Sample Code

The following code shows how to obtain the filename or path and description of a given link file:

   #include <windows.h>
#include <shlobj.h>
// GetLinkInfo() fills the filename and path buffer
// with relevant information.
// hWnd         - calling application's window handle.
//
// lpszLinkName - name of the link file passed into the function.
//
// lpszPath     - the buffer that receives the file's path name.
//
// lpszDescription - the buffer that receives the file's
// description.
HRESULT
GetLinkInfo( HWND    hWnd,
LPCTSTR lpszLinkName,
LPSTR   lpszPath,
LPSTR   lpszDescription)
{
HRESULT hres;
IShellLink *pShLink;
WIN32_FIND_DATA wfd;
// Initialize the return parameters to null strings.
*lpszPath = '\0';
*lpszDescription = '\0';
// Call CoCreateInstance to obtain the IShellLink
// Interface pointer. This call fails if
// CoInitialize is not called, so it is assumed that
// CoInitialize has been called.
hres = CoCreateInstance( &CLSID_ShellLink,
NULL,
CLSCTX_INPROC_SERVER,
&IID_IShellLink,
(LPVOID *)&pShLink );
if (SUCCEEDED(hres))
{
IPersistFile *ppf;
// The IShellLink Interface supports the IPersistFile
// interface. Get an interface pointer to it.
hres = pShLink->lpVtbl->QueryInterface(pShLink,
&IID_IPersistFile,
(LPVOID *)&ppf );
if (SUCCEEDED(hres))
{
WORD wsz[MAX_PATH];
// Convert the given link name string to a wide character string.
MultiByteToWideChar( CP_ACP, 0,
lpszLinkName,
-1, wsz, MAX_PATH );
// Load the file.
hres = ppf->lpVtbl->Load(ppf, wsz, STGM_READ );
if (SUCCEEDED(hres))
{
// Resolve the link by calling the Resolve() interface function.
// This enables us to find the file the link points to even if
// it has been moved or renamed.
hres = pShLink->lpVtbl->Resolve(pShLink,  hWnd,
SLR_ANY_MATCH | SLR_NO_UI);
if (SUCCEEDED(hres))
{
// Get the path of the file the link points to.
hres = pShLink->lpVtbl->GetPath( pShLink, lpszPath,
MAX_PATH,
&wfd,
SLGP_SHORTPATH );
// Only get the description if we successfully got the path
// (We can't return immediately because we need to release ppf &
//  pShLink.)
if(SUCCEEDED(hres))
{
// Get the description of the link.
hres = pShLink->lpVtbl->GetDescription(pShLink,
lpszDescription,
MAX_PATH );
}
}
}
ppf->lpVtbl->Release(ppf);
}
pShLink->lpVtbl->Release(pShLink);
}
return hres;
}