Environment.SpecialFolder Enum
Definition
Important
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Specifies enumerated constants used to retrieve directory paths to system special folders.
public: enum class Environment::SpecialFolder
public enum Environment.SpecialFolder
[System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComVisible(true)]
public enum Environment.SpecialFolder
type Environment.SpecialFolder =
[<System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComVisible(true)>]
type Environment.SpecialFolder =
Public Enum Environment.SpecialFolder
- Inheritance
- Attributes
Fields
AdminTools | 48 | 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. |
ApplicationData | 26 | The directory that serves as a common repository for application-specific data for the current roaming user. A roaming user works on more than one computer on a network. A roaming user's profile is kept on a server on the network and is loaded onto a system when the user logs on. |
CDBurning | 59 | The file system directory that acts as a staging area for files waiting to be written to a CD. |
CommonAdminTools | 47 | The file system directory that contains administrative tools for all users of the computer. |
CommonApplicationData | 35 | The directory that serves as a common repository for application-specific data that is used by all users. |
CommonDesktopDirectory | 25 | The file system directory that contains files and folders that appear on the desktop for all users. |
CommonDocuments | 46 | The file system directory that contains documents that are common to all users. |
CommonMusic | 53 | The file system directory that serves as a repository for music files common to all users. |
CommonOemLinks | 58 | This value is recognized in Windows Vista for backward compatibility, but the special folder itself is no longer used. |
CommonPictures | 54 | The file system directory that serves as a repository for image files common to all users. |
CommonProgramFiles | 43 | The directory for components that are shared across applications. To get the x86 common program files directory in a non-x86 process, use the ProgramFilesX86 member. |
CommonProgramFilesX86 | 44 | The Program Files folder. |
CommonPrograms | 23 | A folder for components that are shared across applications. |
CommonStartMenu | 22 | The file system directory that contains the programs and folders that appear on the Start menu for all users. |
CommonStartup | 24 | The file system directory that contains the programs that appear in the Startup folder for all users. |
CommonTemplates | 45 | The file system directory that contains the templates that are available to all users. |
CommonVideos | 55 | The file system directory that serves as a repository for video files common to all users. |
Cookies | 33 | The directory that serves as a common repository for Internet cookies. |
Desktop | 0 | The logical Desktop rather than the physical file system location. |
DesktopDirectory | 16 | The directory used to physically store file objects on the desktop. Do not confuse this directory with the desktop folder itself, which is a virtual folder. |
Favorites | 6 | The directory that serves as a common repository for the user's favorite items. |
Fonts | 20 | A virtual folder that contains fonts. |
History | 34 | The directory that serves as a common repository for Internet history items. |
InternetCache | 32 | The directory that serves as a common repository for temporary Internet files. |
LocalApplicationData | 28 | The directory that serves as a common repository for application-specific data that is used by the current, non-roaming user. |
LocalizedResources | 57 | The file system directory that contains localized resource data. |
MyComputer | 17 | The My Computer folder. When passed to the |
MyDocuments | 5 | The My Documents folder. This member is equivalent to Personal. |
MyMusic | 13 | The My Music folder. |
MyPictures | 39 | The My Pictures folder. |
MyVideos | 14 | The file system directory that serves as a repository for videos that belong to a user. |
NetworkShortcuts | 19 | A file system directory that contains the link objects that may exist in the My Network Places virtual folder. |
Personal | 5 | The directory that serves as a common repository for documents. This member is equivalent to MyDocuments. |
PrinterShortcuts | 27 | The file system directory that contains the link objects that can exist in the Printers virtual folder. |
ProgramFiles | 38 | The program files directory. In a non-x86 process, passing ProgramFiles to the GetFolderPath(Environment+SpecialFolder) method returns the path for non-x86 programs. To get the x86 program files directory in a non-x86 process, use the ProgramFilesX86 member. |
ProgramFilesX86 | 42 | The x86 Program Files folder. |
Programs | 2 | The directory that contains the user's program groups. |
Recent | 8 | The directory that contains the user's most recently used documents. |
Resources | 56 | The file system directory that contains resource data. |
SendTo | 9 | The directory that contains the Send To menu items. |
StartMenu | 11 | The directory that contains the Start menu items. |
Startup | 7 | The directory that corresponds to the user's Startup program group. The system starts these programs whenever a user logs on or starts Windows. |
System | 37 | The System directory. |
SystemX86 | 41 | The Windows System folder. |
Templates | 21 | The directory that serves as a common repository for document templates. |
UserProfile | 40 | The user's profile folder. Applications should not create files or folders at this level; they should put their data under the locations referred to by ApplicationData. |
Windows | 36 | The Windows directory or SYSROOT. This corresponds to the %windir% or %SYSTEMROOT% environment variables. |
Examples
The following example shows how to use Environment.SpecialFolder with the Environment.GetFolderPath method to get the System directory.
// Sample for the Environment::GetFolderPath method
using namespace System;
int main()
{
Console::WriteLine();
Console::WriteLine( "GetFolderPath: {0}", Environment::GetFolderPath( Environment::SpecialFolder::System ) );
}
/*
This example produces the following results:
GetFolderPath: C:\WINNT\System32
*/
// Sample for the Environment.GetFolderPath method
using System;
class Sample
{
public static void Main()
{
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine("GetFolderPath: {0}",
Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.System));
}
}
/*
This example produces the following results:
GetFolderPath: C:\WINNT\System32
*/
// Sample for the Environment.GetFolderPath method
open System
printfn $"\nGetFolderPath: {Environment.GetFolderPath Environment.SpecialFolder.System}"
// This example produces the following results:
// GetFolderPath: C:\WINNT\System32
' Sample for the Environment.GetFolderPath method
Class Sample
Public Shared Sub Main()
Console.WriteLine()
Console.WriteLine("GetFolderPath: {0}", Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.System))
End Sub
End Class
'
'This example produces the following results:
'
'GetFolderPath: C:\WINNT\System32
'
Remarks
The system special folders are folders such as Program Files, Programs, System, or Startup, which contain common information. Special folders are set by default by the system, or explicitly by the user, when installing a version of Windows.
The Environment.GetFolderPath method returns the locations associated with this enumeration. The locations of these folders can have different values on different operating systems, the user can change some of the locations, and the locations are localized.
For more information about special folders, see the KNOWNFOLDERID constants in the Windows documentation.