Retrieves the path of a special folder.

SHSpecialFolder(nFolderID, @cFolder [, bCreateFolder])

Parameters

nFolderId (additive)

A CSIDL that identifies the folder of interest.

One of the following values.
ConstantDescription
CSIDL_ADMINTOOLSThe file system directory that is used to store administrative tools for an individual user. The MMC will save customized consoles to this directory, and it will roam with the user.
CSIDL_ALTSTARTUP The file system directory that corresponds to the user's nonlocalized Startup program group. This value is recognized in Windows Vista for backward compatibility, but the folder itself no longer exists.
CSIDL_APPDATAThe 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_BITBUCKETThe virtual folder that contains the objects in the user's Recycle Bin.
CSIDL_CDBURN_AREAThe file system directory that acts as a staging area for files waiting to be written to a CD. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\CD Burning.
CSIDL_COMMON_ADMINTOOLSThe file system directory that contains administrative tools for all users of the computer.
CSIDL_COMMON_ALTSTARTUPThe file system directory that corresponds to the nonlocalized Startup program group for all users. This value is recognized in Windows Vista for backward compatibility, but the folder itself no longer exists.
CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATAThe file system directory that contains application data for all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data. This folder is used for application data that is not user specific. For example, an application can store a spell-check dictionary, a database of clip art, or a log file in the CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA folder. This information will not roam and is available to anyone using the computer.
CSIDL_COMMON_DESKTOPDIRECTORYThe 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.
CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTSThe file system directory that contains documents that are common to all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents.
CSIDL_COMMON_FAVORITESThe file system directory that serves as a common repository for favorite items common to all users.
CSIDL_COMMON_MUSICThe 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_OEM_LINKSThis value is recognized in Windows Vista for backward compatibility, but the folder itself is no longer used.
CSIDL_COMMON_PICTURESThe 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_PROGRAMSThe 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.
CSIDL_COMMON_STARTMENUThe 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.
CSIDL_COMMON_STARTUPThe 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.
CSIDL_COMMON_TEMPLATESThe file system directory that contains the templates that are available to all users. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Templates.
CSIDL_COMMON_VIDEOThe 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_COMPUTERSNEARMEThe folder that represents other computers in your workgroup.
CSIDL_CONNECTIONSThe virtual folder that represents Network Connections, that contains network and dial-up connections.
CSIDL_CONTROLSThe virtual folder that contains icons for the Control Panel applications.
CSIDL_COOKIESThe file system directory that serves as a common repository for Internet cookies. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Cookies.
CSIDL_DESKTOPThe virtual folder that represents the Windows desktop, the root of the namespace.
CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORYThe 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_DRIVESThe virtual folder that represents My Computer, containing everything on the local computer: storage devices, printers, and Control Panel. The folder can also contain mapped network drives.
CSIDL_FAVORITESThe 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_FONTSA virtual folder that contains fonts. A typical path is C:\Windows\Fonts.
CSIDL_HISTORYThe file system directory that serves as a common repository for Internet history items.
CSIDL_INTERNETA virtual folder for Internet Explorer.
CSIDL_INTERNET_CACHEThe 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_APPDATAThe 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_MYDOCUMENTSThe virtual folder that represents the My Documents desktop item. This value is equivalent to CSIDL_PERSONAL.
CSIDL_MYMUSICThe 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_MYPICTURESThe 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_MYVIDEOThe 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_NETHOODA file system directory that contains 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_NETWORKA virtual folder that represents Network Neighborhood, the root of the network namespace hierarchy.
CSIDL_PERSONALThe virtual folder that represents 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_PRINTERSThe virtual folder that contains installed printers.
CSIDL_PRINTHOODThe 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_PROFILEThe user's profile folder. A typical path is C:\Users\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. However, if you are creating a new Known Folder the profile root referred to by CSIDL_PROFILE is appropriate.
CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILESThe Program Files folder. A typical path is C:\Program Files.
CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMONA folder for components that are shared across applications. A typical path is C:\Program Files\Common. Valid only for Windows XP.
CSIDL_PROGRAMSThe 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_RECENTThe 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_RESOURCESWindows Vista. The file system directory that contains resource data. A typical path is C:\Windows\Resources.
CSIDL_SENDTOThe file system directory that contains Send To menu items. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\SendTo.
CSIDL_STARTMENUThe file system directory that contains Start menu items. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Start Menu.
CSIDL_STARTUPThe file system directory that corresponds to the user's Startup program group. The system starts these programs whenever any user logs on. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.
CSIDL_SYSTEMThe Windows System folder. A typical path is C:\Windows\System32.
CSIDL_TEMPLATESThe file system directory that serves as a common repository for document templates. A typical path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Templates.
CSIDL_WINDOWSThe Windows directory or SYSROOT. This corresponds to the %windir% or %SYSTEMROOT% environment variables. A typical path is C:\Windows.
@cFolder

A variable by reference in which the requested folder path is stored.

bCreateFolder (optional)

default = .F.

Indicates whether the folder should be created if it does not already exist.
If this value is .T., the folder is created.

Return Value

.T. if the operation was successful, .F. otherwise.

See Also

Reference

SHCopyFiles
SHDeleteFiles
SHMoveFiles
SHRenameFiles

Used WinApi functions

SHGetSpecialFolderPath