CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#special-folders
Brian
Brian

Reputation:

C# reference to the desktop

I am using a file stream to write out a file.

I was hoping to be able to write the file to the desktop.

If I have something like

tw = new StreamWriter("NameOflog file.txt");

I would like to be able to have some sort of @desktop identified in front of the file name that would automatically insert the path to the desktop.

Does this exist in C#? Or do I have to look for desktop paths on a computer by computer (or OS by OS) basis?

Upvotes: 12

Views: 15191

Answers (7)

Marc Gravell
Marc Gravell

Reputation: 1062770

Something like:

string logPath = Path.Combine(
    Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Desktop),
    "NameOflog file.txt");
tw = new StreamWriter(logPath);

Upvotes: 9

JohnB
JohnB

Reputation: 18982

I also use the method mentioned above.

But here are a couple different options that work too (just to have a more comprehensive list):

using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Text;

class Program
{
  // 1st way
  private const int MAX_PATH = 260;
  private const int CSIDL_DESKTOP = 0x0000;
  private const int CSIDL_COMMON_DESKTOPDIRECTORY = 0x0019; // Can get to All Users desktop even on .NET 2.0,
                                                            // where Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonDesktopDirectory is not available
  [DllImport("shell32.dll")]
  private static extern bool SHGetSpecialFolderPath(IntPtr hwndOwner, StringBuilder lpszPath, int nFolder, bool fCreate);
  static string GetDesktopPath()
  {
    StringBuilder currentUserDesktop = new StringBuilder(MAX_PATH);
    SHGetSpecialFolderPath((IntPtr)0, currentUserDesktop, CSIDL_DESKTOP, false);
    return currentUserDesktop.ToString();
  }

  // 2nd way
  static string YetAnotherGetDesktopPath()
  {
    Guid PublicDesktop = new Guid("C4AA340D-F20F-4863-AFEF-F87EF2E6BA25");
    IntPtr pPath;

    if (SHGetKnownFolderPath(PublicDesktop, 0, IntPtr.Zero, out pPath) == 0)
    {
      return System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.PtrToStringUni(pPath);
    }

    return string.Empty;
  }
}

Then:

string fileName = Path.Combine(GetDesktopPath(), "NameOfLogFile.txt");

Upvotes: 1

schnaader
schnaader

Reputation: 49719

Quick google search reveals this one:

string strPath = Environment.GetFolderPath(
                         System.Environment.SpecialFolder.DesktopDirectory);

EDIT: This will work for Windows, but Mono supports it, too.

Upvotes: 40

C. Ross
C. Ross

Reputation: 31848

You want Environment.SpecialFolder

string fileName = "NameOflog file.txt";
path = Path.Combine(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Desktop), fileName);
tw = new StreamWriter(path);

Upvotes: 3

cRichter
cRichter

Reputation: 1411

yep. you can use environmental variables. like 

tw = new StreamWriter("%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\mylogfile.txt");

but i would not recommend to automatically write a log file to the users desktop. you should add the link to the file to your start menu folder. or even populate them in the event log. (much better)

Upvotes: 2

Chris Van Opstal
Chris Van Opstal

Reputation: 37547

Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.DesktopDirectory))

Upvotes: 1

Jon Skeet
Jon Skeet

Reputation: 1500514

You want to use Environment.GetFolderPath, passing in SpecialFolder.DesktopDirectory.

There's also SpecialFolder.Desktop which represents the logical desktop location - it's not clear what the difference between the two is though.

Upvotes: 10

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