Re: Short directory names...

Small library file? no
Library method? yes

use Win32::API;

my $GetShortPath = new Win32::API ( "kernel32", "GetShortPathName", ['
+P','P','N'], 'N' );

my $len = 100;
my $short = (' ' x $len);
my $long = 'c:\\program files\\microsoft office\\';

my $size = $GetShortPath->Call($long, $short, $len);

print substr($short,0,$size) . "\n";
[download]

That is probably the safest method if all versions of windows use the same function name for it, I've only got Win98 to test it on so I'm not sure what the NTs do.

Update: Okay so it is avalible in one module. I thought it might be, it just didn't jump out at me.

Comment on Re: Short directory names... Download Code

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
($code or die): Re: Re: Short directory names... by $code or die (Deacon) on Jan 20, 2001 at 21:25 UTC
This functionality is built into the Win32 module which is packaged in the ActiveState dist of perl. All you need to do is this: `use Win32; my $long = 'c:\\program files\\microsoft office\\'; my $short = Win32::GetShortPathName($long); print $short;` [download] There is also a Win32::GetLongPathName(PATHNAME) function which does the reverse. Also worth looking at is Jenda's Pages. He has a bunch of other Win32 "File Related" modules which are quite useful, one of which is Win32::AbsPath, another is Win32::FileOp. $code or die Using perl at The Spiders Web	[reply] [d/l]
Re: Re: Short directory names... by rrwo (Friar) on Jan 21, 2001 at 01:24 UTC
On Windows NT, the option to create short <acronym title="Demented Operating System">DOS</acronym> names for files can be turned off (in fact it's considered a security issue: on a web server you can request "mylong~1.asp" instead of "mylongfilename.asp" and, if certain hotfixes or service packs are not installed, get the raw source code or bypass restrictions).	[reply]
Re: Re: Short directory names... by $code or die (Deacon) on Jan 21, 2001 at 22:27 UTC
I think I'll take a look at Win32::API anyway, because there are probably lots of things you can do with it that aren't covered by any Win32 modules. How do you find out what API calls you can use and what format they require? I suppose we have to trudge round the MS site to find clues? $code or die Using perl at The Spiders Web	[reply]
Win32::API alternatives (Re: Short directory names...) by tye (Sage) on Jan 21, 2001 at 22:46 UTC
Please check out FFI and C::Dynalib as well. They are not restricted to working on just Win32 and seem to have cleaner designs (though the APIs could use the addition of some helper functions to make things simpler). Documentation of many APIs in Microsoft DLLs can be found by downloading the SDK (Software Developers' Kit) from Microsoft or buying a compiler. You might be surprised how many APIs are already available from Perl via modules. - tye (but my friends call me "Tye")	[reply]