Determines whether a file is an executable (.exe) file, and if so, which subsystem runs the executable file.

Syntax

BOOL WINAPI GetBinaryType(
  __in   LPCTSTR lpApplicationName,
  __out  LPDWORD lpBinaryType
);

Parameters

lpApplicationName [in]

The full path of the file whose executable type is to be determined.

In the ANSI version of this function, the name is limited to MAX_PATH characters. To extend this limit to 32,767 wide characters, call the Unicode version of the function and prepend "\\?\" to the path. For more information, see Naming a File.

lpBinaryType [out]

A pointer to a variable to receive information about the executable type of the file specified by lpApplicationName. The following constants are defined.

Value	Meaning
SCS_32BIT_BINARY 0	A 32-bit Windows-based application
SCS_64BIT_BINARY 6	A 64-bit Windows-based application.
SCS_DOS_BINARY 1	An MS-DOS – based application
SCS_OS216_BINARY 5	A 16-bit OS/2-based application
SCS_PIF_BINARY 3	A PIF file that executes an MS-DOS – based application
SCS_POSIX_BINARY 4	A POSIX – based application
SCS_WOW_BINARY 2	A 16-bit Windows-based application

 

Return value

If the file is executable, the return value is nonzero. The function sets the variable pointed to by lpBinaryType to indicate the file's executable type.

If the file is not executable, or if the function fails, the return value is zero. To get extended error information, call GetLastError. If the file is a DLL, the last error code is ERROR_BAD_EXE_FORMAT.

Remarks

As an alternative, you can obtain the same information by calling the SHGetFileInfo function, passing the SHGFI_EXETYPE flag in the uFlags parameter.

Symbolic link behavior—If the path points to a symbolic link, the target file is used.

Requirements

See also

File Management Functions

SHGetFileInfo

Symbolic Links

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Build date: 9/10/2011