Additional special folders

(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.

 

 

 

 

 

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