Question

Where is IE history stored?

Asked by: kiphughes

Does anyone know how I can figure out where IE is saving its history? In Window Me, and previous versions of Windows, I believe it was saved in C:\Windows\History. This is not the case in Windows XP. I think there might be a registry setting that directs IE where to store its history. Does anyone know of a VB function that might extract that directory or something?

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Asked On
2002-09-17 at 18:34:00ID20360031
Tags

where

,

ie

,

stored

,

history

Topic

Visual Basic Programming

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Answers

 

by: Richie_SimonettiPosted on 2002-09-17 at 19:15:53ID: 7287153

It's just a guess (fortunatelly, i don't use XP :):
I think you have to see at documents and settings folder for the current logged user. I think it is tored "phisically" there and configuration should be in hkey_current_user key...

 

by: ryancysPosted on 2002-09-17 at 19:30:24ID: 7287178

Richie is correct, try find the History Folder at:

C:\Documents and Settings\<User>\Local Settings\History

 

by: mcorrea1976Posted on 2002-09-17 at 19:38:51ID: 7287197

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders\IEFOLDER

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders\IEFOLDER

Change IEFOLDER to:
Cache = Cache folder aka "Temporary Internet Files"
Cookies = Cookies folder
Favorites = Favorites folder
History = History folder

By default in Windows XP the history folder is
%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\History

Cya

 

by: kiphughesPosted on 2002-09-17 at 19:56:32ID: 7287224

mcorrea1976,

i have verified the registry settings to be correct on both XP and Me. do you know if this is the same for earlier versions of windows?

also, how do i extract the folder name indicated by register in VB? is there a function to obtain this value?

 

by: mcorrea1976Posted on 2002-09-18 at 00:58:13ID: 7287587

Put this in a module:

Public Enum SHFolders
  CSIDL_DESKTOP = &H0                  ' <desktop>
  CSIDL_INTERNET = &H1                 ' Internet Explorer (icon on desktop)
  CSIDL_PROGRAMS = &H2                 ' Start Menu\Programs
  CSIDL_CONTROLS = &H3                 ' My Computer\Control Panel
  CSIDL_PRINTERS = &H4                 ' My Computer\Printers
  CSIDL_PERSONAL = &H5                 ' My Documents
  CSIDL_FAVORITES = &H6                ' <user name>\Favorites
  CSIDL_STARTUP = &H7                  ' Start Menu\Programs\Startup
  CSIDL_RECENT = &H8                   ' <user name>\Recent
  CSIDL_SENDTO = &H9                   ' <user name>\SendTo
  CSIDL_BITBUCKET = &HA                ' <desktop>\Recycle Bin
  CSIDL_STARTMENU = &HB                ' <user name>\Start Menu
  CSIDL_MYDOCUMENTS = &HC              ' logical "My Documents" desktop icon
  CSIDL_MYMUSIC = &HD                  ' "My Music" folder
  CSIDL_MYVIDEO = &HE                  ' "My Videos" folder
  CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORY = &H10        ' <user name>\Desktop
  CSIDL_DRIVES = &H11                  ' My Computer
  CSIDL_NETWORK = &H12                 ' Network Neighborhood (My Network Places)
  CSIDL_NETHOOD = &H13                 ' <user name>\nethood
  CSIDL_FONTS = &H14                   ' windows\fonts
  CSIDL_TEMPLATES = &H15
  CSIDL_COMMON_STARTMENU = &H16        ' All Users\Start Menu
  CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS = &H17         ' All Users\Start Menu\Programs
  CSIDL_COMMON_STARTUP = &H18          ' All Users\Startup
  CSIDL_COMMON_DESKTOPDIRECTORY = &H19 ' All Users\Desktop
  CSIDL_APPDATA = &H1A                 ' <user name>\Application Data
  CSIDL_PRINTHOOD = &H1B               ' <user name>\PrintHood
  CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA = &H1C           ' <user name>\Local Settings\Applicaiton Data (non roaming)
  CSIDL_ALTSTARTUP = &H1D              ' non localized startup
  CSIDL_COMMON_ALTSTARTUP = &H1E       ' non localized common startup
  CSIDL_COMMON_FAVORITES = &H1F
  CSIDL_INTERNET_CACHE = &H20
  CSIDL_COOKIES = &H21
  CSIDL_HISTORY = &H22                 ' IE History folder
  CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA = &H23          ' All Users\Application Data
  CSIDL_WINDOWS = &H24                 ' GetWindowsDirectory()
  CSIDL_SYSTEM = &H25                  ' GetSystemDirectory()
  CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES = &H26           ' C:\Program Files
  CSIDL_MYPICTURES = &H27              ' C:\Program Files\My Pictures
  CSIDL_PROFILE = &H28                 ' USERPROFILE
  CSIDL_SYSTEMX86 = &H29               ' x86 system directory on RISC
  CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILESX86 = &H2A        ' x86 C:\Program Files on RISC
  CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMON = &H2B    ' C:\Program Files\Common
  CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES_COMMONX86 = &H2C ' x86 Program Files\Common on RISC
  CSIDL_COMMON_TEMPLATES = &H2D        ' All Users\Templates
  CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS = &H2E        ' All Users\Documents
  CSIDL_COMMON_ADMINTOOLS = &H2F       ' All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools
  CSIDL_ADMINTOOLS = &H30              ' <user name>\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools
  CSIDL_CONNECTIONS = &H31             ' Network and Dial-up Connections
  CSIDL_COMMON_MUSIC = &H35            ' All Users\My Music
  CSIDL_COMMON_PICTURES = &H36         ' All Users\My Pictures
  CSIDL_COMMON_VIDEO = &H37            ' All Users\My Video
  CSIDL_RESOURCES = &H38               ' Resource Direcotry
  CSIDL_COMMON_OEM_LINKS = &H3A        ' Links to All Users OEM specific apps
  CSIDL_CDBURN_AREA = &H3B             ' USERPROFILE\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\CD Burning
  CSIDL_COMPUTERSNEARME = &H3D         ' Computers Near Me (computered from Workgroup membership)
End Enum
Private Type ITEMIDLIST
  mkid As Long
End Type
Public Declare Function SHGetPathFromIDList Lib "shell32" _
   Alias "SHGetPathFromIDListA" _
   (ByVal pidl As Long, _
   ByVal pszPath As String) As Long
Public Declare Function SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Lib "shell32" _
   (ByVal hwndOwner As Long, _
   ByVal nFolder As Long, _
   pidl As Long) As Long
Public Function GetSpecialFolder(hwndOwner As Long, CSIDL As Long) As String
  'a few local variables needed
  Dim sPath As String
  Dim pidl As Long
  Const ERROR_SUCCESS = 0
  Const MAX_LENGTH = 260
  'fill pidl with the specified folder item
  If SHGetSpecialFolderLocation(hwndOwner, CSIDL, pidl) = ERROR_SUCCESS Then
    'Of the structure is filled, initialize and
    'retrieve the path from the id list, and return
    'the folder with a trailing slash appended.
    sPath = Space$(MAX_LENGTH)
    If SHGetPathFromIDList(ByVal pidl, ByVal sPath) Then
      GetSpecialFolder = Left$(sPath, InStr(sPath, Chr$(0)) - 1) & "\"
    End If
  End If
End Function

Call it from a window. Example:

Private Sub Form_Load()
  Debug.Print "History folder " & GetSpecialFolder(Me.hWnd, CSIDL_HISTORY)
End Sub

Enjoy.

Mike

 

by: kiphughesPosted on 2002-09-18 at 09:20:24ID: 7288703

it's more than what i asked for, but, thanks.

 

by: mcorrea1976Posted on 2002-09-18 at 13:09:25ID: 7289522

Yes, but using GetSpecialFolder and SHGetPathFromIDList you're going into the safest way. Registry locations may change in future, who knows what are MS plans? ; )

Mike

 

by: mguillerPosted on 2003-05-09 at 01:01:21ID: 8494025

Just a little problem if the path to the folder is the root of a drive(e.g. 'E:\'), there will two '\' at the end of the returned string.
With this little correction it works fine:

Public Function GetSpecialFolder(hwndOwner As Long, CSIDL As Long) As String
 'a few local variables needed
 Dim sPath As String
 Dim pidl As Long
 Const ERROR_SUCCESS = 0
 Const MAX_LENGTH = 260
 'fill pidl with the specified folder item
 If SHGetSpecialFolderLocation(hwndOwner, CSIDL, pidl) = ERROR_SUCCESS Then
   'Of the structure is filled, initialize and
   'retrieve the path from the id list, and return
   'the folder with a trailing slash appended.
   sPath = Space$(MAX_LENGTH)
   If SHGetPathFromIDList(ByVal pidl, ByVal sPath) Then
     GetSpecialFolder = Left$(sPath, InStr(sPath, Chr$(0)) - 1)
     ' If the last characted is already "\", there's no need to add a new one
     If Right$(GetSpecialFolder, 1) <> "\" Then
        GetSpecialFolder = GetSpecialFolder & "\"
    End If
   End If
 End If
End Function

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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