How can I get the current user directory?

Question

Using this:

Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ApplicationData)

I get this output:

\"C:\\\\Documents and S         


        

Answer 1

You can get the UserProfile path with just this:

Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.UserProfile);

Answer 2

Also very helpful, while investigating the Environment.SpecialFolder enum. Use LINQPad or create a solution and execute this code:

Enum.GetValues(typeof(Environment.SpecialFolder))
    .Cast<Environment.SpecialFolder>()
    .Select(specialFolder => new
    {
        Name = specialFolder.ToString(),
        Path = Environment.GetFolderPath(specialFolder)
    })
    .OrderBy(item => item.Path.ToLower())

This is the result on my machine:

MyComputer
LocalizedResources
CommonOemLinks
ProgramFiles            C:\Program Files (x86) 
ProgramFilesX86         C:\Program Files (x86) 
CommonProgramFiles      C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files 
CommonProgramFilesX86   C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files 
CommonApplicationData   C:\ProgramData 
CommonStartMenu         C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu 
CommonPrograms          C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs 
CommonAdminTools        C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools 
CommonStartup           C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup 
CommonTemplates         C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Templates 
UserProfile             C:\Users\fisch 
LocalApplicationData    C:\Users\fisch\AppData\Local 
CDBurning               C:\Users\fisch\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Burn\Burn 
History                 C:\Users\fisch\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\History 
InternetCache           C:\Users\fisch\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache 
Cookies                 C:\Users\fisch\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCookies 
ApplicationData         C:\Users\fisch\AppData\Roaming 
NetworkShortcuts        C:\Users\fisch\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts 
PrinterShortcuts        C:\Users\fisch\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Printer Shortcuts 
Recent                  C:\Users\fisch\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent 
SendTo                  C:\Users\fisch\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo 
StartMenu               C:\Users\fisch\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu 
Programs                C:\Users\fisch\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs 
AdminTools              C:\Users\fisch\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools 
Startup                 C:\Users\fisch\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup 
Templates               C:\Users\fisch\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Templates 
Desktop                 C:\Users\fisch\Desktop 
DesktopDirectory        C:\Users\fisch\Desktop 
Favorites               C:\Users\fisch\Favorites 
MyMusic                 C:\Users\fisch\Music 
MyDocuments             C:\Users\fisch\OneDrive\Documents 
MyDocuments             C:\Users\fisch\OneDrive\Documents 
MyPictures              C:\Users\fisch\OneDrive\Pictures 
MyVideos                C:\Users\fisch\Videos 
CommonDesktopDirectory  C:\Users\Public\Desktop 
CommonDocuments         C:\Users\Public\Documents 
CommonMusic             C:\Users\Public\Music 
CommonPictures          C:\Users\Public\Pictures 
CommonVideos            C:\Users\Public\Videos 
Windows                 C:\Windows 
Fonts                   C:\Windows\Fonts 
Resources               C:\Windows\resources 
System                  C:\Windows\system32 
SystemX86               C:\Windows\SysWoW64 

("fisch" is the first 5 letters of my last name. This is the user name assigned when signing in with a Microsoft Account.)

Answer 3

Messing around with environment variables or hard-coded parent folder offsets is never a good idea when there is a API to get the info you want, call SHGetSpecialFolderPath(...,CSIDL_PROFILE,...)