Information from Registry

[Laurie Comerford]

Hi,

I'm wanting to get the All Users and Currently logged in User's
Application Data Path.

In Windows XP I've found them in the registry at:

"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders\CommonAppData"

and

"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders\AppData"

Is this registry location a reliable source of the folder locations?

Does the same registry reading exist in Vista to return the matching
Application Data folders for Vista?


Regards


Laurie Comerford

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

In the case of XP, AFAIK those are precisely the Keys you should be
referring to.. And in Vista's HKLM version, as well. But not Vista's HKCU.
That one has this notation:

"!Do not use this registry key"="Use the SHGetFolderPath or
SHGetKnownFolderPath function instead"

Here's the contents of each Vista Key:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders]
"!Do not use this registry key"="Use the SHGetFolderPath or
SHGetKnownFolderPath function instead"
"Local AppData"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\AppData\\Local"
"My Video"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\Videos"
"AppData"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\AppData\\Roaming"
"My Pictures"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\Pictures"
"Desktop"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\Desktop"
"History"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\Windows\\History"
"NetHood"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\AppData\\Roaming\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Network
Shortcuts"
"Cookies"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\AppData\\Roaming\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Cookies"
"Favorites"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\Favorites"
"SendTo"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\AppData\\Roaming\\Microsoft\\Windows\\SendTo"
"Start Menu"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\AppData\\Roaming\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start
Menu"
"My Music"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\Music"
"Programs"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\AppData\\Roaming\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start
Menu\\Programs"
"Recent"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\AppData\\Roaming\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Recent"
"CD
Burning"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Burn\\Burn"
"PrintHood"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\AppData\\Roaming\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Printer
Shortcuts"
"Startup"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\AppData\\Roaming\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start
Menu\\Programs\\Startup"
"Administrative
Tools"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\AppData\\Roaming\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start
Menu\\Programs\\Administrative Tools"
"Personal"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\Documents"
"Cache"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Temporary
Internet Files"
"Templates"="C:\\Users\\Gryst\\AppData\\Roaming\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Templates"
"Fonts"="C:\\Windows\\Fonts"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Shell
Folders]
"Common Start Menu"="C:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu"
"CommonVideo"="H:\\Users\\Public\\Videos"
"CommonPictures"="H:\\Users\\Public\\Pictures"
"Common Programs"="C:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start
Menu\\Programs"
"CommonMusic"="H:\\Users\\Public\\Music"
"Common Administrative Tools"="C:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start
Menu\\Programs\\Administrative Tools"
"Common Startup"="C:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start
Menu\\Programs\\Startup"
"Common Desktop"="H:\\Users\\Public\\Desktop"
"Common Documents"="H:\\Users\\Public\\Documents"
"OEM Links"="C:\\ProgramData\\OEM Links"
"Common Templates"="C:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Templates"
"Common AppData"="C:\\ProgramData"