Overview

The LnkFileInfo class is a class that parses LNK files and shows information about them, such as their target path, their icon, etc. Although LNK files are Windows-specific, this library is cross-platform, which means that it can also be used on non-Windows systems to parse LNK files that have been copied there from Windows.

Setup

This class requires C++17 or later to work, there are no dependencies to third-party libraries. You can then use this library by downloading lnkfileinfo.hpp and putting it in the same folder as your source code. This library is header only, so to use it, you just have to do #include "lnkfileinfo.hpp".

Usage

Constructors of the LnkFileInfo class

1. LnkFileInfo()

   Constructs an empty LnkFileInfo object. This object will be invalid until a new object is assigned to it.

2. LnkFileInfo(const std::string &file)

   Constructs a new LnkFileInfo object that gives information about the given LNK file. file can be an absolute or a relative path.

3. The copy constructor is automatically generated by the compiler.

Overloaded operators of the LnkFileInfo class

• bool operator==(const LnkFileInfo &other) const

  Returns true if this LnkFileInfo object refers to the same LNK file as other, and false otherwise. The behavior is undefined if both LnkFileInfo objects are either empty or refer to LNK files that do not exist.

• bool operator!=(const LnkFileInfo &other) const

  Returns false if this LnkFileInfo object refers to the same LNK file as other, and true otherwise. The behavior is undefined if both LnkFileInfo objects are either empty or refer to LNK files that do not exist.

• The copy assignment operator is automatically generated by the compiler.

Methods of the LnkFileInfo class

• std::string absoluteFilePath() const

  Returns the absolute path of the LNK file itself, including the file name.

• std::string absoluteTargetPath() const

  Returns the absolute path of the target file. If the LNK file does not exist or is invalid, returns an empty string. If the LNK file exists and is valid but points to a nonexistent file, returns the absolute path of that nonexistent file.

• std::string commandLineArgs() const

  Returns the command line arguments of the LNK file, if any, not including the target. For example, if the LNK file points to cmd.exe /v /c python.exe, this method will return /v /c python.exe.

• std::string description() const

  Returns the description of the LNK file. The description is the custom text that appears when hovering over the LNK file in Windows Explorer, and can be edited in Windows Explorer by going to Properties -> Comment. If the LNK file has no custom description, this method returns an empty string.

• bool exists() const

  Returns true if the LNK file exists, regardless of whether or not it is a valid LNK file, and returns false otherwise. See also isValid() and targetExists().

• std::string filePath() const

  Returns the path of the LNK file itself as specified in the constructor, including the file name. Can be absolute or relative.

• bool hasCustomIcon() const

  Returns true if the LNK file has a custom icon (including if the icon was manually set to be the same as its target), and false if it doesn't (meaning the icon shown in Windows Explorer is the same as the target's icon). See also iconPath() and iconIndex().

• std::string iconPath() const

  If the LNK file has a custom icon, returns the path to the file containing that icon. Returns an empty string if the LNK file has no custom icon. See also hasCustomIcon() and iconIndex().

• int iconIndex() const

  If the LNK file has a custom icon, returns the index of that icon in the icon file. Returns zero if the LNK file has no custom icon. See also hasCustomIcon() and iconPath().

• bool isValid() const

  Returns true if the LNK file exists and is a valid LNK file (regardless of whether or not the target exists), and false otherwise. See also exists() and targetExists().

• void refresh()

  Re-reads all the information about the LNK file from the file system.

• std::string relativeTargetPath() const

  Returns the the path of the target relative to the LNK file, as specified in the LNK file. This can be useful for example if the LNK file and the target are both on a removeable drive for which the drive letter has changed, or if a common parent folder to the target and the LNK file has been moved or renamed. If this information is not present in the LNK file, returns an empty string.

  This method only reads the information present in the LNK file, so the information might not be up to date.

• bool targetExists() const

  Returns true if the target exists, and false otherwise. See also exists() and isValid().

• bool targetHasAttribute(Attribute attribute) const

  Returns true if the target has the attribute attribute, and false otherwise. The attribute is of type LnkFileInfo::Attribute.

  This method only reads the information present in the LNK file, so the information might not be up to date.

• bool targetIsOnNetwork() const

  Returns true if the target is on a network drive, and false otherwise.

• unsigned int targetSize() const

  Returns the size of the target file in bytes. This method only reads the information present in the LNK file, so the information might not be up to date. For up to date information, you can use std::filesystem::file_size.

• int targetVolumeSerial() const

  Returns the serial number of the volume that the target is on. Returns zero if target is on a network drive.

• VolumeType targetVolumeType() const

  Returns the type of volume the target is on as a LnkFileInfo::VolumeType.

• std::string targetVolumeName() const

  Returns the name of the drive the target is on as shown in the This PC folder if that drive has a custom name, and an empty string otherwise. Note that on most Windows computers, while the hard drive is called "Local Disk" by default, this is not a custom name so an empty string will be returnd in that case.

• std::string workingDirectory() const

  Returns the working directory specified in the LNK file. This can be edited in Windows Explorer by going to Properties -> Start in.

LnkFileInfo::Attribute enum

This enum is used together with the targetHasAttribute method to check if the target has a given attribute according to the LNK file, and contains the following values:

• ReadOnly = 0x0001
• Hidden = 0x0002
• System = 0x0004
• VolumeLabel = 0x0008
• Directory = 0x0010
• Archive = 0x0020
• NtfsEfs = 0x0040
• Normal = 0x0080
• Temporary = 0x0100
• Sparse = 0x0200
• ReparsePointData = 0x0400
• Compressed = 0x0800
• Offline = 0x1000

For more information about what each of these attributes mean, see File attribute - Wikipedia.

LnkFileInfo::VolumeType enum

This enum is used together with the targetVolumeType method to indicate which type of volume the target is on, and contains the following values:

• Unknown = 0
• NoRootDirectory = 1
• Removable = 2
• HardDrive = 3
• NetworkDrive = 4
• CdRom = 5
• RamDrive = 6

Example code

Here is some example code that parses the Word.lnk shortcut on your desktop (if you have one). Note that the exact results may vary from one computer to another. Don't forget to change myname to your Windows user name.

#include <iostream>
#include "lnkfileinfo.hpp"

int main(){
    //Don't forget to make sure this file exists on your computer
    LnkFileInfo wordLnk("C:/Users/myname/Desktop/Word.lnk");

    std::cout << "Target path: " << wordLnk.absoluteTargetPath() << std::endl;    //C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\WINWORD.EXE
    std::cout << "Target path: " << wordLnk.relativeTargetPath() << std::endl;    //..\..\..\..\..\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\WINWORD.EXE
    std::cout << "Description: " << wordLnk.description() << std::endl;    //Create beautiful documents, easily work with others, and enjoy the read.
    std::cout << "Icon path: " << wordLnk.iconPath() << std::endl;    //C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Root\VFS\Windows\Installer\{90160000-000F-0000-1000-0000000FF1CE}\wordicon.exe
    std::cout << "Icon index: " << wordLnk.iconIndex() << std::endl;    //0, meaning the icon of the LNK file is the first icon in the the wordicon.exe file
    std::cout << "Target size: " << wordLnk.targetSize() << std::endl;    //1637680, which is the size the WINWORD.EXE file in bytes at the time the LNK file was created

    return 0;
}