CSIDLs
Description & Usage
A CSIDL is a value identifying one of the special folders in the Windows shell. Special folders are folders which the shell uses for special purposes. For example, some special folders are the My Documents folder, the Recycle Bin, and the Internet Cache folder. These special folders can be either a physical path on a disk or a virtual folder. Windows NT, 2000: Many of the CSIDLs refer to folders specific to each user. The CSIDL_COMMON_* ones identify the analogous folders shared among all users.
In some cases, a CSIDL can be combined with one of the following flags:
- CSIDL_FLAG_CREATE
- Windows 2000: If the folder the CSIDL refers to does not exist, create it.
- CSIDL_FLAG_DONT_VERIFY
- Windows 2000: Use the folder the CSIDL refers to even if it does not exist.
Visual Basic-Specific Issues
None.
CSIDLs
- CSIDL_ADMINTOOLS
- Windows 2000: The Administration Tools folder.
- CSIDL_ALTSTARTUP
- The non-localized Startup folder.
- CSIDL_APPDATA
- The Application Data folder (used to store common program data).
- CSIDL_BITBUCKET
- The Recycle Bin on the desktop.
- CSIDL_COMMON_ADMINTOOLS
- Windows 2000: The Administration Tools folder common to all users.
- CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA
- Windows 2000: The Application Data folder (used to store common program data) common to all users.
- CSIDL_COMMON_ALTSTARTUP
- Windos NT, 2000: The non-localized Startup folder common to all users.
- CSIDL_COMMON_DESKTOPDIRECTORY
- Windows NT, 2000: The Desktop directory (used to store file objects on the Windows desktop) common to all users.
- CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS
- Windows NT, 2000: The Documents folder common to all users.
- CSIDL_COMMON_FAVORITES
- Windows NT, 2000: The Favorites folder common to all users.
- CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS
- Windows NT, 2000: The Programs folder under the Start Menu common to all users.
- CSIDL_COMMON_STARTMENU
- Windows NT, 2000: The Start Menu folder common to all users.
- CSIDL_COMMON_STARTUP
- Windows NT, 2000: The Startup folder under Start Menu\Programs common to all users.
- CSIDL_COMMON_TEMPLATES
- Windows NT, 2000: The Templates folder common to all users.
- CSIDL_CONTROLS
- The Control Panel.
- CSIDL_COOKIES
- The folder used for Internet Explorer's cookie list.
- CSIDL_DESKTOP
- The Windows desktop.
- CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORY
- The Desktop directory (used to hold file objects on the Windows desktop).
- CSIDL_DRIVES
- The My Computer folder.
- CSIDL_FAVORITES
- The Favorites folder (used primarily to store Internet Explorer's bookmarks).
- CSIDL_FONTS
- The Fonts directory (used to hold the fonts installed in Windows).
- CSIDL_HISTORY
- The folder used for Internet Explorer's history list.
- CSIDL_INTERNET
- The Internet (refering to the Internet Explorer icon on the desktop).
- CSIDL_INTERNET_CACHE
- The folder used for Internet Explorer's cache.
- CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA
- With Internet Explorer 5.0 or later: Local Application Data folder.
- CSIDL_MYPICTURES
- With Internet Explorer 5.0 or later: The My Pictures folder.
- CSIDL_NETHOOD
- The Nethood directory (used to hold objects appearing in Network Neighborhood).
- CSIDL_NETWORK
- The Network Neighborhood folder.
- CSIDL_PERSONAL
- The My Documents folder.
- CSIDL_PRINTERS
- The Printers folder (under My Computer).
- CSIDL_PRINTHOOD
- The PrintHood directory (used to store printer links).
- CSIDL_PROFILE
- With Internet Explorer 5.0 or later: The user profile folder.
- CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES
- With Internet Explorer 5.0 or later: The Program Files folder.
- CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMON
- Windows NT, 2000: The Common folder under Program Files.
- CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMONX86
- Windows 2000: The x86 Common folder under Program Files for RISC systems.
- CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILESX86
- Windows 2000: The x86 Program Files directory on RISC systems.
- CSIDL_PROGRAMS
- The Programs folder in the Start Menu.
- CSIDL_RECENT
- The Recent folder (used for the Documents list in the Start Menu).
- CSIDL_SENDTO
- The Send To folder (used to store Send To menu items).
- CSIDL_STARTMENU
- The Start Menu.
- CSIDL_STARTUP
- The Startup folder under Start Menu\Programs.
- CSIDL_SYSTEM
- With Internet Explorer 5.0 or later: The Windows System directory.
- CSIDL_SYSTEMX86
- Windows 2000: The x86 system directory on RISC systems.
- CSIDL_TEMPLATES
- The Templates folder (used to store document templates).
- CSIDL_WINDOWS
- With Internet Explorer 5.0 or later: The Windows directory.
Constant Definitions
Const CSIDL_FLAG_CREATE = &H8000
Const CSIDL_FLAG_DONT_VERIFY = &H4000
Const CSIDL_ADMINTOOLS = &H30
Const CSIDL_ALTSTARTUP = &H1D
Const CSIDL_APPDATA = &H1A
Const CSIDL_BITBUCKET = &HA
Const CSIDL_COMMON_ADMINTOOLS = &H2F
Const CSIDL_COMMON_ALTSTARTUP = &H1D
Const CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA = &H23
Const CSIDL_COMMON_DESKTOPDIRECTORY = &H19
Const CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS = &H2E
Const CSIDL_COMMON_FAVORITES = &H1F
Const CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS = &H17
Const CSIDL_COMMON_STARTMENU = &H16
Const CSIDL_COMMON_STARTUP = &H18
Const CSIDL_COMMON_TEMPLATES = &H2D
Const CSIDL_CONTROLS = &H3
Const CSIDL_COOKIES = &H21
Const CSIDL_DESKTOP = &H0
Const CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORY = &H10
Const CSIDL_DRIVES = &H11
Const CSIDL_FAVORITES = &H6
Const CSIDL_FONTS = &H14
Const CSIDL_HISTORY = &H22
Const CSIDL_INTERNET = &H1
Const CSIDL_INTERNET_CACHE = &H20
Const CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA = &H1C
Const CSIDL_MYPICTURES = &H27
Const CSIDL_NETHOOD = &H13
Const CSIDL_NETWORK = &H12
Const CSIDL_PERSONAL = &H5
Const CSIDL_PRINTERS = &H4
Const CSIDL_PRINTHOOD = &H1B
Const CSIDL_PROFILE = &H28
Const CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES = &H26
Const CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMON = &H2B
Const CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMONX86 = &H2C
Const CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILESX86 = &H2A
Const CSIDL_PROGRAMS = &H2
Const CSIDL_RECENT = &H8
Const CSIDL_SENDTO = &H9
Const CSIDL_STARTMENU = &HB
Const CSIDL_STARTUP = &H7
Const CSIDL_SYSTEM = &H25
Const CSIDL_SYSTEMX86 = &H29
Const CSIDL_TEMPLATES = &H15
Const CSIDL_WINDOWS = &H24
Used By
SHGetFolderLocation, SHGetFolderPath, SHGetSpecialFolderLocation, SHGetSpecialFolderPath
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Last Modified: September 27, 1999
This page is copyright © 1999 Paul Kuliniewicz.
Copyright Information Revised October 29, 2000
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