How to resolve a .lnk in c#

Solution 1:

I wrote this for video browser, it works really well

#region Signitures imported from http://pinvoke.net

[DllImport("shfolder.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto)]
internal static extern int SHGetFolderPath(IntPtr hwndOwner, int nFolder, IntPtr hToken, int dwFlags, StringBuilder lpszPath);

[Flags()]
enum SLGP_FLAGS
{
    /// <summary>Retrieves the standard short (8.3 format) file name</summary>
    SLGP_SHORTPATH = 0x1,
    /// <summary>Retrieves the Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path name of the file</summary>
    SLGP_UNCPRIORITY = 0x2,
    /// <summary>Retrieves the raw path name. A raw path is something that might not exist and may include environment variables that need to be expanded</summary>
    SLGP_RAWPATH = 0x4
}

[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, CharSet = CharSet.Auto)]
struct WIN32_FIND_DATAW
{
    public uint dwFileAttributes;
    public long ftCreationTime;
    public long ftLastAccessTime;
    public long ftLastWriteTime;
    public uint nFileSizeHigh;
    public uint nFileSizeLow;
    public uint dwReserved0;
    public uint dwReserved1;
    [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValTStr, SizeConst = 260)]
    public string cFileName;
    [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValTStr, SizeConst = 14)]
    public string cAlternateFileName;
}

[Flags()]
enum SLR_FLAGS
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Do not display a dialog box if the link cannot be resolved. When SLR_NO_UI is set,
    /// the high-order word of fFlags can be set to a time-out value that specifies the
    /// maximum amount of time to be spent resolving the link. The function returns if the
    /// link cannot be resolved within the time-out duration. If the high-order word is set
    /// to zero, the time-out duration will be set to the default value of 3,000 milliseconds
    /// (3 seconds). To specify a value, set the high word of fFlags to the desired time-out
    /// duration, in milliseconds.
    /// </summary>
    SLR_NO_UI = 0x1,
    /// <summary>Obsolete and no longer used</summary>
    SLR_ANY_MATCH = 0x2,
    /// <summary>If the link object has changed, update its path and list of identifiers.
    /// If SLR_UPDATE is set, you do not need to call IPersistFile::IsDirty to determine
    /// whether or not the link object has changed.</summary>
    SLR_UPDATE = 0x4,
    /// <summary>Do not update the link information</summary>
    SLR_NOUPDATE = 0x8,
    /// <summary>Do not execute the search heuristics</summary>
    SLR_NOSEARCH = 0x10,
    /// <summary>Do not use distributed link tracking</summary>
    SLR_NOTRACK = 0x20,
    /// <summary>Disable distributed link tracking. By default, distributed link tracking tracks
    /// removable media across multiple devices based on the volume name. It also uses the
    /// Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path to track remote file systems whose drive letter
    /// has changed. Setting SLR_NOLINKINFO disables both types of tracking.</summary>
    SLR_NOLINKINFO = 0x40,
    /// <summary>Call the Microsoft Windows Installer</summary>
    SLR_INVOKE_MSI = 0x80
}


/// <summary>The IShellLink interface allows Shell links to be created, modified, and resolved</summary>
[ComImport(), InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown), Guid("000214F9-0000-0000-C000-000000000046")]
interface IShellLinkW
{
    /// <summary>Retrieves the path and file name of a Shell link object</summary>
    void GetPath([Out(), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] StringBuilder pszFile, int cchMaxPath, out WIN32_FIND_DATAW pfd, SLGP_FLAGS fFlags);
    /// <summary>Retrieves the list of item identifiers for a Shell link object</summary>
    void GetIDList(out IntPtr ppidl);
    /// <summary>Sets the pointer to an item identifier list (PIDL) for a Shell link object.</summary>
    void SetIDList(IntPtr pidl);
    /// <summary>Retrieves the description string for a Shell link object</summary>
    void GetDescription([Out(), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] StringBuilder pszName, int cchMaxName);
    /// <summary>Sets the description for a Shell link object. The description can be any application-defined string</summary>
    void SetDescription([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszName);
    /// <summary>Retrieves the name of the working directory for a Shell link object</summary>
    void GetWorkingDirectory([Out(), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] StringBuilder pszDir, int cchMaxPath);
    /// <summary>Sets the name of the working directory for a Shell link object</summary>
    void SetWorkingDirectory([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszDir);
    /// <summary>Retrieves the command-line arguments associated with a Shell link object</summary>
    void GetArguments([Out(), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] StringBuilder pszArgs, int cchMaxPath);
    /// <summary>Sets the command-line arguments for a Shell link object</summary>
    void SetArguments([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszArgs);
    /// <summary>Retrieves the hot key for a Shell link object</summary>
    void GetHotkey(out short pwHotkey);
    /// <summary>Sets a hot key for a Shell link object</summary>
    void SetHotkey(short wHotkey);
    /// <summary>Retrieves the show command for a Shell link object</summary>
    void GetShowCmd(out int piShowCmd);
    /// <summary>Sets the show command for a Shell link object. The show command sets the initial show state of the window.</summary>
    void SetShowCmd(int iShowCmd);
    /// <summary>Retrieves the location (path and index) of the icon for a Shell link object</summary>
    void GetIconLocation([Out(), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] StringBuilder pszIconPath,
        int cchIconPath, out int piIcon);
    /// <summary>Sets the location (path and index) of the icon for a Shell link object</summary>
    void SetIconLocation([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszIconPath, int iIcon);
    /// <summary>Sets the relative path to the Shell link object</summary>
    void SetRelativePath([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszPathRel, int dwReserved);
    /// <summary>Attempts to find the target of a Shell link, even if it has been moved or renamed</summary>
    void Resolve(IntPtr hwnd, SLR_FLAGS fFlags);
    /// <summary>Sets the path and file name of a Shell link object</summary>
    void SetPath([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszFile);

}

[ComImport, Guid("0000010c-0000-0000-c000-000000000046"),
InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown)]
public interface IPersist
{
    [PreserveSig]
    void GetClassID(out Guid pClassID);
}


[ComImport, Guid("0000010b-0000-0000-C000-000000000046"),
InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown)]
public interface IPersistFile : IPersist
{
    new void GetClassID(out Guid pClassID);
    [PreserveSig]
    int IsDirty();

    [PreserveSig]
    void Load([In, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)]
    string pszFileName, uint dwMode);

    [PreserveSig]
    void Save([In, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszFileName,
        [In, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)] bool fRemember);

    [PreserveSig]
    void SaveCompleted([In, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszFileName);

    [PreserveSig]
    void GetCurFile([In, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string ppszFileName);
}

const uint STGM_READ = 0;
const int MAX_PATH = 260;

// CLSID_ShellLink from ShlGuid.h 
[
    ComImport(),
    Guid("00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046")
]
public class ShellLink
{
}

#endregion 


public static string ResolveShortcut(string filename)
{
    ShellLink link = new ShellLink();
    ((IPersistFile)link).Load(filename, STGM_READ);
    // TODO: if I can get hold of the hwnd call resolve first. This handles moved and renamed files.  
    // ((IShellLinkW)link).Resolve(hwnd, 0) 
    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(MAX_PATH);
    WIN32_FIND_DATAW data = new WIN32_FIND_DATAW();
    ((IShellLinkW)link).GetPath(sb, sb.Capacity, out data, 0);
    return sb.ToString(); 
}

Solution 2:

This may help:

http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?s=3ad7f1ffb995ba84999376f574e9250f&showtopic=658928&st=0&p=589667108&#entry589667108

In essence...

Add reference to Windows Script Host Object Model in COM tab of Add Reference dialogue.

IWshRuntimeLibrary.IWshShell shell = new IWshRuntimeLibrary.WshShell();

IWshRuntimeLibrary.IWshShortcut shortcut = (IWshRuntimeLibrary.IWshShortcut)shell.CreateShortcut(link);

Console.WriteLine(shortcut.TargetPath);

Solution 3:

Adding to what Kev said...

If you are using csc.exe instead of Visual Studio, to add a reference to the Windows Script Host Object Model, you have to:

• Use the tlbimp.exe tool to create a managed assembly:

  tlbimp.exe c:\windows\system32\wshom.ocx /out:IWshRuntimeLibrary.dll

• Reference the .dll using the /r switch in csc.exe:

  csc.exe Lnk.cs /r:IWshRuntimeLibrary.dll