VerFindFile info  Overview  Group

The VerFindFile function determines where to install a file based on whether it locates another version of the file in the system. The values VerFindFile returns in the specified buffers are used in a subsequent call to the VerInstallFile function.

As with the other file installation functions, VerFindFile works only with Win32 file images. It does not work with 16-bit Windows file images.

DWORD VerFindFile(

DWORD dwFlags,	// bit flags that condition function behavior
LPTSTR szFileName,	// file to be installed
LPTSTR szWinDir,	// Windows directory
LPTSTR szAppDir,	// directory where related files are being installed
LPTSTR szCurDir,	// receives path of directory where file is currently installed
PUINT lpuCurDirLen,	// size of string in szCurDir
LPTSTR szDestDir,	// receives path of recommended destination directory
PUINT lpuDestDirLen	// size of string in szDestDir
);

Parameters

dwFlags

Contains a bitmask of flags. This parameter can be the following value:

Flag	Description
VFFF_ISSHAREDFILE	The source file can be shared by multiple applications. An application can use this information to determine where the file should be copied.

All other values are reserved.

szFileName

Points to the name of the file to be installed. The filename can include only the filename and extension, not a path.

szWinDir

Points to the directory in which Windows is running or will be run. This string is returned by the GetWindowsDirectory function.

szAppDir

Points to the directory where the installation program is installing a set of related files. If the installation program is installing an application, this is the directory where the application will reside. This parameter also points to the application’s current directory unless otherwise specified.

szCurDir

Points to a buffer that receives the path to a current version of the file being installed. The path is a zero-terminated string. If a current version is not installed, the buffer will contain a zero-length string. The buffer should be at least _MAX_PATH characters long, although this is not required.

lpuCurDirLen

Points to a variable that contains the length of the szCurDir buffer. This pointer must not be NULL.

When the function returns, lpuCurDirLen contains the size, in characters, of the data returned in szCurDir, including the terminating null character. If the buffer is too small to contain all the data, lpuCurDirLen will be the size of the buffer required to hold the path.

szDestDir

Points to a buffer that receives the path to the installation location recommended by VerFindFile. The path is a zero-terminated string. The buffer should be at least _MAX_PATH characters long, although this is not required.

lpuDestDirLen

Points to a variable that contains the length of the szDestDir buffer. This pointer must not be NULL.

When the function returns, lpuDestDirLen contains the size, in characters, of the data returned in szDestDir, including the terminating null character. If the buffer is too small to contain all the data, lpuDestDirLen will be the size of the buffer needed to hold the path.

Return Values

The return value is a bitmask that indicates the status of the file. It can be one or more of the following values:

Value	Meaning
VFF_CURNEDEST	The currently installed version of the file is not in the recommended destination.
VFF_FILEINUSE	Windows is using the currently installed version of the file; therefore, the file cannot be overwritten or deleted.
VFF_BUFFTOOSMALL	At least one of the buffers was too small to contain the corresponding string. An application should check the output buffers to determine which buffer was too small.

All other values are reserved.

Remarks

VerFindFile searches for a copy of the specified file by using the OpenFile function. However, it determines the system directory from the specified Windows directory, or searches the path.

If the dwFlags parameter indicates that the file is private to this application (not VFFF_ISSHAREDFILE), VerFindFile recommends installing the file in the application’s directory. Otherwise, if the system is running a shared copy of Windows, the function recommends installing the file in the Windows directory. If the system is running a private copy of Windows, the function recommends installing the file in the system directory.

See Also

GetWindowsDirectory, OpenFile, VerInstallFile 

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