C# Signature:

[DllImport("kernel32.dll")]
static extern uint GetShortPathName(string lpszLongPath,
   [Out] StringBuilder lpszShortPath, uint cchBuffer);

VB.NET Signature:

<DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Auto)> _
   Public Shared Function GetShortPathName(ByVal longPath As String, _
   <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPTStr)> ByVal ShortPath As StringBuilder, _
   <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.U4)> ByVal bufferSize As Integer) As Integer
   End Function

User-Defined Types:

None.

Notes:

None.

Tips & Tricks:

Please add some!

Sample Code:

/// <summary>
/// The ToShortPathName function retrieves the short path from of a specified long input path
/// </summary>
/// <param name="longName">The long name path</param>
/// <returns>A short name path string</returns>
/// <remarks>The file must exist for this to work.</remarks>
public static string ToShortPathName(string longName)
{
    StringBuilder shortNameBuffer = new StringBuilder(256);
    uint bufferSize = (uint)shortNameBuffer.Capacity;

    uint result = GetShortPathName(longName, shortNameBuffer, bufferSize);
    if (result == 0)
    {
         // Failed to convert to a short name. Does the file exist?
    }

    return shortNameBuffer.ToString();
}

VB.NET Sample Code:

/// KSG Comments:
/// Unlike the sample above I am check for the return code in the event of an error
Public Class Interop
   <DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Auto)> _
   Public Shared Function GetShortPathName(ByVal longPath As String, <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPTStr)> ByVal ShortPath As StringBuilder, <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.U4)> ByVal bufferSize As Integer) As Integer
   End Function
End Class

Private Sub TestShortPath()
   Dim sb As New StringBuilder(1024)
   Dim longPath As String
   Dim sFileName As String
   longPath = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Personal)
   Dim retVal As Integer = Interop.GetShortPathName(longPath, sb, 1024)
   If retVal <> 0 Then
      Dim sTemp As String = sb.ToString()
      MessageBox.Show(sTemp)
   Else
      Console.WriteLine("Error occured. GetLastError returns {0}.", Marshal.GetLastWin32Error())
   End If
End Sub

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