Browsing through Windows folders

The two key functions to browse through those virtual Windows folders are

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation();

and

SHGetPathFromIDList()

They can be used as shown in the sample code. You may replace the CSIDL_PROGRAMS constant with another one from the list in the comment below.

uses ShlObj,ActiveX;

procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);

var

BI: TBrowseInfo;

Buf: PChar;

Dir,

Root: PItemIDList;

Alloc: IMalloc;

begin

SHGetMalloc(Alloc);

Buf := Alloc.Alloc(Max_Path);

// CSIDL_BITBUCKET RecycleBin

// CSIDL_CONTROLS ControlPanel

// CSIDL_DESKTOP Desktop

// CSIDL_DRIVES My Computer

// CSIDL_FONTS Fonts

// CSIDL_NETHOOD Network Neighborhood

// CSIDL_NETWORK The virtual version of the above

// CSIDL_PERSONAL 'Personal'

// CSIDL_PRINTERS printers

// CSIDL_PROGRAMS Programs in the Start Menu

// CSIDL_RECENT Recent Documents

// CSIDL_SENDTO Folder SendTo

// CSIDL_STARTMENU The whole Start menu

// CSIDL_STARTUP The Autostart Group

// CSIDL_TEMPLATES Document templates

// use of the constants above

SHGetSpecialFolderLocation(Handle, CSIDL_PROGRAMS, Root);

with BI do

begin

hwndOwner := Form1.Handle;

// NIL means show all

pidlRoot := Root;

pszDisplayName := Buf;

lpszTitle := 'Choose Folder';

ulFlags := 0;

lpfn := nil;

end;

try

Dir := SHBrowseForFolder(BI);

if Dir<>nil then

begin

SHGetPathFromIDList(Dir, Buf);

ShowMessage(Buf);

Alloc.Free(Dir);

end;

finally

Alloc.Free(Root);

Alloc.Free(Buf);

end;

end;