by Kerry B. Rogers (2 Submissions)
Category: Files/File Controls/Input/Output
Compatability: Visual Basic 5.0
Difficulty: Intermediate
Date Added: Wed 3rd February 2021
Rating: 
(3 Votes)
This is a VB-friendly interpretation of a reliable method for accessing the myriad of Windows special folder paths in their resolved states. If you need to know the full path to the Desktop Folder, Startup Folder, and many many others, this function will quickly get you there.
VBcodersPrivate Type SHELLITEMID
cb As Long
abID As Byte
End Type
Private Type ITEMIDLIST
mkid As SHELLITEMID
End Type
Public Enum SpecialFolderTypes
sftCDBurningCache = 59&
sftCommonAdminTools = 47&
sftCommonApplicationData = 35&
sftCommonDesktop = 25&
sftCommonDocumentTemplates = 45&
sftCommonFavorites = 31&
sftCommonMyDocuments = 46&
sftCommonMyPictures = 54&
sftCommonProgramFiles = 43&
sftCommonStartMenu = 22&
sftCommonStartMenuPrograms = 23&
sftCommonStartup = 24&
sftFonts = 20&
sftProgramFiles = 38&
sftSystem32Folder = 41&
sftSystemFolder = 37&
sftThemes = 56&
sftUserAdminTools = 48&
sftUserApplicationData = 26&
sftUserCookies = 33&
sftUserDesktop = 16&
sftUserDocumentTemplates = 21&
sftUserFavorites = 6&
sftUserHistory = 34&
sftUserLocalApplicationData = 28&
sftUserMyDocuments = 5&
sftUserMyMusic = 13&
sftUserMyPictures = 39&
sftUserNetHood = 19&
sftUserPrintHood = 27&
sftUserProfileFolder = 40&
sftUserRecentDocuments = 8&
sftUserSendTo = 9&
sftUserStartMenu = 11&
sftUserStartMenuPrograms = 2&
sftUserStartup = 7&
sftUserTempInternetFiles = 32&
sftWindowsFolder = 36&
End Enum
Private Declare Function SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Lib "Shell32.dll" (ByVal hwndOwner As Long, ByVal nFolder As Long, pidl As ITEMIDLIST) As Long
Private Declare Function SHGetPathFromIDList Lib "Shell32.dll" Alias "SHGetPathFromIDListA" (ByVal pidl As Long, ByVal pszPath As String) As Long
Public Function SpecialFolderPath(ByVal lngFolderType As SpecialFolderTypes) As String
Dim strPath As String
Dim IDL As ITEMIDLIST
SpecialFolderPath = ""
If SHGetSpecialFolderLocation(0&, lngFolderType, IDL) = 0& Then
strPath = Space$(MAX_PATH)
If SHGetPathFromIDList(ByVal IDL.mkid.cb, ByVal strPath) Then
SpecialFolderPath = Left$(strPath, InStr(strPath, vbNullChar) - 1&) & "\"
End If
End If
End Function
