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function: GetCommonPath - Get path to standard system folder


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majkinetor
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This function will return some standard system folders. Omit CSIDL_ when calling it. If you use it a lot, move CSIDL_ declarations out of function so they are not instantiated every time.

Example:
MsgBox % GetCommonPath("StartUp")


GetCommonPath( csidl ) 
{ 
        static init 

        if !init 
        { 
                CSIDL_APPDATA                 =0x001A     ; Application Data, new for NT4 
                CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA          =0x0023     ; All Users\Application Data 
                CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS        =0x002e     ; All Users\Documents 
                CSIDL_DESKTOP                 =0x0010     ; C:\Documents and Settings\username\Desktop 
                CSIDL_FONTS                   =0x0014     ; C:\Windows\Fonts 
                CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA           =0x001C     ; non roaming, user\Local Settings\Application Data 
                CSIDL_MYMUSIC                 =0x000d     ; "My Music" folder 
                CSIDL_MYPICTURES              =0x0027     ; My Pictures, new for Win2K 
                CSIDL_PERSONAL                =0x0005     ; My Documents 
                CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMON    =0x002b     ; C:\Program Files\Common 
                CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES           =0x0026     ; C:\Program Files 
                CSIDL_PROGRAMS                =0x0002     ; C:\Documents and Settings\username\Start Menu\Programs 
                CSIDL_RESOURCES               =0x0038     ; %windir%\Resources\, For theme and other windows resources. 
                CSIDL_STARTMENU               =0x000b     ; C:\Documents and Settings\username\Start Menu 
                CSIDL_STARTUP                 =0x0007     ; C:\Documents and Settings\username\Start Menu\Programs\Startup. 
                CSIDL_SYSTEM                  =0x0025     ; GetSystemDirectory() 
                CSIDL_WINDOWS                 =0x0024     ; GetWindowsDirectory() 
        } 

        
        val = % CSIDL_%csidl% 
        VarSetCapacity(fpath, 256) 
        DllCall( "shell32\SHGetFolderPathA", "uint", 0, "int", val, "uint", 0, "int", 0, "str", fpath) 
        return %fpath% 
}

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toralf
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Thanks for posting this DllCall example.

No offense, but this can be done with RegRead (e.g. from HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders) or AHK has internal variables that hold the values (e.g. A_Desktop, A_AppData, A_MyDocuments, etc.). But I guess with the DllCall more is possible.
Ciao
toralf
 
I use the latest AHK version (1.1.15+)
Please ask questions in forum on ahkscript.org. Why?
For online reference please use these Docs.

majkinetor
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That is not recommended by Microsfot.
I needed this for Total Commander witch uses csidl strings as shortcuts.

But I guess with the DllCall more is possible.

Right. Just add more. Skip virtual folders.
Complete List
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toralf
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Thanks a lot for the list, that makes it now complete.

Do you know any limitations on some OS? Or are all these values accessible on all OS?
Ciao
toralf
 
I use the latest AHK version (1.1.15+)
Please ask questions in forum on ahkscript.org. Why?
For online reference please use these Docs.

majkinetor
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hej torlaf

Do you know any limitations on some OS?

I don't. It should work on win 2000 and latter systems.

Honestly, I don't care abot Win9x family and I don't support them in my programming. Those systems should die. The sooner, the better. :twisted:
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PhiLho
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Those systems should die. The sooner, the better. :twisted:

Thank you for those with old systems, like mine (Pentium II 300MHz, 6GB hard disk, a whooping 192MB of Ram...). Let's run Win2k or WinXP on such system (and do something useful with it...).
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majkinetor
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Let's run Win2k or WinXP on such system

I do! 250MHz CPU, 256MB RAM, SCSI 10 MB disk.

Win XP works like a charm by default. I run FL Studio 5 and create some music, without much freedom of course.

This is by default. If you do a little tweaking, like, changing the shell to BlackBox variant bbLean instead Explorer, turn of 90% of unused services, and bunch of other tricks you can find all over around, you will see what I mean.

No offense PhiLho, but several users running old systems are not and will never be a reason.
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corrupt
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I do! 250MHz CPU, 256MB RAM, SCSI 10 MB disk.

There must be a typo there... I realize that an XP install can be trimmed down a lot but...

Although XP can run nicely on older systems, I still think that there's no reason to discard Win9.x systems. I still try and support Win9.x systems for most projects.



Sorry... I guess this is leading even further OT...

Zippo()
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Honestly, I don't care abot Win9x family and I don't support them in my programming. Those systems should die. The sooner, the better. :twisted:


Hmm... you do realize that a lot of people/businesses still use the Win9x family simply because some of the software they may have invested big $$ on runs fine and well on their curent systems, and an upgrade to a different OS might not be compatible? And if they are willing to invest big $$ in software they deem useful (and you are in the market to make software people find useful), seems to me like these might be some of the people you want to attract :D

If you look for people to throw money away just because MS fixes what might not be broken, you have a smaller market, for sure.

majkinetor
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There must be a typo there... I realize that an XP install can be trimmed down a lot but...

No typo.

2 all
About Win9x system thoughts you had, please skip me next time 8)
I don't deal with junk OSes

This is the list of all constants:

CSIDL values provide a unique system-independent way to identify special folders used frequently by applications, but which may not have the same name or location on any given system. For example, the system folder may be "C:\Windows" on one system and "C:\Winnt" on another.

Constants

CSIDL_FLAG_CREATE (0x8000)
Version 5.0. Combine this CSIDL with any of the following CSIDLs to force the creation of the associated folder.

CSIDL_ADMINTOOLS (0x0030)
Version 5.0. The file system directory that is used to store administrative tools for an individual user. The Microsoft Management Console (MMC) will save customized consoles to this directory, and it will roam with the user.

CSIDL_ALTSTARTUP (0x001d)
The file system directory that corresponds to the user's nonlocalized Startup program group.

CSIDL_APPDATA (0x001a)
Version 4.71. The file system directory that serves as a common repository for application-specific data. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data. This CSIDL is supported by the redistributable Shfolder.dll for systems that do not have the Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 integrated Shell installed.

CSIDL_BITBUCKET (0x000a)
The virtual folder containing the objects in the user's Recycle Bin.

CSIDL_CDBURN_AREA (0x003b)
Version 6.0. The file system directory acting as a staging area for files waiting to be written to CD. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\CD Burning.

CSIDL_COMMON_ADMINTOOLS (0x002f)
Version 5.0. The file system directory containing administrative tools for all users of the computer.

CSIDL_COMMON_ALTSTARTUP (0x001e)
The file system directory that corresponds to the nonlocalized Startup program group for all users. Valid only for Microsoft Windows NT systems.

CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA (0x0023)
Version 5.0. The file system directory containing application data for all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data.

CSIDL_COMMON_DESKTOPDIRECTORY (0x0019)
The file system directory that contains files and folders that appear on the desktop for all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop. Valid only for Windows NT systems.

CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS (0x002e)
The file system directory that contains documents that are common to all users. A typical paths is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents. Valid for Windows NT systems and Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows 98 systems with Shfolder.dll installed.

CSIDL_COMMON_FAVORITES (0x001f)
The file system directory that serves as a common repository for favorite items common to all users. Valid only for Windows NT systems.

CSIDL_COMMON_MUSIC (0x0035)
Version 6.0. The file system directory that serves as a repository for music files common to all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Music.

CSIDL_COMMON_PICTURES (0x0036)
Version 6.0. The file system directory that serves as a repository for image files common to all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Pictures.

CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS (0x0017)
The file system directory that contains the directories for the common program groups that appear on the Start menu for all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs. Valid only for Windows NT systems.

CSIDL_COMMON_STARTMENU (0x0016)
The file system directory that contains the programs and folders that appear on the Start menu for all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu. Valid only for Windows NT systems.

CSIDL_COMMON_STARTUP (0x0018)
The file system directory that contains the programs that appear in the Startup folder for all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup. Valid only for Windows NT systems.

CSIDL_COMMON_TEMPLATES (0x002d)
The file system directory that contains the templates that are available to all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Templates. Valid only for Windows NT systems.

CSIDL_COMMON_VIDEO (0x0037)
Version 6.0. The file system directory that serves as a repository for video files common to all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Videos.

CSIDL_CONTROLS (0x0003)
The virtual folder containing icons for the Control Panel applications.

CSIDL_COOKIES (0x0021)
The file system directory that serves as a common repository for Internet cookies. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Cookies.

CSIDL_DESKTOP (0x0000)
The virtual folder representing the Windows desktop, the root of the namespace.

CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORY (0x0010)
The file system directory used to physically store file objects on the desktop (not to be confused with the desktop folder itself). A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Desktop.

CSIDL_DRIVES (0x0011)
The virtual folder representing My Computer, containing everything on the local computer: storage devices, printers, and Control Panel. The folder may also contain mapped network drives.

CSIDL_FAVORITES (0x0006)
The file system directory that serves as a common repository for the user's favorite items. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Favorites.

CSIDL_FONTS (0x0014)
A virtual folder containing fonts. A typical path is C:\Windows\Fonts.

CSIDL_HISTORY (0x0022)
The file system directory that serves as a common repository for Internet history items.

CSIDL_INTERNET (0x0001)
A virtual folder representing the Internet.

CSIDL_INTERNET_CACHE (0x0020)
Version 4.72. The file system directory that serves as a common repository for temporary Internet files. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files.

CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA (0x001c)
Version 5.0. The file system directory that serves as a data repository for local (nonroaming) applications. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data.

CSIDL_MYDOCUMENTS (0x000c)
Version 6.0. The virtual folder representing the My Documents desktop item.

CSIDL_MYMUSIC (0x000d)
The file system directory that serves as a common repository for music files. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\User\My Documents\My Music.

CSIDL_MYPICTURES (0x0027)
Version 5.0. The file system directory that serves as a common repository for image files. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\My Pictures.

CSIDL_MYVIDEO (0x000e)
Version 6.0. The file system directory that serves as a common repository for video files. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\My Videos.

CSIDL_NETHOOD (0x0013)
A file system directory containing the link objects that may exist in the My Network Places virtual folder. It is not the same as CSIDL_NETWORK, which represents the network namespace root. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\NetHood.

CSIDL_NETWORK (0x0012)
A virtual folder representing Network Neighborhood, the root of the network namespace hierarchy.

CSIDL_PERSONAL (0x0005)
Version 6.0. The virtual folder representing the My Documents desktop item. This is equivalent to CSIDL_MYDOCUMENTS.
Previous to Version 6.0. The file system directory used to physically store a user's common repository of documents. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents. This should be distinguished from the virtual My Documents folder in the namespace. To access that virtual folder, use SHGetFolderLocation, which returns the ITEMIDLIST for the virtual location, or refer to the technique described in Managing the File System.


CSIDL_PRINTERS (0x0004)
The virtual folder containing installed printers.

CSIDL_PRINTHOOD (0x001b)
The file system directory that contains the link objects that can exist in the Printers virtual folder. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\PrintHood.

CSIDL_PROFILE (0x0028)
Version 5.0. The user's profile folder. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username. Applications should not create files or folders at this level; they should put their data under the locations referred to by CSIDL_APPDATA or CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA.

CSIDL_PROFILES (0x003e)
Version 6.0. The file system directory containing user profile folders. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings.

CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES (0x0026)
Version 5.0. The Program Files folder. A typical path is C:\Program Files.

CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMON (0x002b)
Version 5.0. A folder for components that are shared across applications. A typical path is C:\Program Files\Common. Valid only for Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP systems. Not valid for Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me).

CSIDL_PROGRAMS (0x0002)
The file system directory that contains the user's program groups (which are themselves file system directories). A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Start Menu\Programs.

CSIDL_RECENT (0x0008)
The file system directory that contains shortcuts to the user's most recently used documents. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Recent Documents. To create a shortcut in this folder, use SHAddToRecentDocs. In addition to creating the shortcut, this function updates the Shell's list of recent documents and adds the shortcut to the My Recent Documents submenu of the Start menu.

CSIDL_SENDTO (0x0009)
The file system directory that contains Send To menu items. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\SendTo.

CSIDL_STARTMENU (0x000b)
The file system directory containing Start menu items. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Start Menu.

CSIDL_STARTUP (0x0007)
The file system directory that corresponds to the user's Startup program group. The system starts these programs whenever any user logs onto Windows NT or starts Windows 95. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.

CSIDL_SYSTEM (0x0025)
Version 5.0. The Windows System folder. A typical path is C:\Windows\System32.

CSIDL_TEMPLATES (0x0015)
The file system directory that serves as a common repository for document templates. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Templates.

CSIDL_WINDOWS (0x0024)
Version 5.0. The Windows directory or SYSROOT. This corresponds to the %windir% or %SYSTEMROOT% environment variables. A typical path is C:\Windows.


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ChrisM
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Just a note to clarify:

Not all the CSIDL values from the complete list can be used with the function at the top of this thread. If the description for the CSIDL says it's a virtual folder then the DllCall will not return anything in fpath.

I ran into this in reference to another thread:
http://www.autohotke...4496.html#84496
I had hoped this function might provide a way to open Explorer and have it display one of these vitual folders, but no luck.

If anyone feels I'm wrong with this or knows of a solution please let me know.

Thanks
ChrisM

majkinetor
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I had hoped this function might provide a way to open Explorer and have it display one of these vitual folders, but no luck.

Virtual Folders don't have path and don't need to have phisycal presentation (like control panel). So, you hoped wrong. Path is property of hard disk.


To do the thing you want you will have to find out UID (or CLSID but this is not the same as above) of particular virtual folder. Its that long sentence {xxx-xxxxxxx-xxxxx-xxxx-xxxxx} that you can find in Registry and around.

then you can supply this as explorers parameter. For instance, to run My Computer folder, you can type

explorer ::{20d04fe0-3aea-1069-a2d8-08002b30309d}

Eatch virtual folder has unique GUID in entire world so, it is the same on eatch computer. You can hardcode it in your AHK script.

You can also type ::GUID directly into the RUN.
In console it doesn't work as :: is comment along with REM so, you can use start ::GUID to do the same.
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ChrisM
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Excellent!! Thanks
ChrisM

ahklerner
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@majkinetor

No typo.

Please advise how you have installed Windows XP on a 10MB drive. One would assume it would be very very fast, since the whole hard
drive could be cached into RAM. :wink:

majkinetor
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I run it from CD :)
Btw, there is micro kernel available that fits the mention size.
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