C# Signature:

[DllImport("kernel32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto, SetLastError=true)]
static extern uint GetShortPathName(
   [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPTStr)]
   string lpszLongPath,
   [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPTStr)]
   StringBuilder lpszShortPath,
   uint cchBuffer);

VB.NET Signature:

Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices

'/// KSG Comments: This code has only been tested for .NET 2.x
   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 System.Text.StringBuilder, _
          <MarshalAs(Runtime.InteropServices.UnmanagedType.U4)> ByVal bufferSize As Integer) As Integer
      End Function
   End Class
'OR
   Declare Unicode Function GetShortPathName Lib "kernel32.dll" Alias "GetShortPathNameW" (ByVal longPath As String, <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPTStr)> ByVal ShortPath As System.Text.StringBuilder, <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.U4)> ByVal bufferSize As Integer) As Integer

C++/CLI Signature:

  [DllImport("kernel32.dll", CharSet = CharSet::Auto, SetLastError=true)]
static int GetShortPathName(
    [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType::LPTStr)]
    String^ lpszLongPath,
    [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType::LPTStr)]
    System::Text::StringBuilder^ lpszShortPath,
    unsigned int cchBuffer);

User-Defined Types:

None.

Notes:

Important! The file must actually exist, otherwise you'll get an empty path

Tips & Tricks:

Please add some!

Sample Code:

/// <summary>
/// The ToLongPathNameToShortPathName function retrieves the short path form of a specified long input path
/// </summary>
/// <param name="longName">The long name path</param>
/// <returns>A short name path string</returns>
public static string ToShortPathName(string longName)
{
    uint bufferSize = 256;

/* don´t allocate stringbuilder here but outside of the function for fast access , believe me, it will speed up your code */
    StringBuilder shortNameBuffer = new StringBuilder((int)bufferSize);

    uint result = NativeMethods.GetShortPathName(longName, shortNameBuffer, bufferSize);

    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
/// KSG Changed declaration for .NET 2.x 01/25/2007
   Public Class Interop
      <Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=Runtime.InteropServices.CharSet.Auto)> _
      Public Shared Function GetShortPathName(ByVal longPath As String, _
      <Runtime.InteropServices.MarshalAs(Runtime.InteropServices.UnmanagedType.LPTStr)> _
      ByVal ShortPath As System.Text.StringBuilder, _
      <Runtime.InteropServices.MarshalAs(Runtime.InteropServices.UnmanagedType.U4)> _
      ByVal bufferSize As Integer) As Integer
      End Function
   End Class

   Function ShortPathName(ByVal Path As String) As String
      Dim sb As New System.Text.StringBuilder(1024)

      Dim tempVal As Integer = Interop.GetShortPathName(Path, sb, 1024)
      If tempVal <> 0 Then
     Dim Result As String = sb.ToString()
     Return Result
      Else
     Throw New Exception("Failed to return a short path")
      End If
   End Function

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).