python - How to use IFileOperation from ctypes

Question

I want to use IFileOperation to copy files from python code -

• It's fast(er than python)
• You get a nice dialog
• Doesn't block Python

On Windows 10, Python 3.8 -

import ctypes

ctypes.windll.shell32.IFileOperation

doesn't seem to exist.

How can I reach IFileOperation (Not the deprecated SHFileOperation API) using ctypes?

Answer 1

Sure, it's located in pythoncom and shell for constants, for example:

from win32com.shell import shell
import pythoncom

# create an instance of IFileOperation
fo = pythoncom.CoCreateInstance(shell.CLSID_FileOperation, None, pythoncom.CLSCTX_ALL, shell.IID_IFileOperation)

# here you can use SetOperationFlags, progress Sinks, etc.

# create an instance of IShellItem for the source item
item1 = shell.SHCreateItemFromParsingName("c:\temp\source.txt", None, shell.IID_IShellItem)

# create an instance of IShellItem for the target folder
folder = shell.SHCreateItemFromParsingName("c:\another", None, shell.IID_IShellItem)

# queue the copy operation
fo.CopyItem(item1, folder, "new name.txt", None)

# commit
fo.PerformOperations()