GetProcessImageFileNameA function (psapi.h)

Retrieves the name of the executable file for the specified process.

Syntax

DWORD GetProcessImageFileNameA(
  [in]  HANDLE hProcess,
  [out] LPSTR  lpImageFileName,
  [in]  DWORD  nSize
);

Parameters

[in] hProcess

A handle to the process. The handle must have the PROCESS_QUERY_INFORMATION or PROCESS_QUERY_LIMITED_INFORMATION access right. For more information, see Process Security and Access Rights.

Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP:  The handle must have the PROCESS_QUERY_INFORMATION access right.

[out] lpImageFileName

A pointer to a buffer that receives the full path to the executable file.

[in] nSize

The size of the lpImageFileName buffer, in characters.

Return value

If the function succeeds, the return value specifies the length of the string copied to the buffer.

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

Remarks

The file Psapi.dll is installed in the %windir%\System32 directory. If there is another copy of this DLL on your computer, it can lead to the following error when running applications on your system: "The procedure entry point GetProcessImageFileName could not be located in the dynamic link library PSAPI.DLL." To work around this problem, locate any versions that are not in the %windir%\System32 directory and delete or rename them, then restart.

The GetProcessImageFileName function returns the path in device form, rather than drive letters. For example, the file name C:\Windows\System32\Ctype.nls would look as follows in device form:

\Device\Harddisk0\Partition1\Windows\System32\Ctype.nls

To retrieve the module name of the current process, use the GetModuleFileName function with a NULL module handle. This is more efficient than calling the GetProcessImageFileName function with a handle to the current process.

To retrieve the name of the main executable module for a remote process in win32 path format, use the QueryFullProcessImageName function.

Starting with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, Psapi.h establishes version numbers for the PSAPI functions. The PSAPI version number affects the name used to call the function and the library that a program must load.

If PSAPI_VERSION is 2 or greater, this function is defined as K32GetProcessImageFileName in Psapi.h and exported in Kernel32.lib and Kernel32.dll. If PSAPI_VERSION is 1, this function is defined as GetProcessImageFileName in Psapi.h and exported in Psapi.lib and Psapi.dll as a wrapper that calls K32GetProcessImageFileName.

Programs that must run on earlier versions of Windows as well as Windows 7 and later versions should always call this function as GetProcessImageFileName. To ensure correct resolution of symbols, add Psapi.lib to the TARGETLIBS macro and compile the program with -DPSAPI_VERSION=1. To use run-time dynamic linking, load Psapi.dll.

Requirements

See also

PSAPI Functions

Process Information

QueryFullProcessImageName