C#: Get path of Start Menu programs (All USERS)

[Ke3pup]

hi guys

does anyone know how can i get the path of the start menu under All Users (X:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs) ?

i tried :

DirectoryInfo di = new DirectoryInfo(System.Environment.G? etFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFo? lder.Programs));

but that only gives the Path for current user. How can i get to the All Users start menu?

[Ianmac45]

...replace the current user with "All Users," perhaps?

[Ke3pup]

i don't get it! Replace what with All users?

[sathenzar]

The word {Username} like from: X:\Documents and Settings\{Username here}\Start Menu\Programs

to replace that {Username here} with the word "All Users".

[jimbo11883]

The built-in .Net methods are underdeveloped, IMO. Use WinAPI.

See here for the function SHGetSpecialFolderPath, and a link to the list of CSIDL's you can use.

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms647816.aspx

Here's the function import and a sample on how to use it:

[DllImport("shell32.dll")]
static extern bool SHGetSpecialFolderPath(IntPtr hwndOwner,
   [Out] StringBuilder lpszPath, int nFolder, bool fCreate);

const int CSIDL_PROGRAMS = 2;  // \Windows\Start Menu\Programs
StringBuilder path = new StringBuilder(260);
SHGetSpecialFolderPath(IntPtr.Zero, path, CSIDL_PROGRAMS, false);
// path.ToString() should now hold the path

Here's the full list of CSIDL's from ShlObj.h

const int CSIDL_DESKTOP 					= 0x0000;		// <desktop>
const int CSIDL_INTERNET					= 0x0001;		// Internet Explorer (icon on desktop)
const int CSIDL_PROGRAMS					  = 0x0002;		// Start Menu\Programs
const int CSIDL_CONTROLS					  = 0x0003;		// My Computer\Control Panel
const int CSIDL_PRINTERS					  = 0x0004;		// My Computer\Printers
const int CSIDL_PERSONAL					  = 0x0005;		// My Documents
const int CSIDL_FAVORITES				 	= 0x0006;		// <user name>\Favorites
const int CSIDL_STARTUP				   	= 0x0007;		// Start Menu\Programs\Startup
const int CSIDL_RECENT					  = 0x0008;		// <user name>\Recent
const int CSIDL_SENDTO					  = 0x0009;		// <user name>\SendTo
const int CSIDL_BITBUCKET				   = 0x000a;		// <desktop>\Recycle Bin
const int CSIDL_STARTMENU				   = 0x000b;		// <user name>\Start Menu
const int CSIDL_MYDOCUMENTS				 = CSIDL_PERSONAL; //  Personal was just a silly name for My Documents
const int CSIDL_MYMUSIC					 = 0x000d;		// "My Music" folder
const int CSIDL_MYVIDEO					 = 0x000e;		// "My Videos" folder
const int CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORY			= 0x0010;		// <user name>\Desktop
const int CSIDL_DRIVES					  = 0x0011;		// My Computer
const int CSIDL_NETWORK					 = 0x0012;		// Network Neighborhood (My Network Places)
const int CSIDL_NETHOOD					 = 0x0013;		// <user name>\nethood
const int CSIDL_FONTS					   = 0x0014;		// windows\fonts
const int CSIDL_TEMPLATES				   = 0x0015;
const int CSIDL_COMMON_STARTMENU			= 0x0016;		// All Users\Start Menu
const int CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS			 = 0x0017;		// All Users\Start Menu\Programs
const int CSIDL_COMMON_STARTUP			  = 0x0018;		// All Users\Startup
const int CSIDL_COMMON_DESKTOPDIRECTORY	 = 0x0019;		// All Users\Desktop
const int CSIDL_APPDATA					 = 0x001a;		// <user name>\Application Data
const int CSIDL_PRINTHOOD				   = 0x001b;		// <user name>\PrintHood
const int CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA			   = 0x001c;		// <user name>\Local Settings\Applicaiton Data (non roaming)
const int CSIDL_ALTSTARTUP				  = 0x001d;		// non localized startup
const int CSIDL_COMMON_ALTSTARTUP		   = 0x001e;		// non localized common startup
const int CSIDL_COMMON_FAVORITES			= 0x001f;
const int CSIDL_INTERNET_CACHE			  = 0x0020;
const int CSIDL_COOKIES					 = 0x0021;
const int CSIDL_HISTORY					 = 0x0022;
const int CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA			  = 0x0023;		// All Users\Application Data
const int CSIDL_WINDOWS					 = 0x0024;		// GetWindowsDirectory()
const int CSIDL_SYSTEM					  = 0x0025;		// GetSystemDirectory()
const int CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES			   = 0x0026;		// C:\Program Files
const int CSIDL_MYPICTURES				  = 0x0027;		// C:\Program Files\My Pictures
const int CSIDL_PROFILE					 = 0x0028;		// USERPROFILE
const int CSIDL_SYSTEMX86				   = 0x0029;		// x86 system directory on RISC
const int CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILESX86			= 0x002a;		// x86 C:\Program Files on RISC
const int CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMON		= 0x002b;		// C:\Program Files\Common
const int CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMONX86	 = 0x002c;		// x86 Program Files\Common on RISC
const int CSIDL_COMMON_TEMPLATES			= 0x002d;		// All Users\Templates
const int CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS			= 0x002e;		// All Users\Documents
const int CSIDL_COMMON_ADMINTOOLS		   = 0x002f;		// All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools
const int CSIDL_ADMINTOOLS				  = 0x0030;		// <user name>\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools
const int CSIDL_CONNECTIONS				 = 0x0031;		// Network and Dial-up Connections
const int CSIDL_COMMON_MUSIC				= 0x0035;		// All Users\My Music
const int CSIDL_COMMON_PICTURES			 = 0x0036;		// All Users\My Pictures
const int CSIDL_COMMON_VIDEO				= 0x0037;		// All Users\My Video
const int CSIDL_RESOURCES				   = 0x0038;		// Resource Direcotry
const int CSIDL_RESOURCES_LOCALIZED		 = 0x0039;		// Localized Resource Direcotry
const int CSIDL_COMMON_OEM_LINKS			= 0x003a;		// Links to All Users OEM specific apps
const int CSIDL_CDBURN_AREA				 = 0x003b;		// USERPROFILE\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\CD Burning
const int CSIDL_COMPUTERSNEARME			 = 0x003d;		// Computers Near Me (computered from Workgroup membership)
const int CSIDL_FLAG_CREATE				 = 0x8000;		// combine with CSIDL_ value to force folder creation in SHGetFolderPath()
const int CSIDL_FLAG_DONT_VERIFY			= 0x4000;		// combine with CSIDL_ value to return an unverified folder path
const int CSIDL_FLAG_DONT_UNEXPAND		  = 0x2000;		// combine with CSIDL_ value to avoid unexpanding environment variables
const int CSIDL_FLAG_NO_ALIAS			   = 0x1000;		// combine with CSIDL_ value to insure non-alias versions of the pidl
const int CSIDL_FLAG_PER_USER_INIT		  = 0x0800;		// combine with CSIDL_ value to indicate per-user init (eg. upgrade)

Note that this was quickly converted from the C++ headers to C#, so there may be simple formatting errors, but all of the data is correct.

Edited August 12, 2007 by jimbo11883

[Doli]

Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("ALLUSERSPROFILE")

return a string "DRIVE:\Documents and Settings\All Users" (from wikipedia), from there you should beable to get to the StartMenu\Programs

It doesnt work for me but im on Vista, all i get is an hidden folder called ProgramData.It might work on XP.

if not then switch "ALLUSERSPROFILE" with "HOMEDRIVE" and you will get just the drive windows is install on example "C:\" from there you can work your way to where you want to go.

Edited August 12, 2007 by Doli

[Tufo]

I know its a late reply, but for ppl that find this post on google (like me) its quite simple to find the start menu folder:

String startMenuPath = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.StartMenu);

[garethevans1986]

Dude this is like 2 years old!

[Tufo]

Dude this is like 2 years old!

yeah i know, but google found it when i was searching for this solution....

the code that i sent are only usable if you're looking for the user folders, if you need the Common folders, read this:

http://www.codeproject.com/KB/winsdk/SpecialFolders.aspx

[Echilon]

I know its a late reply, but for ppl that find this post on google (like me) its quite simple to find the start menu folder:

String startMenuPath = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.StartMenu);

That returns the path for the current user's start menu startup.

Dude this is like 2 years old!

He apologized for the late reply and contributed something, what's the problem?

Thanks Tufo, I'm just working through the same problem. I think Jimbo's method is probably most reliable.

[garethevans1986]

99.9% of thread being replied to after being "dead" for 2+ years are either troll threads or spammers....

Granted, like you said this poster posted something relevant!

GE

[Brian R. Bondy]

This thread may be 3 years old but no one has posted the correct answer yet.

Typically you would use

Environment.GetFolderPath

, but there is no constant defined for it.

Here is the correct solution using a Win32 API:

  class Program
    {
        [DllImport("shell32.dll")]
        static extern bool SHGetSpecialFolderPath(IntPtr hwndOwner,
           [Out] StringBuilder lpszPath, int nFolder, bool fCreate);
        const int CSIDL_COMMON_STARTMENU = 0x16;  // \Windows\Start Menu\Programs

        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            StringBuilder path = new StringBuilder(260);
            SHGetSpecialFolderPath(IntPtr.Zero, path, CSIDL_COMMON_STARTMENU, false);
            string s = path.ToString();
        }
    }

[boogerjones]

but there is no constant defined for it

Sure there is; in .NET 4 :)

Just like with registry access, the .NET implementation of the FolderPath APIs is lacking through version 3.5 SP1. However, starting with .NET 4.0, you can do the following:

Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonStartMenu)

Edit: the CODE tags screw up the character casing a little bit; the "s" should be capitalized

Edit 2: WTF, it's impossible to capitalize all three parts of that word anywhere in a forum post. Weird.

It would be nice if they would consider community contribution to the BCL for simple things like this. It's just an enum value and we shouldn't have to wrap 10 year-old APIs in P/Invoke (CSIDL_COMMON_STARTMENU has been available natively starting with XP). Actually, on closer look, it appears this was even defined in Windows 2000.