GetShortPathNameA

- Alyce
GetShortPathNameA | DOS 8.3 Filenames | Demo

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$

GetShortPathNameA | DOS 8.3 Filenames | Demo