Mark Arteaga

Problem

Scenario 1:
.NET Compact Framework provides System.Enviornment.SpecialFolder and System.Environment.GetFolderPath to get the path of any system directories.  In my application I need the ProgramFiles path but it's not available in the SpecialFolder enum.  What can the SDF do for me?

Scenario 2:
I want to use the My.Computer.FileSystem.SpecialDirectories.MyDocuments but this is not available in CF.  What can the SDF do for me?

Solution
[Tested using Windows Mobile 6 emulator and Smart Device Framework 2.1]

The Smart Device Framework provides the OpenNETCF.Environment2.GetFolderPath() and an OpenNETCF.Environment2.SpecialFolder enum.  OpenNETCF.Environment2.SpecialFolder provides more values like ProgramFiles and MyDocuments which is not provided by the Compact Framework.

Sample Use:

string programPath = OpenNETCF.Environment2.GetFolderPath(
OpenNETCF.Environment2.SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles);

string programPath = OpenNETCF.Environment2.GetFolderPath(
OpenNETCF.Environment2.SpecialFolder.MyDocuments);

Here are the special folders supported.

public enum SpecialFolder
{
    // Summary:
    //     The directory that contains the user's program groups.
    Programs = 2,
    //
    // Summary:
    //     The "My Documents" folder.
    MyDocuments = 5,
    //
    // Summary:
    //     The directory that serves as a common repository for documents.
    Personal = 5,
    //
    // Summary:
    //     The directory that serves as a common repository for the user's favorite
    //     items.
    Favorites = 6,
    //
    // Summary:
    //     The directory that corresponds to the user's Startup program group.  The
    //     system starts these programs whenever a user starts Windows CE.
    Startup = 7,
    //
    // Summary:
    //     The directory that contains the user's most recently used documents.
    //     Not supported in Windows Mobile.
    Recent = 8,
    //
    // Summary:
    //     The directory that contains the Start menu items.
    StartMenu = 11,
    //
    // Summary:
    //     The "My Music" folder.
    //     Supported only on Windows Mobile.
    MyMusic = 13,
    //
    // Summary:
    //     The directory used to physically store file objects on the desktop.  Do not
    //     confuse this directory with the desktop folder itself, which is a virtual
    //     folder.
    //     Not supported in Windows Mobile.
    DesktopDirectory = 16,
    //
    // Summary:
    //     The Fonts folder.
    Fonts = 20,
    //
    // Summary:
    //     The directory that serves as a common repository for application-specific
    //     data for the current user.
    ApplicationData = 26,
    //
    // Summary:
    //     The Windows folder.
    Windows = 36,
    //
    // Summary:
    //     The program files directory.
    ProgramFiles = 38,
    //
    // Summary:
    //     The "My Pictures" folder.
    //     Supported only on Windows Mobile.
    MyPictures = 39,
}