[SOLVED] Get user's My Documents folder

[JD]

Hi there everyone,

I want to know how to get a user's My Documents folder so that I can save files there. I know how to do it in Delphi using TPath but I don't know how it can be done in Lazarus.

Cheers,

JD

[sky_khan]

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. uses windirs;
2. ...
3. Result:=GetWindowsSpecialDir(CSIDL_PERSONAL);
4.  

[JD]

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. uses windirs;
2. ...
3. Result:=GetWindowsSpecialDir(CSIDL_PERSONAL);
4.  

That was quick. It works. Thanks a million.

Do you know how I can do the same on Linux & maybe  on Mac too.

Thanks

[balazsszekely]

@JD
I want to know how to get a user's My Documents folder so that I can save files there. I know how to do it in Delphi using TPath but I don't know how it can be done in Lazarus.

This will work cross platform way:

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. uses LazFileUtils;
2. //...
3. AppendPathDelim(GetUserDir + 'Documents')

[JD]

@JD
I want to know how to get a user's My Documents folder so that I can save files there. I know how to do it in Delphi using TPath but I don't know how it can be done in Lazarus.

This will work cross platform way:

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. uses LazFileUtils;
2. //...
3. AppendPathDelim(GetUserDir + 'Documents')

Thanks a million GetMem. Works perfectly. 

I do have another question though. Will this work for all non-English OSes? It works for French (my locale) but what about others. I know the internal reference is in English but I just want to be sure.

JD

[sky_khan]

I dont think GetUserDir + "Documents" is cross platform. Even on Windows it is not fixed. Old versions has "My Documents". It differs for each version and language.
Ubuntu and deriatives has "Documents" at Home=GetUserDir directory but other distros may not etc.

I think You will need some IFDEFS for cross platform

[JD]

I dont think GetUserDir + "Documents" is cross platform. Even on Windows it is not fixed. Old versions has "My Documents". It differs for each version and language.
Ubuntu and deriatives has "Documents" at Home=GetUserDir directory but other distros may not etc.

I think You will need some IFDEFS for cross platform

That's why I asked. I use Ubuntu derivatives. Thanks for the info.

[balazsszekely]

@SkyKhan
It is cross-platform, however won't cover all the possible scenarios. In fact I don't think a bulletproof, cross-platform function is even possible. This is why Lazarus doesn't implement it in the first place. For example one of my Linux distro(Kali) doesn't even have a document folder.

@JD
What exactly are you trying to achieve? Store a config file? For that you have: GetAppConfigDir, GetAppConfigFile(with some issues on osx).  GetUserDir is also cross platform. Perhaps if you describe the problem, we can come up with a better solution(or not) . 

[JD]

@JD
What exactly are you trying to achieve? Store a config file? For that you have: GetAppConfigDir, GetAppConfigFile(with some issues on osx).  GetUserDir is also cross platform. Perhaps if you describe the problem, we can come up with a better solution(or not) .

As a fallout from my last report creation question, I've created PDF reports and I want them saved to the user's My Documents folder by default. It is just an attempt to make the report creation more user-friendly.

JD

[balazsszekely]

@JD
As a fallout from my last report creation question, I've created PDF reports and I want them saved to the user's My Documents folder by default. It is just an attempt to make the report creation more user-friendly.

I would make it configurable. Once a default directory is set, just save the PDFs directly there, otherwise launch a TSelectDirectoryDialog and let the user choose the appropriate folder.

[JD]

@JD
As a fallout from my last report creation question, I've created PDF reports and I want them saved to the user's My Documents folder by default. It is just an attempt to make the report creation more user-friendly.

I would make it configurable. Once a default directory is set, just save the PDFs directly there, otherwise launch a TSelectDirectoryDialog and let the user choose the appropriate folder.

I've actually done all that and it works fine. I just never tested it on a non French OS so I wondered if the same user directory code that you suggested will work without modifications on other Latin based OSes.