GetShortPathNameA

- Alyce
GetShortPathNameA | DOS 8.3 Filenames | Demo

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DOS 8.3 Filenames

In DOS operating systems, filenames were limited to 8 characters and extensions were limited to 3 characters. Some API functions require filenames in this format. A long filename can be converted to a short filename with GetShortPathNameA

To learn more about 8.3 filenames:
8.3 Filenames at Wikipedia

Demo

filedialog "Open","*.*",file$
if file$="" then end
 
'use function with null short name argument
'first to determine size of buffer needed
calldll #kernel32, "GetShortPathNameA",_
file$ as ptr,_    'long filename
_NULL as long,_   'short filename argument, null to get length of buffer
0 as long,_       'length of buffer, null to get length of buffer
length as ulong   'required length of buffer
 
'create a string buffer of the correct length:
shortfile$=space$(length)+chr$(0)
 
calldll #kernel32, "GetShortPathNameA",_
file$ as ptr,_     'long filename
shortfile$ as ptr,_ 'short filename
length as long,_    'length of buffer
result as ulong
 
print "Long filename is "; file$
print "Length of buffer for short filename is ";length
print "Short filename is ";shortfile$
 

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GetShortPathNameA | DOS 8.3 Filenames | Demo