Wildcard path for Windows 10 desktop

[psycho]

Hello,


I am trying to find out what the path would be for any user (generic) to a desktop file in Windows 10.

The program I have been using for years is written specifically for my computer and username as shown below:

filePath$="C:\Users\myName\Desktop\Schedule Files\"

What do I use in place of "myName" for the program to work for any user on any pc?


Thanks in advance for any help.


John

[Chris Iverson]

There's no wildcard to use for that, but we CAN ask Windows to give us the path we want.

The desktop, for example:

CSIDL.DESKTOPDIRECTORY = 16
print GetSpecialFolder$(CSIDL.DESKTOPDIRECTORY)
end


Function GetSpecialFolder$(CSIDL)
   var$ = space$(_MAX_PATH)

   CallDLL #shell32, "SHGetFolderPathA",_
   0 as ulong,_    'HWND, value is reserved
   CSIDL as long,_ 'CSIDL_ value
   0 as ulong,_    'hToken, blank for 'check current token'
   0 as ulong,_    'dwFlags, 0 for 'get current path'(SHGFP_TYPE_CURRENT)
   var$ as ptr,_
   ret as long

   GetSpecialFolder$ = trim$(var$)
End Function

[cundo]

Can we use Environment Variables for this? pureinfotech.com/list-environment-variables-windows-10/

[Chris Iverson]

Well, yes and no.

The File APIs(and therefore, LB's file manipulation commands) do not expand environment variables. You can't just do an open "%APPDATA%\myfile.txt" and get a working file.

You CAN use the Windows API to retrieve the value of the environment variable, and then use that. But then, you're just using a roundabout method of calling SHGetFolderPath().

[psycho]

Apr 1, 2019 15:59:23 GMT -5 Chris Iverson said:

There's no wildcard to use for that, but we CAN ask Windows to give us the path we want.

The desktop, for example:

CSIDL.DESKTOPDIRECTORY = 16
print GetSpecialFolder$(CSIDL.DESKTOPDIRECTORY)
end


Function GetSpecialFolder$(CSIDL)
   var$ = space$(_MAX_PATH)

   CallDLL #shell32, "SHGetFolderPathA",_
   0 as ulong,_    'HWND, value is reserved
   CSIDL as long,_ 'CSIDL_ value
   0 as ulong,_    'hToken, blank for 'check current token'
   0 as ulong,_    'dwFlags, 0 for 'get current path'(SHGFP_TYPE_CURRENT)
   var$ as ptr,_
   ret as long

   GetSpecialFolder$ = trim$(var$)
End Function

Perfect!!
Thank you Chris!

John

[metro]

Interesting thanks Chris................ I've learnt something today
for a= 1 to 100
print GetSpecialFolder$(a)
next
wait
end


Function GetSpecialFolder$(CSIDL)
   var$ = space$(_MAX_PATH)

   CallDLL #shell32, "SHGetFolderPathA",_
   0 as ulong,_    'HWND, value is reserved
   CSIDL as long,_ 'CSIDL_ value
   0 as ulong,_    'hToken, blank for 'check current token'
   0 as ulong,_    'dwFlags, 0 for 'get current path'(SHGFP_TYPE_CURRENT)
   var$ as ptr,_
   ret as long

   GetSpecialFolder$ = trim$(var$)
End Function





[Chris Iverson]

Yeah, there are tons of different folders that you can ask for.

msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb762494(v=vs.85).aspx

That MSDN page has the names of the different values you can use, as well as descriptions of what those folders usually hold.


github.com/chenall/ALMRun/blob/master/doc/CSIDL.TXT

This is a file that contains a list of the most used constants, as well as their numerical values. You can use this to pull the actual constant you need, like I did with CSIDL.DESKTOPDIRECTORY.