Get a long path from a short path on Windows

get_long_name.rb

# idea from :http://web.archive.org/web/20020617214130/http://vb-world.net/files/tip511.html

require 'win32ole'

def get_long_filename(shortpath, fso = WIN32OLE.new("Scripting.FileSystemObject"))
  path = case
  when fso.FolderExists(shortpath)
    fso.GetFolder(fso.GetAbsolutePathName(shortpath))
  when fso.FileExists(shortpath)
    fso.GetFile(fso.GetAbsolutePathName(shortpath))
  else
    return nil
  end  
  parts = path.Path.split(/\\/)
  
  working = fso.GetDrive(parts.shift).RootFolder
  longpath = working.Path
  parts.each do |part|
    temppath = fso.BuildPath(longpath, part)
    working = fso.GetFolder(longpath)
    if fso.FolderExists(temppath)
      working.SubFolders.each do |sub|
        longpath = fso.BuildPath(longpath, sub.Name) if part== sub.ShortName || part == sub.Name
      end
    elsif fso.FileExists(temppath)
      working.Files.each do |sub|
        longpath = fso.BuildPath(longpath, sub.Name) if part== sub.ShortName || part == sub.Name
      end
    end
  end
  longpath
end


fso = WIN32OLE.new("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
short = "C:\\DOCUME~1\\jamal\\Desktop\\NEWTEX~1.TXT"
long = get_long_filename(short, fso)
p long
# ==> "C:\\Documents and Settings\\jamal\\Desktop\\New Text Document.txt"

I created this to try an answer a Stack Overflow question. Someone found a much simpler solution, however...