Python wrapper around the SHGetKnownFolderPath Windows Shell function

knownpaths.py

import ctypes, sys
from ctypes import windll, wintypes
from uuid import UUID

class GUID(ctypes.Structure):   # [1]
    _fields_ = [
        ("Data1", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("Data2", wintypes.WORD),
        ("Data3", wintypes.WORD),
        ("Data4", wintypes.BYTE * 8)
    ] 

    def __init__(self, uuid_):
        ctypes.Structure.__init__(self)
        self.Data1, self.Data2, self.Data3, self.Data4[0], self.Data4[1], rest = uuid_.fields
        for i in range(2, 8):
            self.Data4[i] = rest>>(8 - i - 1)*8 & 0xff

class FOLDERID:     # [2]
    AccountPictures         = UUID('{008ca0b1-55b4-4c56-b8a8-4de4b299d3be}')
    AdminTools              = UUID('{724EF170-A42D-4FEF-9F26-B60E846FBA4F}')
    ApplicationShortcuts    = UUID('{A3918781-E5F2-4890-B3D9-A7E54332328C}')
    CameraRoll              = UUID('{AB5FB87B-7CE2-4F83-915D-550846C9537B}')
    CDBurning               = UUID('{9E52AB10-F80D-49DF-ACB8-4330F5687855}')
    CommonAdminTools        = UUID('{D0384E7D-BAC3-4797-8F14-CBA229B392B5}')
    CommonOEMLinks          = UUID('{C1BAE2D0-10DF-4334-BEDD-7AA20B227A9D}')
    CommonPrograms          = UUID('{0139D44E-6AFE-49F2-8690-3DAFCAE6FFB8}')
    CommonStartMenu         = UUID('{A4115719-D62E-491D-AA7C-E74B8BE3B067}')
    CommonStartup           = UUID('{82A5EA35-D9CD-47C5-9629-E15D2F714E6E}')
    CommonTemplates         = UUID('{B94237E7-57AC-4347-9151-B08C6C32D1F7}')
    Contacts                = UUID('{56784854-C6CB-462b-8169-88E350ACB882}')
    Cookies                 = UUID('{2B0F765D-C0E9-4171-908E-08A611B84FF6}')
    Desktop                 = UUID('{B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641}')
    DeviceMetadataStore     = UUID('{5CE4A5E9-E4EB-479D-B89F-130C02886155}')
    Documents               = UUID('{FDD39AD0-238F-46AF-ADB4-6C85480369C7}')
    DocumentsLibrary        = UUID('{7B0DB17D-9CD2-4A93-9733-46CC89022E7C}')
    Downloads               = UUID('{374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}')
    Favorites               = UUID('{1777F761-68AD-4D8A-87BD-30B759FA33DD}')
    Fonts                   = UUID('{FD228CB7-AE11-4AE3-864C-16F3910AB8FE}')
    GameTasks               = UUID('{054FAE61-4DD8-4787-80B6-090220C4B700}')
    History                 = UUID('{D9DC8A3B-B784-432E-A781-5A1130A75963}')
    ImplicitAppShortcuts    = UUID('{BCB5256F-79F6-4CEE-B725-DC34E402FD46}')
    InternetCache           = UUID('{352481E8-33BE-4251-BA85-6007CAEDCF9D}')
    Libraries               = UUID('{1B3EA5DC-B587-4786-B4EF-BD1DC332AEAE}')
    Links                   = UUID('{bfb9d5e0-c6a9-404c-b2b2-ae6db6af4968}')
    LocalAppData            = UUID('{F1B32785-6FBA-4FCF-9D55-7B8E7F157091}')
    LocalAppDataLow         = UUID('{A520A1A4-1780-4FF6-BD18-167343C5AF16}')
    LocalizedResourcesDir   = UUID('{2A00375E-224C-49DE-B8D1-440DF7EF3DDC}')
    Music                   = UUID('{4BD8D571-6D19-48D3-BE97-422220080E43}')
    MusicLibrary            = UUID('{2112AB0A-C86A-4FFE-A368-0DE96E47012E}')
    NetHood                 = UUID('{C5ABBF53-E17F-4121-8900-86626FC2C973}')
    OriginalImages          = UUID('{2C36C0AA-5812-4b87-BFD0-4CD0DFB19B39}')
    PhotoAlbums             = UUID('{69D2CF90-FC33-4FB7-9A0C-EBB0F0FCB43C}')
    PicturesLibrary         = UUID('{A990AE9F-A03B-4E80-94BC-9912D7504104}')
    Pictures                = UUID('{33E28130-4E1E-4676-835A-98395C3BC3BB}')
    Playlists               = UUID('{DE92C1C7-837F-4F69-A3BB-86E631204A23}')
    PrintHood               = UUID('{9274BD8D-CFD1-41C3-B35E-B13F55A758F4}')
    Profile                 = UUID('{5E6C858F-0E22-4760-9AFE-EA3317B67173}')
    ProgramData             = UUID('{62AB5D82-FDC1-4DC3-A9DD-070D1D495D97}')
    ProgramFiles            = UUID('{905e63b6-c1bf-494e-b29c-65b732d3d21a}')
    ProgramFilesX64         = UUID('{6D809377-6AF0-444b-8957-A3773F02200E}')
    ProgramFilesX86         = UUID('{7C5A40EF-A0FB-4BFC-874A-C0F2E0B9FA8E}')
    ProgramFilesCommon      = UUID('{F7F1ED05-9F6D-47A2-AAAE-29D317C6F066}')
    ProgramFilesCommonX64   = UUID('{6365D5A7-0F0D-45E5-87F6-0DA56B6A4F7D}')
    ProgramFilesCommonX86   = UUID('{DE974D24-D9C6-4D3E-BF91-F4455120B917}')
    Programs                = UUID('{A77F5D77-2E2B-44C3-A6A2-ABA601054A51}')
    Public                  = UUID('{DFDF76A2-C82A-4D63-906A-5644AC457385}')
    PublicDesktop           = UUID('{C4AA340D-F20F-4863-AFEF-F87EF2E6BA25}')
    PublicDocuments         = UUID('{ED4824AF-DCE4-45A8-81E2-FC7965083634}')
    PublicDownloads         = UUID('{3D644C9B-1FB8-4f30-9B45-F670235F79C0}')
    PublicGameTasks         = UUID('{DEBF2536-E1A8-4c59-B6A2-414586476AEA}')
    PublicLibraries         = UUID('{48DAF80B-E6CF-4F4E-B800-0E69D84EE384}')
    PublicMusic             = UUID('{3214FAB5-9757-4298-BB61-92A9DEAA44FF}')
    PublicPictures          = UUID('{B6EBFB86-6907-413C-9AF7-4FC2ABF07CC5}')
    PublicRingtones         = UUID('{E555AB60-153B-4D17-9F04-A5FE99FC15EC}')
    PublicUserTiles         = UUID('{0482af6c-08f1-4c34-8c90-e17ec98b1e17}')
    PublicVideos            = UUID('{2400183A-6185-49FB-A2D8-4A392A602BA3}')
    QuickLaunch             = UUID('{52a4f021-7b75-48a9-9f6b-4b87a210bc8f}')
    Recent                  = UUID('{AE50C081-EBD2-438A-8655-8A092E34987A}')
    RecordedTVLibrary       = UUID('{1A6FDBA2-F42D-4358-A798-B74D745926C5}')
    ResourceDir             = UUID('{8AD10C31-2ADB-4296-A8F7-E4701232C972}')
    Ringtones               = UUID('{C870044B-F49E-4126-A9C3-B52A1FF411E8}')
    RoamingAppData          = UUID('{3EB685DB-65F9-4CF6-A03A-E3EF65729F3D}')
    RoamedTileImages        = UUID('{AAA8D5A5-F1D6-4259-BAA8-78E7EF60835E}')
    RoamingTiles            = UUID('{00BCFC5A-ED94-4e48-96A1-3F6217F21990}')
    SampleMusic             = UUID('{B250C668-F57D-4EE1-A63C-290EE7D1AA1F}')
    SamplePictures          = UUID('{C4900540-2379-4C75-844B-64E6FAF8716B}')
    SamplePlaylists         = UUID('{15CA69B3-30EE-49C1-ACE1-6B5EC372AFB5}')
    SampleVideos            = UUID('{859EAD94-2E85-48AD-A71A-0969CB56A6CD}')
    SavedGames              = UUID('{4C5C32FF-BB9D-43b0-B5B4-2D72E54EAAA4}')
    SavedSearches           = UUID('{7d1d3a04-debb-4115-95cf-2f29da2920da}')
    Screenshots             = UUID('{b7bede81-df94-4682-a7d8-57a52620b86f}')
    SearchHistory           = UUID('{0D4C3DB6-03A3-462F-A0E6-08924C41B5D4}')
    SearchTemplates         = UUID('{7E636BFE-DFA9-4D5E-B456-D7B39851D8A9}')
    SendTo                  = UUID('{8983036C-27C0-404B-8F08-102D10DCFD74}')
    SidebarDefaultParts     = UUID('{7B396E54-9EC5-4300-BE0A-2482EBAE1A26}')
    SidebarParts            = UUID('{A75D362E-50FC-4fb7-AC2C-A8BEAA314493}')
    SkyDrive                = UUID('{A52BBA46-E9E1-435f-B3D9-28DAA648C0F6}')
    SkyDriveCameraRoll      = UUID('{767E6811-49CB-4273-87C2-20F355E1085B}')
    SkyDriveDocuments       = UUID('{24D89E24-2F19-4534-9DDE-6A6671FBB8FE}')
    SkyDrivePictures        = UUID('{339719B5-8C47-4894-94C2-D8F77ADD44A6}')
    StartMenu               = UUID('{625B53C3-AB48-4EC1-BA1F-A1EF4146FC19}')
    Startup                 = UUID('{B97D20BB-F46A-4C97-BA10-5E3608430854}')
    System                  = UUID('{1AC14E77-02E7-4E5D-B744-2EB1AE5198B7}')
    SystemX86               = UUID('{D65231B0-B2F1-4857-A4CE-A8E7C6EA7D27}')
    Templates               = UUID('{A63293E8-664E-48DB-A079-DF759E0509F7}')
    UserPinned              = UUID('{9E3995AB-1F9C-4F13-B827-48B24B6C7174}')
    UserProfiles            = UUID('{0762D272-C50A-4BB0-A382-697DCD729B80}')
    UserProgramFiles        = UUID('{5CD7AEE2-2219-4A67-B85D-6C9CE15660CB}')
    UserProgramFilesCommon  = UUID('{BCBD3057-CA5C-4622-B42D-BC56DB0AE516}')
    Videos                  = UUID('{18989B1D-99B5-455B-841C-AB7C74E4DDFC}')
    VideosLibrary           = UUID('{491E922F-5643-4AF4-A7EB-4E7A138D8174}')
    Windows                 = UUID('{F38BF404-1D43-42F2-9305-67DE0B28FC23}')

class UserHandle:   # [3]
    current = wintypes.HANDLE(0)
    common  = wintypes.HANDLE(-1)

_CoTaskMemFree = windll.ole32.CoTaskMemFree     # [4]
_CoTaskMemFree.restype= None
_CoTaskMemFree.argtypes = [ctypes.c_void_p]

_SHGetKnownFolderPath = windll.shell32.SHGetKnownFolderPath     # [5] [3]
_SHGetKnownFolderPath.argtypes = [
    ctypes.POINTER(GUID), wintypes.DWORD, wintypes.HANDLE, ctypes.POINTER(ctypes.c_wchar_p)
] 

class PathNotFoundException(Exception): pass

def get_path(folderid, user_handle=UserHandle.common):
    fid = GUID(folderid) 
    pPath = ctypes.c_wchar_p()
    S_OK = 0
    if _SHGetKnownFolderPath(ctypes.byref(fid), 0, user_handle, ctypes.byref(pPath)) != S_OK:
        raise PathNotFoundException()
    path = pPath.value
    _CoTaskMemFree(pPath)
    return path

if __name__ == '__main__':
    if len(sys.argv) < 2 or sys.argv[1] in ['-?', '/?']:
        print('python knownpaths.py FOLDERID {current|common}')
        sys.exit(0)

    try:
        folderid = getattr(FOLDERID, sys.argv[1])
    except AttributeError:
        print('Unknown folder id "%s"' % sys.argv[1], file=sys.stderr)
        sys.exit(1)

    try:
        if len(sys.argv) == 2:
            print(get_path(folderid))
        else:
            print(get_path(folderid, getattr(UserHandle, sys.argv[2])))
    except PathNotFoundException:
        print('Folder not found "%s"' % ' '.join(sys.argv[1:]), file=sys.stderr)
        sys.exit(1)

# [1] http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa373931.aspx
# [2] http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd378457.aspx
# [3] http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb762188.aspx
# [4] http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms680722.aspx
# [5] http://www.themacaque.com/?p=954

zzz-LICENSE.txt

The MIT License (MIT)

Copyright (c) 2014 Michael Kropat

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
THE SOFTWARE.

Very, very helpful this! I have been looking for quite a while to figure out how to use SHGetKnownFolderPath. I just wanted to remark that the following may be easier for setting Data4, using unpack from the struct-module:

array8 = wintypes.BYTE*8
self.Data4 = char8(*[unpack('b', b)[0] for b in uuid_.bytes[8:]])

Would you please dual license this under the GNU GPL v3+?

@az0 I believe the X11 ("MIT license") is compatible with GNU GPL v3. However I'd be happy for you to use the source code, so to make things as easy as possible:

I explicitly permit the knownpaths.py source code to be licensed by anyone under the terms of the GNU GPL v3, as an alternative to the X11/MIT license.

link 5 is down, archive: http://web.archive.org/web/20111025090317/http://www.themacaque.com/?p=954

This is so useful, many thanks for posting this.

Hello.
This is very useful library!
Thank you!

This is incredibly useful! Thanks a ton for providing this.

Thanks for sharing ❤

Thanks a lot! 💖

This was very useful. Thank you ❤️