SHGetSpecialFolderLocation

C# Signature:

[DllImport("shell32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
static extern int SHGetSpecialFolderLocation(IntPtr hwndOwner, CSIDL nFolder,
   ref IntPtr ppidl);

VB.NET Signature:

<DllImport("shell32.dll", SetLastError:= True)>
Public Function SHGetSpecialFolderLocation(hOwner As IntPtr, _
                  <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.I4)>nFolder As CSIDL, _
                  <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Struct)>ByRef ppidl As ITEMIDLIST) As Integer
End Function

VB Signature:

Public Declare Function SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Lib "shell32.dll" _
        (ByVal prmlngHwndOwner As Long, _
         ByVal prmlngFolderID As CSIDL, _
         prmtypItemIDList As ITEMIDLIST) As Long

Alternative Managed API:

'In Visual Basic.Net 

    Dim fileP As String
    fileP = My.Computer.FileSystem.SpecialDirectories.MyDocuments

    MsgBox(fileP.ToString)

Alternative Managed API:

// In C# after adding a Reference to the Microsoft.VisualBasic.dll
    using Microsoft.VisualBasic.Devices;

    // and in the Code
    Computer c = new Computer();
    MessageBox.Show(c.FileSystem.SpecialDirectories.MyDocuments);

Alternative Managed API:

//In C#.NET

        private const int MAX_PATH = 260;
        /// <summary>
        /// The main entry point for the application.
        /// </summary>
        /// 
        [STAThread]
        static void Main()
        {
            IntPtr ptrDirVideo = IntPtr.Zero;
            SHGetSpecialFolderLocation(IntPtr.Zero, CSIDL.CSIDL_MYVIDEO, ref ptrDirVideo);
            string dirVideo = "";
            StringBuilder sbDirVideo = new StringBuilder(MAX_PATH);

            if (true == SHGetPathFromIDListW(ptrDirVideo, sbDirVideo))
            {
                dirVideo = sbDirVideo.ToString();
            }

            sbDirVideo = null;
            Marshal.FreeCoTaskMem(ptrDirVideo);
        }

Alternative Managed API:

[DllImport("shell32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
        [return : MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
        public static extern bool SHGetPathFromIDListW(IntPtr pidl, [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPTStr)] StringBuilder pszPath);

Alternative Managed API:

[DllImport("shell32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
        static extern int SHGetSpecialFolderLocation(IntPtr hwndOwner, CSIDL nFolder, ref IntPtr ppidl);

Alternative Managed API:

public enum CSIDL 
        {
        CSIDL_DESKTOP       = 0x0000,    // <desktop>
        CSIDL_INTERNET      = 0x0001,    // Internet Explorer (icon on desktop)
        CSIDL_PROGRAMS      = 0x0002,    // Start Menu\Programs
        CSIDL_CONTROLS      = 0x0003,    // My Computer\Control Panel
        CSIDL_PRINTERS      = 0x0004,    // My Computer\Printers
        CSIDL_PERSONAL      = 0x0005,    // My Documents
        CSIDL_FAVORITES     = 0x0006,    // <user name>\Favorites
        CSIDL_STARTUP       = 0x0007,    // Start Menu\Programs\Startup
        CSIDL_RECENT        = 0x0008,    // <user name>\Recent
        CSIDL_SENDTO        = 0x0009,    // <user name>\SendTo
        CSIDL_BITBUCKET     = 0x000a,    // <desktop>\Recycle Bin
        CSIDL_STARTMENU     = 0x000b,    // <user name>\Start Menu
        CSIDL_MYDOCUMENTS       = 0x000c,    // logical "My Documents" desktop icon
        CSIDL_MYMUSIC       = 0x000d,    // "My Music" folder
        CSIDL_MYVIDEO       = 0x000e,    // "My Videos" folder
        CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORY      = 0x0010,    // <user name>\Desktop
        CSIDL_DRIVES        = 0x0011,    // My Computer
        CSIDL_NETWORK       = 0x0012,    // Network Neighborhood (My Network Places)
        CSIDL_NETHOOD       = 0x0013,    // <user name>\nethood
        CSIDL_FONTS         = 0x0014,    // windows\fonts
        CSIDL_TEMPLATES     = 0x0015,
        CSIDL_COMMON_STARTMENU      = 0x0016,    // All Users\Start Menu
        CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS       = 0X0017,    // All Users\Start Menu\Programs
        CSIDL_COMMON_STARTUP    = 0x0018,    // All Users\Startup
        CSIDL_COMMON_DESKTOPDIRECTORY   = 0x0019,    // All Users\Desktop
        CSIDL_APPDATA       = 0x001a,    // <user name>\Application Data
        CSIDL_PRINTHOOD     = 0x001b,    // <user name>\PrintHood
        CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA     = 0x001c,    // <user name>\Local Settings\Applicaiton Data (non roaming)
        CSIDL_ALTSTARTUP    = 0x001d,    // non localized startup
        CSIDL_COMMON_ALTSTARTUP     = 0x001e,    // non localized common startup
        CSIDL_COMMON_FAVORITES      = 0x001f,
        CSIDL_INTERNET_CACHE    = 0x0020,
        CSIDL_COOKIES       = 0x0021,
        CSIDL_HISTORY       = 0x0022,
        CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA    = 0x0023,    // All Users\Application Data
        CSIDL_WINDOWS       = 0x0024,    // GetWindowsDirectory()
        CSIDL_SYSTEM        = 0x0025,    // GetSystemDirectory()
        CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES     = 0x0026,    // C:\Program Files
        CSIDL_MYPICTURES    = 0x0027,    // C:\Program Files\My Pictures
        CSIDL_PROFILE       = 0x0028,    // USERPROFILE
        CSIDL_SYSTEMX86     = 0x0029,    // x86 system directory on RISC
        CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILESX86      = 0x002a,    // x86 C:\Program Files on RISC
        CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMON      = 0x002b,    // C:\Program Files\Common
        CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMONX86   = 0x002c,    // x86 Program Files\Common on RISC
        CSIDL_COMMON_TEMPLATES      = 0x002d,    // All Users\Templates
        CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS      = 0x002e,    // All Users\Documents
        CSIDL_COMMON_ADMINTOOLS     = 0x002f,    // All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools
        CSIDL_ADMINTOOLS    = 0x0030,    // <user name>\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools
        CSIDL_CONNECTIONS       = 0x0031,    // Network and Dial-up Connections
        CSIDL_COMMON_MUSIC      = 0x0035,    // All Users\My Music
        CSIDL_COMMON_PICTURES       = 0x0036,    // All Users\My Pictures
        CSIDL_COMMON_VIDEO      = 0x0037,    // All Users\My Video
        CSIDL_CDBURN_AREA       = 0x003b    // USERPROFILE\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\CD Burning
        }
    }
The SHGetSpecialFolderLocation API2/7/2012 6:44:01 PM - -202.74.138.1ITEMIDLIST - Item ID List for [SHGetSpecialFolderLocation]2/7/2012 6:53:37 PM - -202.74.138.1