Get Directory Path to 12 Hive programmatically

Question

Is there any way to get the directory path of the 12 Hive programmatically? I am creating a feature which delivers a file to the XML directory in the 12 hive, and I don't want to hardcode the directory path in my code.

Is there any Object Model property which exposes the 12 Hive directory path string as a property?

Gapeworm

Answer 1

You can use the Microsoft.SharePoint.Utilities.SPUtility.GetGenericSetupPath() method. See for more information the WSS SDK: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/microsoft.sharepoint.utilities.sputility.getgenericsetuppath.aspx

Douala

That is the correct answer Waldek! If you for some reason want to get a subfolder, like features, use SPUtility.GetGenericSetupPath(@"TEMPLATE\FEATURES") – Inexpressible

Answer 2

Why would you need to put xml files in the 12 hive? That way you are working "unsupported" Wouldn't it be easier to just deploy to the TEMPLATE\XML folder?

Brigettebrigg

I agree. Use a tool like STSDEV or Visual Studio 2008 Extensions for WSS v1.3. It will help you build a solution package (wsp) and your feature and will lay down your files in the appropriate location in the 12 hive. No deployment code is necessary with this approach. – Stew

Or WSPBuilder, which i use mostly. – Brigettebrigg

Answer 3

Have you ever seen a SharePoint installation where the 12-hive was not in the same place as usual? I don't think Microsoft even supports having it somewhere else..

Even so you can probably do a MapPath to the "/_layouts" directory to get the value.

Hepzi

The 12-hive path can change depending on whether you have installed SharePoint on a 32bit or 64bit platform. Also, you may not have installed your server with a C:\ drive as root. – Project

The installation path also depends on the OS language. – Synchrocyclotron

Answer 4

32bit vs. 64bit shouldn't matter because in either case Program Files is c:\Program Files.

What does matter is OS language which can change the literal text of c:\Program Files\Common Files. The right way to get that directory is: System.Environment.GetFolderPath(System.Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonProgramFiles);

Then you can use that folder and then concatenate the rest of the items...I don't think those items are language specific.

Eijkman

Answer 5

Just want to add that if you use MapPath() in Sharepoint, you receive a path that points to the location of the website, by default 'Inetpub', such as:

C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\wss\VirtualDirectories\12345\myFolder

The path doesn't point to the 12-hive.

Dimissory