Read Windows special folder path from App.Config file in C# and VB.Net

Hi kana250688,

Add the path in the App.config file by specifying special folder with %%.

Then read the value from App.config file and using RegularExpressions fetch the complete path.

Refer below example.

appSettings

<appSettings>
	<add key="DesktopPath" value="%Desktop%\Google Drive2\Katalog\KATALOG BORDIR FINAL\MASTERITEMBORDIRFINAL.accdb"/>
</appSettings>

Code

C#

string desktopPath = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["DesktopPath"];
string folder = new Regex("([%][^%]+[%])").Replace(desktopPath, (match) =>
{
    string specialFolderName = match.Value.Substring(1, match.Value.Length - 2);
    Environment.SpecialFolder specialFolder = (Environment.SpecialFolder)Enum.Parse(typeof(Environment.SpecialFolder), specialFolderName, true);
    return Environment.GetFolderPath(specialFolder);
});

VB.Net

Dim desktopPath As String = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings("DesktopPath")
Dim folder As String = New Regex("([%][^%]+[%])").Replace(desktopPath, Function(match)
                Dim specialFolderName As String = match.Value.Substring(1, match.Value.Length - 2)
                Dim specialFolder As Environment.SpecialFolder = CType([Enum].Parse(GetType(Environment.SpecialFolder), specialFolderName, True), Environment.SpecialFolder)
                Return Environment.GetFolderPath(specialFolder)
            End Function)

Generated path

C:\Users\DELL\Desktop\Google Drive2\Katalog\KATALOG BORDIR FINAL\MASTERITEMBORDIRFINAL.accdb