Special Folders Enum

[stanl]

I have a situation where a VPN access has been replaced by VDI. My code would place configurations and other lookups in a C:\temp folder which, of course, persists with VPN but vanishes with VDI.


Investigated if data could be persisted in one of the special folders. WB makes it easy to identify folder paths. for example

Code (WINBATCH) Select Expand



WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
sfolder   = WshShell.SpecialFolders("MyDocuments")
Message("MyDocuments Object",sfolder)
WshShell = 0
Exit



I decided to complicate things by going the CLR route. So I created a map for the special folders enum and coded CLR to at least return a CLR type.

Code (WINBATCH) Select Expand



Special = $"AdminTools=48
ApplicationData=26
CDBurning=59
CommonAdminTools=47
CommonApplicationData=35
CommonDesktopDirectory=25
CommonDocuments=46
CommonMusic=53
CommonOemLinks=58
CommonPictures=54
CommonProgramFiles=43
CommonProgramFilesX86=44
CommonPrograms=23
CommonStartMenu=22
CommonStartup=24
CommonTemplates=45
CommonVideos=55
Cookies=33
Desktop=0
DesktopDirectory=16
Favorites=6
Fonts=20
History=34
InternetCache=32
LocalApplicationData=28
LocalizedResources=57
MyComputer=17
MyDocuments=5
MyMusic=13
MyPictures=39
MyVideos=14
NetworkShortcuts=19
Personal=5
PrinterShortcuts=27
ProgramFiles=38
ProgramFilesX86=42
Programs=2
Recent=8
Resources=56
SendTo=9
StartMenu=11
Startup=7
System=37
SystemX86=41
Templates=21
UserProfile=40
Windows=36$"
Special = StrReplace(Special, @cr, "") ; Remove editor dependence
sFolders = MapCreate(Special, "=", @lf)


key = sFolders["MyDocuments"]
ObjectClrOption("useany", "System")
oENV = ObjectClrNew("System.Environment")
sfolder = ObjectClrType("System.Environment.SpecialFolder", key) 
Message("MyDocuments Object",sfolder)
Exit



There is a GetFolderPath() method in the System.Environment class but I have been unable to get it to return the path string. I think my failures have something to do with the method being a static method, and in spite of some earlier threads where statics were discussed I am still confused. [and embarrassed to show what I tried]

[stanl]

And a minor note:  using the shell scripting COM object is limited to these special folders

• AllUsersDesktop

• AllUsersStartMenu

• AllUsersPrograms

• AllUsersStartup

• Desktop

• Favorites

• Fonts

• MyDocuments

• NetHood

• PrintHood

• Programs

• Recent

• SendTo

• StartMenu

• Startup

• Templates

• 
  
  [/size]So trying most of the enum keys for CLR will fail.

[stanl]

Final note on this: [where USER is actual user]... just to illustrate the difference; had to use PS to iterate CLR enum as still haven't figured out in WB CLR... >:(

Code Select Expand



;using  WScript.Shell
AllUsersDesktop = C:\Users\Public\Desktop
AllUsersStartMenu = C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
AllUsersPrograms = C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
AllUsersStartup = C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp
Desktop = C:\Users\USER\OneDrive\Desktop
Favorites = C:\Users\USER\Favorites
Fonts = C:\Windows\Fonts
MyDocuments = C:\Users\USER\OneDrive\Documents
NetHood = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts
PrintHood = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Printer Shortcuts
Programs = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
Recent = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent
SendTo = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo
StartMenu = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
Startup = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
Templates = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Templates


;using CLR Enum
AdminTools = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools
ApplicationData = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming
CDBurning = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Burn\Burn
CommonAdminTools = C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools
CommonApplicationData = C:\ProgramData
CommonDesktopDirectory = C:\Users\Public\Desktop
CommonDocuments = C:\Users\Public\Documents
CommonMusic = C:\Users\Public\Music
CommonOemLinks =
CommonPictures = C:\Users\Public\Pictures
CommonProgramFiles = C:\Program Files\Common Files
CommonProgramFilesX86 = C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files
CommonPrograms = C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
CommonStartMenu = C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
CommonStartup = C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
CommonTemplates = C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Templates
CommonVideos = C:\Users\Public\Videos
Cookies = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCookies
Desktop = C:\Users\USER\OneDrive\Desktop
DesktopDirectory = C:\Users\USER\OneDrive\Desktop
Favorites = C:\Users\USER\Favorites
Fonts = C:\WINDOWS\Fonts
History = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\History
InternetCache = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache
LocalApplicationData = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Local
LocalizedResources =
MyComputer =
MyDocuments = C:\Users\USER\OneDrive\Documents
MyMusic = C:\Users\USER\Music
MyPictures = C:\Users\USER\OneDrive\Pictures
MyVideos = C:\Users\USER\Videos
NetworkShortcuts = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts
Personal = C:\Users\USER\OneDrive\Documents
PrinterShortcuts = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Printer Shortcuts
ProgramFiles = C:\Program Files
ProgramFilesX86 = C:\Program Files (x86)
Programs = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
Recent = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent
Resources = C:\WINDOWS\resources
SendTo = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo
StartMenu = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
Startup = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
System = C:\WINDOWS\system32
SystemX86 = C:\WINDOWS\SysWOW64
Templates = C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Templates
UserProfile = C:\Users\USER
Windows = C:\WINDOWS


[td]

Unlike almost all Framework enumerations the "System.Environment.SpecialFolder" enumeration does not provide a CLR "Type" object when requested.  WIL CLR hosting needs that type object to find the method being called. I have no idea why that is the case. Until or unless other information ever appears, add it to the list of inconsistencies in MSFT's .Net implementation.

[td]

This doesn't list all the available folders but does provide access to all special folders including those not listed as environment variables.

Code (winbatch) Select Expand

Shell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
; You can also use the Apps special folder`s GUID:
;   shell:::{4234d49b-0245-4df3-b780-3893943456e1}
AppFolder = Shell.NameSpace("shell:Appsfolder")
Apps = AppFolder.Items()
Names = ""
foreach App in Apps
   Names := App.Name:@lf
next
; Check for the Notepad "Windows Store" applications.
if ItemLocate("Notepad",Names, @lf) then HasApp = "True"
else HasApp = "False"

Message("Appliction Folder has Notepad", HasApp)
exit

[stanl]

After all, for the intent, special folder code not needed. Client source will permit folder access that can be mapped/unmapped  rather than using SFTP.