WOW64 woes (.lnk shortcuts)

Question

I'm using Windows 7 (x64) and Delphi 2010.

I'm writing a component that will emulate the start menu. However, I've run into the following problems:

1. If I attempt to open a shortcut (.lnk file) with ShellExecute, this will fail whenever %ProgramFiles% is part of the target path of the shortcut (it will then look at the C:\Program Files (x86) folder instead of C:\Program Files);
2. ShGetFileInfo fails to extract the correct index of the icon in the system image list if %ProgramFiles% is part of the path to the icon file (same problem as above).

Is there any workaround to the above issues or do I have to wait for native 64-bit Delphi to become available for this to work?

Answer 1

I think you should call Wow64DisableWow64FsRedirection before and Wow64RevertWow64FsRedirection aftyer.

Answer 2

Ok, a small example that demonstrates the problem.

I invoke ShellExecute with the following parameters:

ShellExecute(Handle, 'open', 'C:\Users\...\Internet Explorer (64-bit).lnk', nil, nil, SW_SHOWNORMAL);

The target of Internet Explorer (64-bit).lnk is:

C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe

However, the 32-bit version of iexplore.exe is opened nonetheless. In this case the path doesn't even use %ProgramFiles%, so somehow ShellExecute will translate C:\Program Files to C:\Program Files (x86) internally. I have no idea how to make it open the 64-bit version of iexplore.exe instead.

Another problem, after calling Wow64DisableWow64FsRedirection, ShellExecute will no longer open folders.

Answer 3

The following environment variables will always point to the right direction on a 64-bit machine, and will be undefined on a 32-bit machine:

from a 32-bit shell on a 32-bit architecture:

C:\>echo %processor_architecture%
x86
C:\>echo %programfiles(x86)%
%programfiles(x86)%
C:\>echo %programw6432%
%programw6432%
C:\>echo %programfiles%
C:\Program Files

from a 32-bit shell on a 64-bit architecture:

C:\>echo %processor_architecture%
x86
C:\>echo %programfiles(x86)%
C:\Program Files (x86)
C:\>echo %programw6432%
C:\Program Files
C:\>echo %programfiles%
C:\Program Files (x86)

from a 64-bit shell:

C:\>echo %processor_architecture%
AMD64
C:\>echo %programfiles(x86)%
C:\Program Files (x86)
C:\>echo %programw6432%
C:\Program Files
C:\>echo %programfiles%
C:\Program Files

Try substituting them before running the application.