Click to Rate and Give Feedback
MSDN
MSDN Library
.NET Development
.NET Framework 3.5
System Namespace
 Environment.SpecialFolder Enumerati...

  Switch on low bandwidth view
This page is specific to
Microsoft Visual Studio 2008/.NET Framework 3.5

Other versions are also available for the following:
.NET Framework Class Library
Environment..::.SpecialFolder Enumeration

Specifies enumerated constants used to retrieve directory paths to system special folders.

Namespace:  System
Assembly:  mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
Visual Basic (Declaration)
<ComVisibleAttribute(True)> _
Public Enumeration SpecialFolder
Visual Basic (Usage)
Dim instance As Environment.SpecialFolder
C#
[ComVisibleAttribute(true)]
public enum SpecialFolder
Visual C++
[ComVisibleAttribute(true)]
public enum class SpecialFolder
JScript
public enum SpecialFolder
Member nameDescription
Supported by the .NET Compact FrameworkSupported by the XNA FrameworkApplicationData The directory that serves as a common repository for application-specific data for the current roaming user.

A roaming user works on more than one computer on a network. A roaming user's profile is kept on a server on the network and is loaded onto a system when the user logs on.

CommonApplicationData The directory that serves as a common repository for application-specific data that is used by all users.
LocalApplicationData The directory that serves as a common repository for application-specific data that is used by the current, non-roaming user.
Cookies The directory that serves as a common repository for Internet cookies.
Desktop The logical Desktop rather than the physical file system location.
Supported by the .NET Compact FrameworkSupported by the XNA FrameworkFavorites The directory that serves as a common repository for the user's favorite items.
History The directory that serves as a common repository for Internet history items.
InternetCache The directory that serves as a common repository for temporary Internet files.
Supported by the .NET Compact FrameworkSupported by the XNA FrameworkPrograms The directory that contains the user's program groups.
MyComputer The "My Computer" folder.
NoteNote:
The MyComputer constant always yields the empty string ("") because no path is defined for the My Computer folder.
MyMusic The "My Music" folder.
MyPictures The "My Pictures" folder.
Recent The directory that contains the user's most recently used documents.
SendTo The directory that contains the Send To menu items.
Supported by the .NET Compact FrameworkSupported by the XNA FrameworkStartMenu The directory that contains the Start menu items.
Supported by the .NET Compact FrameworkSupported by the XNA FrameworkStartup The directory that corresponds to the user's Startup program group.

The system starts these programs whenever a user logs on or starts Windows NT or later, or starts Windows 98.

System The System directory.
Templates The directory that serves as a common repository for document templates.
DesktopDirectory The directory used to physically store file objects on the desktop.

Do not confuse this directory with the desktop folder itself, which is a virtual folder.

Supported by the .NET Compact FrameworkSupported by the XNA FrameworkPersonal The directory that serves as a common repository for documents.

This member is equivalent to MyDocuments.

MyDocuments The "My Documents" folder.

This member is equivalent to Personal.

ProgramFiles The program files directory.
CommonProgramFiles The directory for components that are shared across applications.

The system special folders are folders such as Program Files, Programs, System, or Startup, which contain common information. Special folders are set by default by the system, or explicitly by the user, when installing a version of Windows.

The GetFolderPath method returns the locations associated with this enumeration. The locations of these folders can have different values on different operating systems, the user can change some of the locations, and the locations are localized.

For more information about special folders, see the CSIDL values topic.

Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP Starter Edition, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2000 SP4, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98, Windows CE, Windows Mobile for Smartphone, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC, Xbox 360

The .NET Framework and .NET Compact Framework do not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.

.NET Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, 1.0

.NET Compact Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 2.0

XNA Framework

Supported in: 2.0, 1.0

Reference

Tags What's this?: Add a tag
Community Content   What is Community Content?
Add new content RSS  Annotations
Unsupported folders      Jason Stangroome   |   Edit   |   Show History
This doesn't currently support querying for the SysWOW64 folder via CSIDL_SYSTEMx86 (0x29) or even FOLDERID_SystemX86 via the SHGetKnownFolderPath API in Vista. There are other special folders that aren't supported either, it will be interesting to see if this Enum gets extended or a new .NET wrapper altogether is provided.
Tags What's this?: Add a tag
Flag as ContentBug
Processing
© 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use  |  Trademarks  |  Privacy Statement
Page view tracker