C# Signature:

[DllImport("shlwapi.dll", CharSet=CharSet.Auto)]
static extern bool PathCompactPathEx([Out] StringBuilder pszOut, string szPath, int cchMax, int dwFlags);

VB.NET Signature:

''' <summary>
''' Truncates a path to fit within a certain number of characters by replacing path components with ellipses.
''' </summary>
''' <param name="pszOut">The address of the string that has been altered.</param>
''' <param name="pszSrc">A pointer to a null-terminated string of length MAX_PATH that contains the path to be altered.</param>
''' <param name="cchMax">
''' The maximum number of characters to be contained in the new string, including the terminating null character.
''' For example, if cchMax = 8, the resulting string can contain a maximum of 7 characters plus the terminating null character.
''' </param>
''' <param name="reserved">Reserved</param>
''' <returns>Returns TRUE if successful, or FALSE otherwise.</returns>
<DllImport("shlwapi.dll", EntryPoint:="PathCompactPathExW",  SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Unicode)> _
Public Function PathCompactPathEx(<MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPTStr)>pszOut As System.Text.StringBuilder, _
                <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPTStr)>pszSrc As String, _
                cchMax As UInteger, _
                reserved As Integer) As <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)>Boolean
End Function

VB Signature:

Public Declare Function PathCompactPathEx Lib "shlwapi" Alias "PathCompactPathExA" _
        (ByVal pszOut As String, _
         ByVal pszSrc As String, _
         ByVal cchMax As Long, _
         ByVal dwFlags As Long) As Long

User-Defined Types:

None.

Notes:

If you have an HDC, take a look at PathCompactPath

Tips & Tricks:

Please add some!

Sample Code:

C# Example

using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Text;

namespace CompactPathCmd
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Test code for PathCompactPathEx
    /// </summary>
    class Program
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// The main entry point for the application.
        /// </summary>
        [STAThread]
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            string longPath = "c:\\a\\very\\very\\long\\path\\that\\needs\\to\\be\\shortened\\by\\calling\\the\\PathCompactpathEx";
            int length = 40;

            string result = CompactPath(longPath, length);
            Console.WriteLine("     1     2     3     4     5     6     7");
            Console.WriteLine("1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789");
            Console.WriteLine(result);
            // displays : "c:\a\very\very\long...\PathCompactpathEx"
        }

        [DllImport("shlwapi.dll", CharSet=CharSet.Auto)]
        static extern bool PathCompactPathEx([Out] StringBuilder pszOut, string szPath, int cchMax, int dwFlags);

        public static string CompactPath(string longPathName, int wantedLength)
        {
            // NOTE: You need to create the builder with the required capacity before calling function.
            // See http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa446536.aspx
            StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(wantedLength + 1);
            PathCompactPathEx(sb, longPathName, wantedLength + 1, 0);
            return sb.ToString();
        }

    }

}

Alternative Managed API:

System.Windows.Forms.TextRenderer.MeasureText(String, Font, Size, TextFormatFlags.ModifyString | TextFormatFlags.PathEllipsis);

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).