Open a file's properties window

[kaotkbliss]

I did some searching on the forums but often times pages could not load (maybe the site simply does not like this subject?)

I found very few responses and tried them all

Func _ShowFileProperties($sFile, $sVerb = "properties", $hWnd = 0)
    ; function by Rasim
    ; http://www.autoitscript.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=78236&view=findpost&p=565547

    Local Const $SEE_MASK_INVOKEIDLIST = 0xC
    ; Local Const $SEE_MASK_NOCLOSEPROCESS = 0x40
    ; Local Const $SEE_MASK_FLAG_NO_UI = 0x400

    Local $PropBuff, $FileBuff, $SHELLEXECUTEINFO

    $PropBuff = DllStructCreate("char[256]")
    DllStructSetData($PropBuff, 1, $sVerb)

    $FileBuff = DllStructCreate("char[256]")
    DllStructSetData($FileBuff, 1, $sFile)

    $SHELLEXECUTEINFO = DllStructCreate("int cbSize;long fMask;hwnd hWnd;ptr lpVerb;ptr lpFile;ptr lpParameters;ptr lpDirectory;" & _
            "int nShow;int hInstApp;ptr lpIDList;ptr lpClass;hwnd hkeyClass;int dwHotKey;hwnd hIcon;" & _
            "hwnd hProcess")

    DllStructSetData($SHELLEXECUTEINFO, "cbSize", DllStructGetSize($SHELLEXECUTEINFO))
    DllStructSetData($SHELLEXECUTEINFO, "fMask", $SEE_MASK_INVOKEIDLIST)
    DllStructSetData($SHELLEXECUTEINFO, "hwnd", $hWnd)
    DllStructSetData($SHELLEXECUTEINFO, "lpVerb", DllStructGetPtr($PropBuff, 1))
    DllStructSetData($SHELLEXECUTEINFO, "lpFile", DllStructGetPtr($FileBuff, 1))

    $aRet = DllCall("shell32.dll", "int", "ShellExecuteEx", "ptr", DllStructGetPtr($SHELLEXECUTEINFO))
    If $aRet[0] = 0 Then Return SetError(2, 0, 0)

    Return $aRet[0]
EndFunc   ;==>_ShowFileProperties

This code works fine in XP which is great because the more OS I can support with my script, the better

However every option I found and tried has simply done nothing on windows 7 (64bit)

I have a gui that has paths to exe files stored.

I want to be able to select a path and click a button to open that exe's properties window. Everything is all ready except the command to open the properties window

[Ascend4nt]

If ShellExecute doesn't work for you, there are two alternatives:

One using COM objects:

$sPath = @SystemDir&"\user32.dll"
$oshellApp = ObjCreate("shell.application")
$oshellApp.namespace(0).parsename($sPath).invokeverb("Properties")
Sleep(2000)     ; The Properties page will display and disappear if your program exits (it somehow attaches to this process)

One using SHObjectProperties:

Global Const $SHOP_PRINTERNAME=1    ; $sObjName = printer friendly name
Global Const $SHOP_FILEPATH=2       ; $sObjName = full pathname to file
Global Const $SHOP_VOLUMEGUID=4     ; $sObjName = Drive Path ("C:\") or Volume GUID ("\\?\Volume\{2eca078d-5cbc-43d3-aff8-7e8511f60d0e}\)")

Func _FilePropertiesDialog($sObjName,$sPropPage="",$iObjType=0x02,$hWnd=0)
    Local $sPropPageType="ptr"
    If IsString($sPropPage) And $sPropPage<>"" Then
        $sPropPageType="wstr"
    Else
        $sPropPage=0
    EndIf
    Local $aRet=DllCall("shell32.dll","bool","SHObjectProperties","hwnd",$hWnd,"dword",$iObjType,"wstr",$sObjName,$sPropPageType,$sPropPage)
    If @error Then Return SetError(2,@error,False)
    If Not $aRet[0] Then Return SetError(3,0,False)
    Return True
EndFunc
_FilePropertiesDialog("C:\","",4)   ; Drive/Volume Properties - this special case does not return until closed by the User
_FilePropertiesDialog("Microsoft XPS Document Writer","",1) ; Printers
ConsoleWrite("@error="&@error&", @extended="&@extended&@CRLF)
Sleep(2000)     ; The Properties page will display and disappear if your program exits (it somehow attaches to this process)
_FilePropertiesDialog(@ComSpec,"Version",2) ; File
ConsoleWrite("@error="&@error&", @extended="&@extended&@CRLF)
Sleep(2000)     ; The Properties page will display and disappear if your program exits (it somehow attaches to this process)

Note how both options will close once the program is closed - this is why you should do what you need to do with the dialog boxes, and then close them. The odd case is drives, from which it doesn't return until closed by the user.

A nice thing about the second option is that you can select which Property tab displays (I gave 'Version' as an example, but you can leave it as "" to display the default tab).

Anyway, hope it helps

[kaotkbliss]

I will definately try them, Thanks!

I tried the shellexecute and when it didn't work searched on the forums to find out that it is flawed and the "properties" value is wrong. Would have made everything so much easier.

*edit*

the first example you have a comment saying "it attaches itself to this proccess" are you refering to the autoit script that calls the object or the exe you are viewing the properties window of?

Edited August 19, 2010 by kaotkbliss

[Ascend4nt]

I meant the AutoIt script's Process (whether it is a compiled script or running through autoit3). You'll see if you run the code as it is - the dialogs just disappear on script exit.

[kaotkbliss]

I figured but it looked similar to one I tried before (found through search) and either it opened and closed the window so fast I couldn't tell, or nothing happened at all (I didn't see any sign that anything happened)

Anyways, I will try it, hope it works and report results.

[Ascend4nt]

Actually, I've successfully gotten this to work with my own ShellExecuteEx function on Windows 7 (modified from MrCreatoR's post on ShellExecuteEx [warning: the original is not Unicode or x64 safe]).

The Properties dialog actually has the same problem as the other methods I mentioned, so that's not really a shortcoming of any method I suppose - just the way Windows works.

I believe AutoIt's ShellExecute is simply missing the 'SEE_MASK_INVOKEIDLIST' flag bits (0x0C). Once they fix that in a future version, we won't need all these workarounds.

*edit: by shortcoming, I meant - it closes when the script does

Edited August 19, 2010 by Ascend4nt

[kaotkbliss]

If ShellExecute doesn't work for you, there are two alternatives:

One using COM objects:

$sPath = @SystemDir&"\user32.dll"
$oshellApp = ObjCreate("shell.application")
$oshellApp.namespace(0).parsename($sPath).invokeverb("Properties")
Sleep(2000)     ; The Properties page will display and disappear if your program exits (it somehow attaches to this process)

This one seems to have worked just fine

[MilesAhead]

...

A nice thing about the second option is that you can select which Property tab displays (I gave 'Version' as an example, but you can leave it as "" to display the default tab).

...

_FILEPropertiesDialog() is very useful. Adding to my collection. Thanks for posting it.

[DrLarch]

OK, resurrecting old thread - can't find a solution that works for opening a scheduled task's properties window (C:WindowsTasks<example>.job).

Tried all the above suggestions with no luck and also ShellExecuteEx as well. This one seems to be difficult...

[KaFu]

This one does the job for me, but has the same issues as the examples posted before, the properties window only exists as long as the script is running...

expandcollapse popup

$sFile = "C:\WINDOWS\Tasks\Adobe Flash Player Updater.job"

ConsoleWrite(FileExists($sFile) & @CRLF)
ConsoleWrite(_ShowFileProperties($sFile) & @CRLF)

Sleep(5000)


Func _ShowFileProperties($sFile, $sVerb = "properties", $hWnd = 0)
; function by Rasim
; http://www.autoitscript.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=78236&view=findpost&p=565547
; http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12508100/shellexecuteinfo-unicode-support

Local Const $SEE_MASK_INVOKEIDLIST = 0xC
Local Const $SEE_MASK_NOCLOSEPROCESS = 0x40
Local Const $SEE_MASK_FLAG_NO_UI = 0x400

Local $PropBuff, $FileBuff, $SHELLEXECUTEINFO

$PropBuff = DllStructCreate("wchar[256]")
DllStructSetData($PropBuff, 1, $sVerb)

$FileBuff = DllStructCreate("wchar[4096]")
DllStructSetData($FileBuff, 1, $sFile)

$SHELLEXECUTEINFO = DllStructCreate("int cbSize;long fMask;hwnd hWnd;ptr lpVerb;ptr lpFile;ptr lpParameters;ptr lpDirectory;" & _
"int nShow;int hInstApp;ptr lpIDList;ptr lpClass;hwnd hkeyClass;int dwHotKey;hwnd hIcon;" & _
"hwnd hProcess")

DllStructSetData($SHELLEXECUTEINFO, "cbSize", DllStructGetSize($SHELLEXECUTEINFO))
DllStructSetData($SHELLEXECUTEINFO, "fMask", $SEE_MASK_INVOKEIDLIST)
DllStructSetData($SHELLEXECUTEINFO, "hwnd", $hWnd)
DllStructSetData($SHELLEXECUTEINFO, "lpVerb", DllStructGetPtr($PropBuff, 1))
DllStructSetData($SHELLEXECUTEINFO, "lpFile", DllStructGetPtr($FileBuff, 1))

$aRet = DllCall("shell32.dll", "int", "ShellExecuteExW", "ptr", DllStructGetPtr($SHELLEXECUTEINFO))
If $aRet[0] = 0 Then Return SetError(2, 0, 0)

Return $aRet[0]
EndFunc   ;==>_ShowFileProperties

[DrLarch]

Thanks KhaFoo!! Does the trick for me...

[Starstar]

See windows shortcut keys....................Alt+Enter to get properties of selected item.............windows key + pause to get system property. Edited April 11, 2013 by adnanbaloch