Shell API - Cannot move my file in the Recycle Bin if deleted from an alias

The Shell API provides functions for interacting with the Windows shell, including moving files to the Recycle Bin. However, when you delete a file using an alias (such as a symbolic link or a mapped network drive), the original file path may not be recognized by the Shell API, leading to issues when attempting to move the file to the Recycle Bin.

One possible workaround is to use the original file path instead of the alias when calling the Shell API functions. This ensures that the Shell API can locate and interact with the file correctly. You can obtain the original file path using various methods, such as resolving the alias to its target path.

Here's an example in Python using the ctypes library to call the Shell API functions:

pythonCopy code
import ctypes



# Define constants

FO_DELETE = 0x0003

FOF_ALLOWUNDO = 0x0040



# Load shell32.dll

shell32 = ctypes.windll.shell32



# Define the SHFILEOPSTRUCT structure

class SHFILEOPSTRUCT(ctypes.Structure):

    _fields_ = [

        ("hwnd", ctypes.c_void_p),

        ("wFunc", ctypes.c_uint),

        ("pFrom", ctypes.c_wchar_p),

        ("pTo", ctypes.c_wchar_p),

        ("fFlags", ctypes.c_uint),

        ("fAnyOperationsAborted", ctypes.c_bool),

        ("hNameMappings", ctypes.c_void_p),

        ("lpszProgressTitle", ctypes.c_wchar_p),

    ]



# Define the RecycleBin function

def move_to_recycle_bin(file_path):

    # Set up the SHFILEOPSTRUCT parameters

    file_op_struct = SHFILEOPSTRUCT()

    file_op_struct.wFunc = FO_DELETE

    file_op_struct.pFrom = file_path

    file_op_struct.fFlags = FOF_ALLOWUNDO



    # Call the SHFileOperation function

    result = shell32.SHFileOperationW(ctypes.byref(file_op_struct))



    # Check the result

    if result != 0:

        print("Failed to move the file to the Recycle Bin")



# Usage example

file_path = r"C:\Path\To\My\File.txt"

move_to_recycle_bin(file_path)

In this example, move_to_recycle_bin is a function that takes the original file path as a parameter and moves the file to the Recycle Bin using the SHFileOperationW function from shell32.dll. The FO_DELETE flag indicates that the file should be deleted, and the FOF_ALLOWUNDO flag enables the operation to be undone.

By providing the original file path instead of the alias, you can ensure that the file is correctly moved to the Recycle Bin regardless of how it was deleted.

Keep in mind that the specific implementation may vary depending on the programming language and framework you are using. Consult the documentation and reference materials for your chosen language to find the appropriate functions and structures for interacting with the Shell API.