C# Signature:
[DllImport("Shell32.dll", CharSet=CharSet.Unicode)]
static extern int SHGetSpecialFolderPath(IntPtr hwndOwner, IntPtr lpszPath, int nFolder, int fCreate);
VB Signature:
<DllImport("Shell32.dll")> Shared Function SHGetSpecialFolderPath(ByVal hwndOwner As IntPtr,
<Out()> ByVal lpszPath As IntPtr, ByVal nFolder As Integer, ByVal fCreate As Boolean) As Boolean
End Function
User-Defined Types:
None.
Notes:
lpszPath must be at least MAX_PATH (260) characters in size.
Tips & Tricks:
Please add some!
Sample Code:
int CSIDL_MYMUSIC = 0x000d;
IntPtr path = Marshal.AllocHGlobal(260 * 2); // UNICODE
SHGetSpecialFolderPath(parent.Handle, path, CSIDL_MYMUSIC, 0);
string myMusicDir = Marshal.PtrToStringUni(path);
//? Marshal.FreeHGlobal(path);
Alternative Managed API:
Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.xxx) probably calls this internally - it does the same thing.
However not all of the enums are available (e.g. CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS missing on .NET 1.1) therefore this is needed sometimes.
'Managed API Using Shell32.dll
(VB)
Public Shared Function SpecialFolderPathSH32(csidl As Integer, _
Optional ByRef DisplayName As String = "", _
Optional ByRef TypeName As String = "") As String
Dim path As String = ""
Dim sh As New Shell32.Shell
If csidl <> CInt(Environment.SpecialFolder.MyComputer) _
AndAlso [Enum].IsDefined(GetType(Environment.SpecialFolder), csidl) Then
Dim f2 As Shell32.Folder2 = TryCast(sh.NameSpace(17), Shell32.Folder2)
If Not IsNothing(f2) Then
Dim shi As Shell32.FolderItem = f2.Self
DisplayName = shi.Name
TypeName = shi.Type
path = shi.Path
shi = Nothing
End If
Return path
sh = Nothing
Else
Dim folder As Shell32.Folder = Nothing
If csidl = 12 Then ' !!! MYDOCUMENTS
Dim dtf As Shell32.Folder2 = CType( _
sh.NameSpace(Environment.SpecialFolder.Desktop), Shell32.Folder2)
'"::{450d8fba-ad25-11d0-98a8-0800361b1103}"
Dim fit2 As Shell32.FolderItem2 = CType( _
dtf.ParseName("::{450d8fba-ad25-11d0-98a8-0800361b1103}"), Shell32.FolderItem2)
TypeName = fit2.Type
DisplayName = fit2.Name
path = fit2.Path
dtf = Nothing
sh = Nothing
fit2 = Nothing
Return path
ElseIf csidl = 17 Then ' !!! MYCOMPUTER
Dim f2 As Shell32.Folder2 = TryCast(sh.NameSpace(17), Shell32.Folder2)
If Not IsNothing(f2) Then
path = f2.Self.Path
DisplayName = f2.Self.Name
TypeName = f2.Self.Type
f2 = Nothing
End If
sh = Nothing
Return path
Else
folder = sh.NameSpace(csidl)
'End If
Dim folder2 As Shell32.Folder2 = TryCast(folder, Shell32.Folder2)
If Not IsNothing(folder2) Then
path = folder2.Self.Path
DisplayName = folder2.Title
TypeName = folder2.Self.Type
End If
End If
sh = Nothing
Return path
End If
End Function
