Question

I was using hard-coded directory path to Program Files to move file. I would now like to use the correct method to find the folder in Program Files.

I have found this method doing some Googling and it is what i would like to use:

static string ProgramFilesx86()
{
    if( 8 == IntPtr.Size || (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("PROCESSOR_ARCHITEW6432"))))
    {
        return Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("ProgramFiles(x86)");
    }

    return Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("ProgramFiles");
}

I unfortunately am not sure how to implement and use this method.

1. Where do i insert the method in my app?

2. How do i use the above instead of this:

   if (File.Exists(@"C:\PROGRA~1\TEST\ok.txt"))
       File.Delete(@"C:\PROGRA~1\TEST\ok.txt");
   File.Copy(@"C:\PROGRA~1\PROGRAMFOLDER\ok.txt", @"C:\PROGRA~1\TEST\ok.txt");
   

Answer 1

It’s much easier to get the special folders like Program Files using

Environment.SpecialFolders

string programFilesFolder = 
    Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ProgramFilesX86)

Continuing that example you could do something like this

string pathToFile = 
    Path.Combine(programFilesFolder, @"TEST\ok.txt");

if (File.Exists(pathToFile)) 
    File.Delete(pathToFile);

UPDATE

Modified the code example to always get the 32-bit Program Files folder whether you’re running 32- or 64-bit OS as @Mario pointed out that’s what your original code was doing.