GetModuleFileName Function (Windows)

GetModuleFileName Function

GetModuleFileName Function

Retrieves the fully-qualified path for the file that contains the specified module. The module must have been loaded by the current process.

To locate the file for a module that was loaded by another process, use the GetModuleFileNameEx function.

Syntax

C++

DWORD WINAPI GetModuleFileName(
  __in_opt  HMODULE hModule,
  __out     LPTSTR lpFilename,
  __in      DWORD nSize
);

Parameters

hModule [in, optional]

A handle to the loaded module whose path is being requested. If this parameter is NULL, GetModuleFileName retrieves the path of the executable file of the current process.

The GetModuleFileName function does not retrieve the path for modules that were loaded using the LOAD_LIBRARY_AS_DATAFILE flag. For more information, see LoadLibraryEx.

lpFilename [out]

A pointer to a buffer that receives the fully-qualified path of the module. If the length of the path is less than the size that the nSize parameter specifies, the function succeeds and the path is returned as a null-terminated string.

If the length of the path exceeds the size that the nSize parameter specifies, the function succeeds and the string is truncated to nSize characters including the terminating null character.

Windows XP/2000: The string is truncated to nSize characters and is not null terminated.

The string returned will use the same format that was specified when the module was loaded. Therefore, the path can be a long or short file name, and can use the prefix "\\?\". For more information, see Naming a File.

nSize [in]

The size of the lpFilename buffer, in TCHARs.

Return Value

If the function succeeds, the return value is the length of the string that is copied to the buffer, in characters, not including the terminating null character. If the buffer is too small to hold the module name, the string is truncated to nSize characters including the terminating null character, the function returns nSize, and the function sets the last error to ERROR_INSUFFICIENT_BUFFER.

Windows XP/2000: If the buffer is too small to hold the module name, the function returns nSize. The last error code remains ERROR_SUCCESS. If nSize is zero, the return value is zero and the last error code is ERROR_SUCCESS.

If the function fails, the return value is 0 (zero). To get extended error information, call GetLastError.

Remarks

If a DLL is loaded in two processes, its file name in one process may differ in case from its file name in the other process.

The global variable _pgmptr is automatically initialized to the full path of the executable file, and can be used to retrieve the full path name of an executable file.

Examples

For an example, see Installing a Service.

Requirements