Long filenames converting to short ones (with ~1)

Hello.
I'm making a frontend program that uses emulators to play games.
I have to use one that doesn't accept long filenames though...
How can I convert the whole path of a file to the same path written the short way?
(for example C:\Program files\test.txt --> C:\Progra~1\test.txt)
I don't want to use the first 6 characters of the filename and then add ~1 because it can be ~2 if you have 2 files with the same 6 first characters. And it doesn't have to do with sorting...

I think I should first check if there's a ??????~2.??? file. If not, then I know that the filename is ??????~1.???
What can I do when there are many?

There is the GetShortPathName API for that.

Thanks WizBang :-)

hi wizbang
can u give me an example to use this function

i need to get short file name for
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Connection Wizard\Readme.txt

what parameter should i pass

thanx

You can get all the info for tons of API's at allapi.net. Get both the guide and viewer. They are a MUST HAVE!!

(Api guide is a free tool you can download at www.allapi.net)

Code:

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Private Declare Function GetShortPathName Lib "kernel32" Alias "GetShortPathNameA" (ByVal lpszLongPath As String, ByVal lpszShortPath As String, ByVal lBuffer As Long) As Long
Public Function GetShortPath(strFileName As String) As String
  'KPD-Team 1999
 'URL: http://www.allapi.net/
 'E-Mail: [email protected]
 Dim lngRes As Long, strPath As String
 'Create a buffer
 strPath = String$(165, 0)
 'retrieve the short pathname
 lngRes = GetShortPathName(strFileName, strPath, 164)
 'remove all unnecessary chr$(0)'s
 GetShortPath = Left$(strPath, lngRes)
End Function
Private Sub Form_Load()
 MsgBox GetShortPath("c:\Program Files\")
End Sub

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Related function: getFullPathName:

Code:

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Private Declare Function GetFullPathName Lib "kernel32" Alias "GetFullPathNameA" (ByVal lpFileName As String, ByVal nBufferLength As Long, ByVal lpBuffer As String, ByVal lpFilePart As String) As Long
Private Sub Form_Load()
  'KPD-Team 2000
 'URL: http://www.allapi.net/
 'E-Mail: [email protected]
 Dim Buffer As String, Ret As Long
 'create a buffer
 Buffer = Space(255)
 'copy the current directory to the buffer and append 'myfile.ext'
 Ret = GetFullPathName("myfile.ext", 255, Buffer, "")
 'remove the unnecessary chr$(0)'s
 Buffer = Left(Buffer, Ret)
 'show the result
 MsgBox Buffer
End Sub

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