Am I Doing Get Special Folders Right?

[Michael Mattias]

It would have been the wrong test in VB, too.

Just as a general rule.....

When a WinAPI function returns failure, you cannot use the contents of any variable that function would have filled had it succeeded.

MCM

[colin glenn]

I realize that now, forgive me with some strange quirks from the code, a lot of it is cut and paste from one of 2 VB projects which contain a lot of strange eXtreme coding actions to make the API call work in VB. The prefix for that particular line was preloading the return string with String$(MaxPath, 0), ...

[Michael Mattias]

What I was trying to point out was that your original test...

 IF INSTR(SpecialPath, $NUL) > 1 THEN

... is not the correct test for the success or failure of the call to ShGetSpecialFolderPath. The correct test is the value of the function's return value.

After that succeeds, you can parse out or modify or do whatever you want with the data now in the variable 'SpecialPath.'

MCM

[colin glenn]

I'm sorry Michael, I am saying all that really wrong, what I mean is that all I needed was this as a matter of fact:

    iRet = ShGetFolderPath (BYVAL %NULL, _             ' hWnd, "typically null"
                            %CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA, _    ' (supported) CSIDL value
                            BYVAL %NULL, _             ' hToken for security, null  = Default
                            BYVAL 0, _                 ' above
                            szBaseFolder)

Some times I don't explain the reasoning why, but the deal is that I'm writing, (or rather porting from VB), a file editor for an online game. If you don't have the game installed, there's not much sense in using the editor. After getting the back this particular folder, I tack on a specific path and check for the presence of the game's data folder, and if it's not there, not much sense in going further because my editor's fairly useless without the game data files.

BTW: Why break down the folder path to be created when you can use SHCreateDirectoryEx to create the whole thing in one action?

[Michael Mattias]

really don't need to try the SHGetSpecialFolderPath at all it seems. And considering that I'm wanting to put my ini file in an existing %CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA folder, I

????

If you want to put your data in CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA, you need to use "some" system call to get the name of that folder, unless you hard-code it for a specific system.

Real Men don't hardcode special folder names, they use CSIDL_* equates and one of the system API functions to get the name.

Note also, those folders ARE user-moveable (But I have never seen that actually done).

I really don't need all the extensive testing and creation code either. Thanks for the tip.

What extensive testing and creation? It's a one-line call to "GetIniFileName" (post #2) after you set your equates.

MCM

[colin glenn]

Looking at the documentation and the examples, I really don't need to try the SHGetSpecialFolderPath at all it seems. And considering that I'm wanting to put my ini file in an existing %CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA folder, I really don't need all the extensive testing and creation code either. Thanks for the tip.

[Michael Mattias]

>Want to ensure that this works across all platforms...

If you mean using the WinAPI calls with the %CSIDL_xxxx constants to locate special folders, it does, at least on systems from Win/98 thru Vista/32. I don't have any clients on Win/95 or Vista/64 so I can't speak to those.

[Michael Mattias]

>Am I Doing Get Special Folders Right>

Not really.

You need to interrogate the return from ShGetSpecialFolderPath.

  iRet = ShGetSpecialFolderPath  (params) 
  IF ISTRUE iRet THEN 
     ' call succeeded, so now you can parse out the return data buffer
  ELSE
    ' call failed
     LE = GetLastError()     ' get Windows error code for the error.
     FormatMessage.....    ' get text of Windows error for display 
 .....

PB's ERR system variable does not return any data for direct calls to Windows API functions, that is, the ON ERROR in your code will never be executed because the call failed, although it could be executed because one of the PB verbs failed.

Here's some code which may or may not be useful...
Move That INI File! and Get That Ini File Name!

MCM

[colin glenn]

Want to ensure that this works across all platforms, all I got to test with is w2k platforms:

FUNCTION GetSpecialFolderPath(hWindow AS DWORD, nFolder AS LONG) AS STRING
LOCAL pidl          AS LONG
LOCAL SpecialPath   AS ASCIIZ * %MAX_PATH

  ON ERROR GOTO NotExported

  SHGetSpecialFolderPath hWindow, SpecialPath, nFolder, 0
  IF INSTR(SpecialPath, $NUL) > 1 THEN
    GetSpecialFolderPath = SpecialPath
    #DEBUG PRINT "SHGetSpecialFolderPath Success"
    EXIT FUNCTION
  END IF

NotExported:

  IF SHGetSpecialFolderLocation(hWindow, nFolder, pidl) = %NOERROR THEN
    IF pidl THEN
        #DEBUG PRINT "SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success"
      IF SHGetPathFromIDList(BYVAL pidl, SpecialPath) THEN
        GetSpecialFolderPath = SpecialPath
        #DEBUG PRINT "SHGetPathFromIDList Success"
      END IF
      CoTaskMemFree pidl
      EXIT FUNCTION
    END IF
  END IF
    #DEBUG PRINT "GetSpecialFolderPath Failure"
END FUNCTION

Simple test code, the function it calls just returns the %ID and the commentary from the left side of the definitions from the wind32api file:

LOCAL sFolder AS STRING, sIndex AS LONG
    FOR sIndex = %CSIDL_DESKTOP TO %CSIDL_RESOURCES
        sFolder = GetSpecialFolderPath(CB.HNDL, sIndex)
        #DEBUG PRINT HEX$(sIndex, 2) &" / "& GetFolderAlias(sIndex)
        #DEBUG PRINT " = "& sFolder
        #DEBUG PRINT ""
    NEXT sIndex

And on my machine here, this returns:

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
00 / %CSIDL_DESKTOP ' <desktop>
 = F:\mug\Desktop

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
01 / %CSIDL_INTERNET ' Internet Explorer (icon on desktop)
 = 

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
02 / %CSIDL_PROGRAMS ' Start Menu\Programs
 = F:\mug\Start Menu\Programs

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
03 / %CSIDL_CONTROLS ' My Computer\Control Panel
 = 

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
04 / %CSIDL_PRINTERS ' My Computer\Printers
 = 

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
05 / %CSIDL_PERSONAL ' My Documents
 = F:\mug\My Documents

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
06 / %CSIDL_FAVORITES ' <user name>\Favorites
 = F:\mug\Favorites

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
07 / %CSIDL_STARTUP ' Start Menu\Programs\Startup
 = F:\mug\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
08 / %CSIDL_RECENT ' <user name>\Recent
 = F:\mug\Recent

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
09 / %CSIDL_SENDTO ' <user name>\SendTo
 = F:\mug\SendTo

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
0A / %CSIDL_BITBUCKET ' <desktop>\Recycle Bin
 = 

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
0B / %CSIDL_STARTMENU ' <user name>\Start Menu
 = F:\mug\Start Menu

GetSpecialFolderPath Failure
0C / %CSIDL_MYDOCUMENTS  logical 'My Documents' desktop icon
 = 

GetSpecialFolderPath Failure
0D / %CSIDL_MYMUSIC  'My Music' folder
 = 

GetSpecialFolderPath Failure
0E / %CSIDL_MYVIDEO  'My Videos' folder
 = 

GetSpecialFolderPath Failure
0F / 
 = 

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
10 / %CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORY ' <user name>\Desktop
 = F:\mug\Desktop

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
11 / %CSIDL_DRIVES ' My Computer
 = 

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
12 / %CSIDL_NETWORK ' Network Neighborhood
 = 

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
13 / %CSIDL_NETHOOD ' <user name>\nethood
 = F:\mug\NetHood

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
14 / %CSIDL_FONTS ' windows\fonts
 = C:\winnt\Fonts

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
15 / %CSIDL_TEMPLATES 
 = F:\mug\Templates

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
16 / %CSIDL_COMMON_STARTMENU ' All Users\Start Menu
 = F:\All Users\Start Menu

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
17 / %CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS ' All Users\Programs
 = F:\All Users\Start Menu\Programs

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
18 / %CSIDL_COMMON_STARTUP ' All Users\Startup
 = F:\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
19 / %CSIDL_COMMON_DESKTOPDIRECTORY ' All Users\Desktop
 = F:\All Users\Desktop

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
1A / %CSIDL_APPDATA ' <user name>\Application Data
 = F:\mug\Application Data

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
1B / %CSIDL_PRINTHOOD ' <user name>\PrintHood
 = F:\mug\PrintHood

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
1C / %CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA ' <user name>\Local Settings\Application Data (non roaming)
 = F:\mug\Local Settings\Application Data

GetSpecialFolderPath Failure
1D / %CSIDL_ALTSTARTUP ' non localized startup
 = 

GetSpecialFolderPath Failure
1E / %CSIDL_COMMON_ALTSTARTUP ' non localized common startup
 = 

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
1F / %CSIDL_COMMON_FAVORITES 
 = F:\All Users\Favorites

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
20 / %CSIDL_INTERNET_CACHE 
 = F:\mug\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
21 / %CSIDL_COOKIES 
 = F:\mug\Cookies

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
22 / %CSIDL_HISTORY 
 = F:\mug\Local Settings\History

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
23 / %CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA ' All Users\Application Data
 = F:\All Users\Application Data

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
24 / %CSIDL_WINDOWS ' GetWindowsDirectory()
 = C:\winnt

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
25 / %CSIDL_SYSTEM ' GetSystemDirectory()
 = C:\winnt\system32

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
26 / %CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES ' C:\Program Files
 = C:\Program Files

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
27 / %CSIDL_MYPICTURES ' C:\Program Files\My Pictures
 = F:\mug\My Documents\My Pictures

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
28 / %CSIDL_PROFILE ' USERPROFILE
 = F:\mug

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
29 / %CSIDL_SYSTEMX86 ' x86 system directory on RISC
 = C:\winnt\system32

GetSpecialFolderPath Failure
2A / %CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILESX86 ' x86 C:\Program Files on RISC
 = 

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
2B / %CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMON ' C:\Program Files\Common
 = C:\Program Files\Common Files

GetSpecialFolderPath Failure
2C / %CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMONX86 ' x86 Program Files\Common on RISC
 = 

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
2D / %CSIDL_COMMON_TEMPLATES ' All Users\Templates
 = F:\All Users\Templates

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
2E / %CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS ' All Users\Documents
 = F:\All Users\Documents

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
2F / %CSIDL_COMMON_ADMINTOOLS ' All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools
 = F:\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Administrative Tools

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
SHGetPathFromIDList Success
30 / %CSIDL_ADMINTOOLS ' <user name>\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools
 = F:\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Administrative Tools

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Success
31 / %CSIDL_CONNECTIONS ' Network and Dial-up Connections
 = 

GetSpecialFolderPath Failure
32 / 
 = 

GetSpecialFolderPath Failure
33 / 
 = 

GetSpecialFolderPath Failure
34 / 
 = 

GetSpecialFolderPath Failure
35 / %CSIDL_COMMON_MUSIC ' All Users\My Music
 = 

GetSpecialFolderPath Failure
36 / %CSIDL_COMMON_PICTURES ' All Users\My Pictures
 = 

GetSpecialFolderPath Failure
37 / %CSIDL_COMMON_VIDEO ' All Users\My Video
 = 

GetSpecialFolderPath Failure
38 / %CSIDL_RESOURCES ' Resource Direcotry
 =

Notation: Yes, on this machine, my Documents & Settings has been hashed to point to another hard drive, this was done when installing windows, before creating any user accounts, by editing the value at:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
ProfilesDirectory = VALUE
Then copying ALL USERS and DEFAULT USER to the drive.

There might of been more involved stuff in whacking the registry, don't remember, it's been years since I've needed to install w2k on a machine.

Shouldn't bother going off on a tangent about that, now everyone will start discussing different means to do that, ...