Delphi – Accessing LocalApplicationData Equivalent in Delphi

delphienvironment-variables

Using Delphi, how do I access the equivalent of .NET's System.Environment.SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData variable (which works on any version of Windows)? I assumed I could just do:

dir := GetEnvironmentVariable('LOCALAPPDATA');

This works on Vista but XP doesn't seem to set that environment variable by default at least on my test machine.

Best Solution

In Delphi, the special system folder path constants are defined in ShlObj.DCU, and are referenced in the form of CSIDL_ followed by a symbolic name. Example:

  • CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORY returns the path to the current desktop
  • CSIDL_PERSONAL is the My Documents directory
  • CSIDL___LOCAL_APPDATA is the (user name)\Local Settings\Application Data directory

Here's a quick function that will return the appropriate special folder path when given the symbolic name. Make sure you include the SHLOBJ.DCU unit in your USES statement, and use the following:

function GetSpecialFolderPath(Folder: Integer; CanCreate: Boolean): string;

// Gets path of special system folders
//
// Call this routine as follows:
// GetSpecialFolderPath (CSIDL_PERSONAL, false)
//        returns folder as result
//
var
   FilePath: array [0..255] of char;

begin
 SHGetSpecialFolderPath(0, @FilePath[0], FOLDER, CanCreate);
 Result := FilePath;
end;

================================================================

For reference, the constants are as follows:

  CSIDL_DESKTOP                       = $0000; { <desktop> }
  CSIDL_INTERNET                      = $0001; { Internet Explorer (icon on desktop) }
  CSIDL_PROGRAMS                      = $0002; { Start Menu\Programs }
  CSIDL_CONTROLS                      = $0003; { My Computer\Control Panel }
  CSIDL_PRINTERS                      = $0004; { My Computer\Printers }
  CSIDL_PERSONAL                      = $0005; { My Documents.  This is equivalent to CSIDL_MYDOCUMENTS in XP and above }
  CSIDL_FAVORITES                     = $0006; { <user name>\Favorites }
  CSIDL_STARTUP                       = $0007; { Start Menu\Programs\Startup }
  CSIDL_RECENT                        = $0008; { <user name>\Recent }
  CSIDL_SENDTO                        = $0009; { <user name>\SendTo }
  CSIDL_BITBUCKET                     = $000a; { <desktop>\Recycle Bin }
  CSIDL_STARTMENU                     = $000b; { <user name>\Start Menu }
  CSIDL_MYDOCUMENTS                   = $000c; { logical "My Documents" desktop icon }
  CSIDL_MYMUSIC                       = $000d; { "My Music" folder }
  CSIDL_MYVIDEO                       = $000e; { "My Video" folder }
  CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORY              = $0010; { <user name>\Desktop }
  CSIDL_DRIVES                        = $0011; { My Computer }
  CSIDL_NETWORK                       = $0012; { Network Neighborhood (My Network Places) }
  CSIDL_NETHOOD                       = $0013; { <user name>\nethood }
  CSIDL_FONTS                         = $0014; { windows\fonts }
  CSIDL_TEMPLATES                     = $0015;
  CSIDL_COMMON_STARTMENU              = $0016; { All Users\Start Menu }
  CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS               = $0017; { All Users\Start Menu\Programs }
  CSIDL_COMMON_STARTUP                = $0018; { All Users\Startup }
  CSIDL_COMMON_DESKTOPDIRECTORY       = $0019; { All Users\Desktop }
  CSIDL_APPDATA                       = $001a; { <user name>\Application Data }
  CSIDL_PRINTHOOD                     = $001b; { <user name>\PrintHood }
  CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA                 = $001c; { <user name>\Local Settings\Application Data (non roaming) }
  CSIDL_ALTSTARTUP                    = $001d; { non localized startup }
  CSIDL_COMMON_ALTSTARTUP             = $001e; { non localized common startup }
  CSIDL_COMMON_FAVORITES              = $001f;
  CSIDL_INTERNET_CACHE                = $0020;
  CSIDL_COOKIES                       = $0021;
  CSIDL_HISTORY                       = $0022;
  CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA                = $0023; { All Users\Application Data }
  CSIDL_WINDOWS                       = $0024; { GetWindowsDirectory() }
  CSIDL_SYSTEM                        = $0025; { GetSystemDirectory() }
  CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES                 = $0026; { C:\Program Files }
  CSIDL_MYPICTURES                    = $0027; { C:\Program Files\My Pictures }
  CSIDL_PROFILE                       = $0028; { USERPROFILE }
  CSIDL_SYSTEMX86                     = $0029; { x86 system directory on RISC }
  CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILESX86              = $002a; { x86 C:\Program Files on RISC }
  CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMON          = $002b; { C:\Program Files\Common }
  CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMONX86       = $002c; { x86 C:\Program Files\Common on RISC }
  CSIDL_COMMON_TEMPLATES              = $002d; { All Users\Templates }
  CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS              = $002e; { All Users\Documents }
  CSIDL_COMMON_ADMINTOOLS             = $002f; { All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools }
  CSIDL_ADMINTOOLS                    = $0030; { <user name>\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools }
  CSIDL_CONNECTIONS                   = $0031; { Network and Dial-up Connections }
  CSIDL_COMMON_MUSIC                  = $0035; { All Users\My Music }
  CSIDL_COMMON_PICTURES               = $0036; { All Users\My Pictures }
  CSIDL_COMMON_VIDEO                  = $0037; { All Users\My Video }
  CSIDL_RESOURCES                     = $0038; { Resource Directory }
  CSIDL_RESOURCES_LOCALIZED           = $0039; { Localized Resource Directory }
  CSIDL_COMMON_OEM_LINKS              = $003a; { Links to All Users OEM specific apps }
  CSIDL_CDBURN_AREA                   = $003b; { USERPROFILE\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\CD Burning }
  CSIDL_COMPUTERSNEARME               = $003d; { Computers Near Me (computered from Workgroup membership) }
  CSIDL_PROFILES                      = $003e;
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