBinaryType Windows API that inspects file headers
                and reports the binary file type (e.g., 32-bit Windows app, 64-bit Windows app,
16-bit DOS/Windows app, etc.)

            .PARAMETER Path
                File path(s) to inspect
            .EXAMPLE
                #Reports the file type of C:\Windows\Explorer.exe:
                Get-BinaryType C:\Windows\Explorer.exe
            .EXAMPLE
                #Attempts to get the binary type of all files in the current directory
                Get-ChildItem | where { !$_.PsIsContainer } | Get-BinaryType
            .EXAMPLE
                #Attempts to get the binary type of all exe files in the windows directory,
                #ignoring any non-terminating errors
                Get-ChildItem $env:windir -filter *.exe | Get-BinaryType -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
            .EXAMPLE
                #From a 32bit process on a 64 bit Windows install, attempts to get the binary type of all exe files
                #in the windows system32 directory by bypassing filesystem redirection using "sysnative",
                #ignoring any non-terminating errors, and finally showing the file name and binary type
                Get-ChildItem $env:windir\sysnative -filter *.exe | Get-BinaryType -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue -passthrough | select Name,BinaryType
            .NOTES
                Author:      Battleship, Aaron Margosis
                Inspiration: http://pinvoke.net/default.aspx/kernel32/GetBinaryType.html
            .LINK
                http://wonkysoftware.appspot.com
        #>

        [CmdletBinding(  
                                SupportsShouldProcess   = $false,
                                ConfirmImpact       = "none",
                                DefaultParameterSetName = ""
                        )]

        param
        (
            [Parameter(
                                HelpMessage             = "Enter binary file(s) to examine",
                                Position            = 0,
                                Mandatory               = $true,
                                ValueFromPipeline           = $true,
                                ValueFromPipelineByPropertyName = $true
                        )]
            [ValidateNotNullOrEmpty()]
            [ValidateScript({Test-Path $_.FullName})]
            [IO.FileInfo[]]
            $Path,

            [Alias("PassThru")]
            [switch]
            $PassThrough
        )

        begin
        {
            try
            {
                #add the enum for the binary types
                #Using more user friendly names since they won't likely be used outside this context
                Add-Type "
                    public enum BinaryType
                    {
                        BIT32 = 0, // A 32-bit Windows-based application,           SCS_32BIT_BINARY
                        DOS   = 1, // An MS-DOS – based application,            SCS_DOS_BINARY
                        WOW   = 2, // A 16-bit Windows-based application,           SCS_WOW_BINARY
                        PIF   = 3, // A PIF file that executes an MS-DOS based application, SCS_PIF_BINARY
                        POSIX = 4, // A POSIX based application,                SCS_POSIX_BINARY
                        OS216 = 5, // A 16-bit OS/2-based application,              SCS_OS216_BINARY
                        BIT64 = 6  // A 64-bit Windows-based application,           SCS_64BIT_BINARY
                    }"
            }
            catch {} #type already been loaded, do nothing

            try
            {
                # create the win32 signature
                $Signature =
                    '
                        [DllImport("kernel32.dll")]
                        public static extern bool GetBinaryType(
                                                                                string lpApplicationName,
                                                                                ref int lpBinaryType
                                                                            );
                    '

                # Create a new type that lets us access the Windows API function
                Add-Type -MemberDefinition $Signature `
                            -Name                 BinaryType `
                            -Namespace             Win32Utils
            }
            catch {} #type already been loaded, do nothing
        }

        process
        {
            foreach ($Item in $Path)
            {
                $ReturnedType = -1
                Write-Verbose "Attempting to get type for file: $($Item.FullName)"
                $Result = [Win32Utils.BinaryType]::GetBinaryType($Item.FullName, [ref] $ReturnedType)

                #if the function returned $false, indicating an error, or the binary type wasn't returned
                if (!$Result -or ($ReturnedType -eq -1))
                {
                    Write-Error "Failed to get binary type for file $($Item.FullName)"
                }
                else
                {
                    $ToReturn = [BinaryType]$ReturnedType
                    if ($PassThrough)
                    {
                        #get the file object, attach a property indicating the type, and passthru to pipeline
                        Get-Item $Item.FullName -Force |
                            Add-Member -MemberType noteproperty -Name BinaryType -Value $ToReturn -Force -PassThru
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        #Put enum object directly into pipeline
                        $ToReturn
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }

Alternative Managed API:

Do you know one? Please contribute it!

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).