Downloads folder macro?

[TheAutomator]

How can you get the downloads folder in AutoIT?

As far as i know there isn't a macro for it right? like @Downloads or something?

The ugly solution would be typing in the whole path but what if the user has chosen another location?

Need to clear that folder regularly on my work and on different accounts..

regards, TheAutomator

[JLogan3o13]

Like so:

ShellExecute(@UserProfileDir & "\Downloads")

edit, I missed your "User has chosen another location". Typically I would say look at EnvGet, but don't think the Downloads folder is set as a typical environment variable. There is DEFAULT_DOWNLOADS, but that is for the default profile.

Edited March 30, 2017 by JLogan3o13

[TheAutomator]

Hi JLogan3o13

Thanks for the quick reply.
I'm just thinking out loud here:

Imagine: the user has set the downloads folder path on the desktop or something?

[EDIT]

Oh i see, hmm.. small but tricky problem huh

Edited March 30, 2017 by TheAutomator

[JLogan3o13]

I know that if you change the path (and only if you change the path) it will show up in HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders, but it shows up as a GUID, like so:

You could search for that, but would have to either load the user's registry hive or run it as them (startup script). And I believe several other folders, when changed, produce a similarly encoded name, so not sure how you would distinguish that {374DE290-...} is the new target for the Downloads folder and not something else. If the user goes so far as to redirect one folder, they may do so for others.

Edited March 30, 2017 by JLogan3o13

[TheAutomator]

Well, i guess i have to stick with the ugly solution then..

or do something like if fileexists()...

[JLogan3o13]

Yes, it could be ugly either way. You could do a fileExists, but unfortunately it won't tell you where the folder has been redirected. You would have to do something like this (pseudo):

If Not (FileExists(@UserProfileDir & "\Downloads")) Then
    For $a = 1 To 100
        $sVal = RegEnumVal("HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders", $a)
        If @error Then
            ExitLoop
        Else
            If StringInStr($sVal, "{374DE290-") Then
                ;further processing
            EndIf
        EndIf
    Next
EndIf

Even if you stick with the "ugly" C:\Users\TheAutomator\Downloads, if the user has moved the target you're sunk. Good luck with your project.

[Bowmore]

This link has a lot of information about special folders, their GUIDs and default locations etc.

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd378457(v=vs.85).aspx

[JLogan3o13]

So according to that page the GUID is static, after all. That should make things slightly easier for you, should you go that route, @TheAutomator

[AspirinJunkie]

#include <WinAPIShellEx.au3>

$s_Path_Downloads = _WinAPI_ShellGetKnownFolderPath($FOLDERID_Downloads)

MsgBox(0,"", $s_Path_Downloads)