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 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)
{
    StringBuilder shortNameBuffer = new StringBuilder(256);
    int bufferSize = shortNameBuffer.Capacity;

    int result = GetShortPathName(longName, shortNameBuffer, bufferSize);

    return shortNameBuffer.ToString();
}

VB.NET Sample Code:

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

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).