(this is an english rewrite of the popular german article “Zusätzliche Special Folders”. However it includes some new findings regarding this topic)
The windows installer technology provides the most frequent needed special folder directory properties out of the box.
However sometimes you need to reference a directory which isnt directly supported (yet).
The following VBScript uses the “Shell.Application” object to get the actual path of the requested special folder. (in our example for “CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS”)
Insert this action as ““Call VBScript From Embedded Code” Action directly after “CostInitialize” in both “User Interface” and “Execute Immediate”.
Const CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS = &h2e
Set objShell = CreateObject(“Shell.Application”)
Session.Property(“ONTX_COMMON_DOCUMENTS”) = objShell.Namespace(CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS).Self.Path
Set objShell = nothing
Afterwards, insert the following line into the directory table:
Bear in mind to add all those properties into the “SecureCustomProperties” Property.
You may use then this property as any other known directory property (eg. SystemFolder, ProgramFilesFolder)
By following the link at the end of the article you will get all known CSIDL’s which can be used for this script.
| CSLID | Hex Value | Description |
| CSIDL_ADMINTOOLS | 0x0030 | The file system directory that is used to store administrative tools for an individual user. The Microsoft Management Console (MMC) will save customized consoles to this directory, and it will roam with the user. |
| CSIDL_ALTSTARTUP | 0x001d | 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_APPDATA | 0x001a | The file system directory that serves as a common repository for application-specific data. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsusernameApplication 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_BITBUCKET | 0x000a | The virtual folder that contains the objects in the user’s Recycle Bin. |
| CSIDL_CDBURN_AREA | 0x003b | The 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 SettingsusernameLocal SettingsApplication DataMicrosoftCD Burning. |
| CSIDL_COMMON_ADMINTOOLS | 0x002f | The file system directory that contains administrative tools for all users of the computer. |
| CSIDL_COMMON_ALTSTARTUP | 0x001e | The file system directory that corresponds to the nonlocalized Startup program group for all users. Valid only for Microsoft Windows NT systems. This value is recognized in Windows Vista for backward compatibility, but the folder itself no longer exists. |
| CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA | 0x0023 | The file system directory that contains application data for all users. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication 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_DESKTOPDIRECTORY | 0x0019 | The file system directory that contains files and folders that appear on the desktop for all users. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersDesktop. Valid only for Windows NT systems. |
| CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS | 0x002e | The file system directory that contains documents that are common to all users. A typical paths is C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersDocuments. Valid for Windows NT systems and Windows 95 and Windows 98 systems with Shfolder.dll installed. |
| CSIDL_COMMON_FAVORITES | 0x001f | The file system directory that serves as a common repository for favorite items common to all users. Valid only for Windows NT systems. |
| CSIDL_COMMON_MUSIC | 0x0035 | The file system directory that serves as a repository for music files common to all users. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersDocumentsMy Music. |
| CSIDL_COMMON_OEM_LINKS | 0x003a | This value is recognized in Windows Vista for backward compatibility, but the folder itself is no longer used. |
| CSIDL_COMMON_PICTURES | 0x0036 | The file system directory that serves as a repository for image files common to all users. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersDocumentsMy Pictures. |
| CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS | 0x0017 | The 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 SettingsAll UsersStart MenuPrograms. Valid only for Windows NT systems. |
| CSIDL_COMMON_STARTMENU | 0x0016 | The 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 SettingsAll UsersStart Menu. Valid only for Windows NT systems. |
| CSIDL_COMMON_STARTUP | 0x0018 | The file system directory that contains the programs that appear in the Startup folder for all users. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersStart MenuProgramsStartup. Valid only for Windows NT systems. |
| CSIDL_COMMON_TEMPLATES | 0x002d | The file system directory that contains the templates that are available to all users. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersTemplates. Valid only for Windows NT systems. |
| CSIDL_COMMON_VIDEO | 0x0037 | The file system directory that serves as a repository for video files common to all users. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersDocumentsMy Videos. |
| CSIDL_COMPUTERSNEARME | 0x003d | The folder that represents other computers in your workgroup. |
| CSIDL_CONNECTIONS | 0x0031 | The virtual folder that represents Network Connections, that contains network and dial-up connections. |
| CSIDL_CONTROLS | 0x0003 | The virtual folder that contains icons for the Control Panel applications. |
| CSIDL_COOKIES | 0x0021 | The file system directory that serves as a common repository for Internet cookies. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsusernameCookies. |
| CSIDL_DESKTOP | 0x0000 | The virtual folder that represents the Windows desktop, the root of the namespace. |
| CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORY | 0x0010 | The 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 SettingsusernameDesktop. |
| CSIDL_DRIVES | 0x0011 | The 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_FAVORITES | 0x0006 | The file system directory that serves as a common repository for the user’s favorite items. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsusernameFavorites. |
| CSIDL_FONTS | 0x0014 | A virtual folder that contains fonts. A typical path is C:WindowsFonts. |
| CSIDL_HISTORY | 0x0022 | The file system directory that serves as a common repository for Internet history items. |
| CSIDL_INTERNET | 0x0001 | A virtual folder for Internet Explorer. |
| CSIDL_INTERNET_CACHE | 0x0020 | The file system directory that serves as a common repository for temporary Internet files. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsusernameLocal SettingsTemporary Internet Files. |
| CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA | 0x001c | The file system directory that serves as a data repository for local (nonroaming) applications. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsusernameLocal SettingsApplication Data. |
| CSIDL_MYDOCUMENTS | Use CSIDL_PERSONAL | The virtual folder that represents the My Documents desktop item. This value is equivalent to CSIDL_PERSONAL. |
| CSIDL_MYMUSIC | 0x000d | The file system directory that serves as a common repository for music files. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsUserMy DocumentsMy Music. |
| CSIDL_MYPICTURES | 0x0027 | The file system directory that serves as a common repository for image files. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsusernameMy DocumentsMy Pictures. |
| CSIDL_MYVIDEO | 0x000e | The file system directory that serves as a common repository for video files. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsusernameMy DocumentsMy Videos. |
| CSIDL_NETHOOD | 0x0013 | A 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 SettingsusernameNetHood. |
| CSIDL_NETWORK | 0x0012 | A virtual folder that represents Network Neighborhood, the root of the network namespace hierarchy. |
| CSIDL_PERSONAL | 0x0005 | The virtual folder that represents the My Documents desktop item. This is equivalent to CSIDL_MYDOCUMENTS. |
| CSIDL_PRINTERS | 0x0004 | The virtual folder that contains installed printers. |
| CSIDL_PRINTHOOD | 0x001b | The file system directory that contains the link objects that can exist in the Printers virtual folder. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsusernamePrintHood. |
| CSIDL_PROFILE | 0x0028 | The user’s profile folder. A typical path is C:Usersusername. 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 refered to by CSIDL_PROFILE is appropriate. |
| CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES | 0x0026 | The Program Files folder. A typical path is C:Program Files. |
| CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMON | 0x002b | A folder for components that are shared across applications. A typical path is C:Program FilesCommon. Valid only for Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP systems. Not valid for Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me). |
| CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMONX86 | 0x002c | |
| CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILESX86 | 0x002a | |
| CSIDL_PROGRAMS | 0x0002 | The file system directory that contains the user’s program groups (which are themselves file system directories). A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsusernameStart MenuPrograms. |
| CSIDL_RECENT | 0x0008 | The file system directory that contains shortcuts to the user’s most recently used documents. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsusernameMy 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_RESOURCES | 0x0038 | Windows Vista. The file system directory that contains resource data. A typical path is C:WindowsResources. |
| CSIDL_RESOURCES_LOCALIZED | 0x0039 | |
| CSIDL_SENDTO | 0x0009 | The file system directory that contains Send To menu items. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsusernameSendTo. |
| CSIDL_STARTMENU | 0x000b | The file system directory that contains Start menu items. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsusernameStart Menu. |
| CSIDL_STARTUP | 0x0007 | The file system directory that corresponds to the user’s Startup program group. The system starts these programs whenever any user logs onto Windows NT or starts Windows 95. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsusernameStart MenuProgramsStartup. |
| CSIDL_SYSTEM | 0x0025 | The Windows System folder. A typical path is C:WindowsSystem32. |
| CSIDL_SYSTEMX86 | 0x0029 | |
| CSIDL_TEMPLATES | 0x0015 | The file system directory that serves as a common repository for document templates. A typical path is C:Documents and SettingsusernameTemplates. |
| CSIDL_WINDOWS | 0x0024 | The Windows directory or SYSROOT. This corresponds to the %windir% or %SYSTEMROOT% environment variables. A typical path is C:Windows. |
