How To Get a Short Filename from a Long Filename

Under certain circumstances, it may be necessary to get the Short Filename equivalent of a file that has a Long Filename. The example below will allow you to select a file that has a Long Filename and return it's Short Filename using the GetShortPathName API Function call.

The following code example includes a function that will convert long filenames into their short filename equivalents and also includes a simple demonstration of the function's use.

Step-by-Step Example

1. Create a new Standard EXE project in Visual Basic. Form1 is created by default.
2. Place a CommandButton on Form1.
3. Place a Common Dialog control on the form.
4. From the Insert menu, select Module to add a single code module to the project.
5. Add the following code to Module1:

      Declare Function GetShortPathName Lib "kernel32" _
         Alias "GetShortPathNameA" (ByVal lpszLongPath As String, _
         ByVal lpszShortPath As String, ByVal cchBuffer As Long) As Long
   
      Public Function GetShortName(ByVal sLongFileName As String) As String
          Dim lRetVal As Long, sShortPathName As String, iLen As Integer
          'Set up buffer area for API function call return
          sShortPathName = Space(255)
          iLen = Len(sShortPathName)
   
          'Call the function
          lRetVal = GetShortPathName(sLongFileName, sShortPathName, iLen)
          'Strip away unwanted characters.
          GetShortName = Left(sShortPathName, lRetVal)
      End Function
   					

6. Add the following code to Form1:

      Private Sub Command1_Click()
        Dim msg As String
        CommonDialog1.FileName = "*.*"
        CommonDialog1.ShowOpen
        msg = "Long File Name: " & CommonDialog1.filename & vbCrLf
        msg = msg & "Short File Name: " & GetShortName(CommonDialog1.filename)
        MsgBox msg
      End Sub
   					

7. Run the project by pressing the F5 key. Click on the Command button to show the Open dialog box. Navigate the Open dialog box and find a file that has a Long Filename. Select the file and click OK.
8. The message box will display the Long File name along with its Short File name.

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: