Getting File Version...

How do you get the version of a DLL or EXE on your PC?
I have seen code where you have to downlaod a DLL from a web site. This DLL contains some API that deals with getting the file info.

Do I have to do this?

There must be an easier way....???

Woof

i use this, works pretty well...

How's this?

VB Code:

Const VS_FFI_SIGNATURE = &HFEEF04BD
Const VS_FFI_STRUCVERSION = &H10000
Const VS_FFI_FILEFLAGSMASK = &H3F&
Const VS_FF_DEBUG = &H1
Const VS_FF_PRERELEASE = &H2
Const VS_FF_PATCHED = &H4
Const VS_FF_PRIVATEBUILD = &H8
Const VS_FF_INFOINFERRED = &H10
Const VS_FF_SPECIALBUILD = &H20
Const VOS_UNKNOWN = &H0
Const VOS_DOS = &H10000
Const VOS_OS216 = &H20000
Const VOS_OS232 = &H30000
Const VOS_NT = &H40000
Const VOS__BASE = &H0
Const VOS__WINDOWS16 = &H1
Const VOS__PM16 = &H2
Const VOS__PM32 = &H3
Const VOS__WINDOWS32 = &H4
Const VOS_DOS_WINDOWS16 = &H10001
Const VOS_DOS_WINDOWS32 = &H10004
Const VOS_OS216_PM16 = &H20002
Const VOS_OS232_PM32 = &H30003
Const VOS_NT_WINDOWS32 = &H40004
Const VFT_UNKNOWN = &H0
Const VFT_APP = &H1
Const VFT_DLL = &H2
Const VFT_DRV = &H3
Const VFT_FONT = &H4
Const VFT_VXD = &H5
Const VFT_STATIC_LIB = &H7
Const VFT2_UNKNOWN = &H0
Const VFT2_DRV_PRINTER = &H1
Const VFT2_DRV_KEYBOARD = &H2
Const VFT2_DRV_LANGUAGE = &H3
Const VFT2_DRV_DISPLAY = &H4
Const VFT2_DRV_MOUSE = &H5
Const VFT2_DRV_NETWORK = &H6
Const VFT2_DRV_SYSTEM = &H7
Const VFT2_DRV_INSTALLABLE = &H8
Const VFT2_DRV_SOUND = &H9
Const VFT2_DRV_COMM = &HA
Private Type VS_FIXEDFILEINFO
   dwSignature As Long
   dwStrucVersionl As Integer     '  e.g. = &h0000 = 0
   dwStrucVersionh As Integer     '  e.g. = &h0042 = .42
   dwFileVersionMSl As Integer    '  e.g. = &h0003 = 3
   dwFileVersionMSh As Integer    '  e.g. = &h0075 = .75
   dwFileVersionLSl As Integer    '  e.g. = &h0000 = 0
   dwFileVersionLSh As Integer    '  e.g. = &h0031 = .31
   dwProductVersionMSl As Integer '  e.g. = &h0003 = 3
   dwProductVersionMSh As Integer '  e.g. = &h0010 = .1
   dwProductVersionLSl As Integer '  e.g. = &h0000 = 0
   dwProductVersionLSh As Integer '  e.g. = &h0031 = .31
   dwFileFlagsMask As Long        '  = &h3F for version "0.42"
   dwFileFlags As Long            '  e.g. VFF_DEBUG Or VFF_PRERELEASE
   dwFileOS As Long               '  e.g. VOS_DOS_WINDOWS16
   dwFileType As Long             '  e.g. VFT_DRIVER
   dwFileSubtype As Long          '  e.g. VFT2_DRV_KEYBOARD
   dwFileDateMS As Long           '  e.g. 0
   dwFileDateLS As Long           '  e.g. 0
End Type
Private Declare Function GetFileVersionInfo Lib "Version.dll" Alias "GetFileVersionInfoA" (ByVal lptstrFilename As String, ByVal dwhandle As Long, ByVal dwlen As Long, lpData As Any) As Long
Private Declare Function GetFileVersionInfoSize Lib "Version.dll" Alias "GetFileVersionInfoSizeA" (ByVal lptstrFilename As String, lpdwHandle As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function VerQueryValue Lib "Version.dll" Alias "VerQueryValueA" (pBlock As Any, ByVal lpSubBlock As String, lplpBuffer As Any, puLen As Long) As Long
Private Declare Sub MoveMemory Lib "kernel32" Alias "RtlMoveMemory" (dest As Any, ByVal Source As Long, ByVal length As Long)
Dim Filename As String, Directory As String, FullFileName As String
Dim StrucVer As String, FileVer As String, ProdVer As String
Dim FileFlags As String, FileOS As String, FileType As String, FileSubType As String
Private Sub DisplayVerInfo()
   Dim rc As Long, lDummy As Long, sBuffer() As Byte
   Dim lBufferLen As Long, lVerPointer As Long, udtVerBuffer As VS_FIXEDFILEINFO
   Dim lVerbufferLen As Long
 
   '*** Get size ****
   lBufferLen = GetFileVersionInfoSize(FullFileName, lDummy)
   If lBufferLen < 1 Then
      MsgBox "No Version Info available!"
      Exit Sub
   End If
 
   '**** Store info to udtVerBuffer struct ****
   ReDim sBuffer(lBufferLen)
   rc = GetFileVersionInfo(FullFileName, 0&, lBufferLen, sBuffer(0))
   rc = VerQueryValue(sBuffer(0), "\", lVerPointer, lVerbufferLen)
   MoveMemory udtVerBuffer, lVerPointer, Len(udtVerBuffer)
 
   '**** Determine Structure Version number - NOT USED ****
   StrucVer = Format$(udtVerBuffer.dwStrucVersionh) & "." & Format$(udtVerBuffer.dwStrucVersionl)
 
   '**** Determine File Version number ****
   FileVer = Format$(udtVerBuffer.dwFileVersionMSh) & "." & Format$(udtVerBuffer.dwFileVersionMSl) & "." & Format$(udtVerBuffer.dwFileVersionLSh) & "." & Format$(udtVerBuffer.dwFileVersionLSl)
 
   '**** Determine Product Version number ****
   ProdVer = Format$(udtVerBuffer.dwProductVersionMSh) & "." & Format$(udtVerBuffer.dwProductVersionMSl) & "." & Format$(udtVerBuffer.dwProductVersionLSh) & "." & Format$(udtVerBuffer.dwProductVersionLSl)
 
   '**** Determine Boolean attributes of File ****
   FileFlags = ""
   If udtVerBuffer.dwFileFlags And VS_FF_DEBUG Then FileFlags = "Debug "
   If udtVerBuffer.dwFileFlags And VS_FF_PRERELEASE Then FileFlags = FileFlags & "PreRel "
   If udtVerBuffer.dwFileFlags And VS_FF_PATCHED Then FileFlags = FileFlags & "Patched "
   If udtVerBuffer.dwFileFlags And VS_FF_PRIVATEBUILD Then FileFlags = FileFlags & "Private "
   If udtVerBuffer.dwFileFlags And VS_FF_INFOINFERRE Then FileFlags = FileFlags & "Info "
   If udtVerBuffer.dwFileFlags And VS_FF_SPECIALBUILD Then FileFlags = FileFlags & "Special "
   If udtVerBuffer.dwFileFlags And VFT2_UNKNOWN Then FileFlags = FileFlags + "Unknown "
 
   '**** Determine OS for which file was designed ****
   Select Case udtVerBuffer.dwFileOS
      Case VOS_DOS_WINDOWS16
        FileOS = "DOS-Win16"
      Case VOS_DOS_WINDOWS32
        FileOS = "DOS-Win32"
      Case VOS_OS216_PM16
        FileOS = "OS/2-16 PM-16"
      Case VOS_OS232_PM32
        FileOS = "OS/2-16 PM-32"
      Case VOS_NT_WINDOWS32
        FileOS = "NT-Win32"
      Case other
        FileOS = "Unknown"
   End Select
   Select Case udtVerBuffer.dwFileType
      Case VFT_APP
         FileType = "App"
      Case VFT_DLL
         FileType = "DLL"
      Case VFT_DRV
         FileType = "Driver"
         Select Case udtVerBuffer.dwFileSubtype
            Case VFT2_DRV_PRINTER
               FileSubType = "Printer drv"
            Case VFT2_DRV_KEYBOARD
               FileSubType = "Keyboard drv"
            Case VFT2_DRV_LANGUAGE
               FileSubType = "Language drv"
            Case VFT2_DRV_DISPLAY
               FileSubType = "Display drv"
            Case VFT2_DRV_MOUSE
               FileSubType = "Mouse drv"
            Case VFT2_DRV_NETWORK
               FileSubType = "Network drv"
            Case VFT2_DRV_SYSTEM
               FileSubType = "System drv"
            Case VFT2_DRV_INSTALLABLE
               FileSubType = "Installable"
            Case VFT2_DRV_SOUND
               FileSubType = "Sound drv"
            Case VFT2_DRV_COMM
               FileSubType = "Comm drv"
            Case VFT2_UNKNOWN
               FileSubType = "Unknown"
         End Select
      Case VFT_FONT
         FileType = "Font"
         Select Case udtVerBuffer.dwFileSubtype
            Case VFT_FONT_RASTER
               FileSubType = "Raster Font"
            Case VFT_FONT_VECTOR
               FileSubType = "Vector Font"
            Case VFT_FONT_TRUETYPE
               FileSubType = "TrueType Font"
         End Select
      Case VFT_VXD
         FileType = "VxD"
      Case VFT_STATIC_LIB
         FileType = "Lib"
      Case Else
         FileType = "Unknown"
   End Select
End Sub
Private Sub Form_Load()
    'KPD-Team 2000
    'URL: [url]http://www.allapi.net/[/url]
    'E-Mail: [email][email protected][/email]
    'Source -> MS Knowledge Base
    'set the file
    Filename = "kernel32.dll"
    Directory = "c:\windows\system\"
    FullFileName = Directory + Filename
    'set graphics mode to persistent
    Me.AutoRedraw = True
    'retrieve the information
    DisplayVerInfo
    'show the results
    Me.Print "Full filename: " + FullFileName
    Me.Print "File version: " + FileVer
    Me.Print "Product version: " + ProdVer
    Me.Print "File flags: " + FileFlags
    Me.Print "File OS: " + FileOS
    Me.Print "File type: " + FileType + IIf(FileSubType = "", "", " (" + FileSubType + ")")
End Sub

Cheers for the code you both posted.

What's the difference between product version and file versions?

Woooof

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Wokawidget

What's the difference between product version and file versions?

---

just a way for programmers to differentiate the file version from a product version :)

yea, but they are always both the same value...arn't they?

Woof

often.

don't get stuck on this :) it's just a way to allow multiple file version for a same product version (ex: product v2.1.10 file versions 2.1.10 for winNT and 2.1.11 for win98)...

Yep, I've seen some MS programs with a product (or was it file?) version being the same as the Windows version number.

Having different product versions on each may or may not mean that they are different in some way... but I haven't got multiple copies of files to test it with!

Why not just use the FileSystemObject to get what you need?

Will this give me the file version number?

Woka

Yes. There is a GetFileVersion method for a File type under the FSO...

Example to List the File and Version for all files in WINDOWS/SYSTEM32 dir...

Dim fso As Object
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Dim fle As Object
Set fle = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject.File")

Dim s As String

For Each fle In fso.GetFolder("c:\winnt\system32").Files

s = s & fle & vbTab & fso.GetFileVersion(fle) & vbCrLf

Next
Debug.Print s

Good Luck,

Hume

:D

Big Biggady-Biggady-Bong to you :)

Woof

Glad to help. There was a really good white paper put out by the Mandelbrot Set, "Using the File System Object and some other 'Scripting Stuff') in Visual Basic", on using the File System Object. Do a Google hit and take a look. Opened my eyes to some things I never knew about...

Later

Hume