Windows .lnk files (AKA "shell link" file) are most frequently used in Windows shell to create "shortcuts" to another files, usually for purposes of running a program from some other directory, sometimes with certain preconfigured arguments and some other options.
This page hosts a formal specification of Windows shell link file using Kaitai Struct. This specification can be automatically translated into a variety of programming languages to get a parsing library.
All parsing code for JavaScript generated by Kaitai Struct depends on the JavaScript runtime library. You have to install it before you can parse data.
The JavaScript runtime library is available at npm:
npm install kaitai-structSee the usage examples in the JavaScript notes.
Parse structure from an ArrayBuffer:
var arrayBuffer = ...;
var data = new WindowsLnkFile(new KaitaiStream(arrayBuffer));
After that, one can get various attributes from the structure by accessing fields or properties like:
data.header // => get header
// This is a generated file! Please edit source .ksy file and use kaitai-struct-compiler to rebuild
(function (root, factory) {
if (typeof define === 'function' && define.amd) {
define(['kaitai-struct/KaitaiStream', './WindowsShellItems'], factory);
} else if (typeof module === 'object' && module.exports) {
module.exports = factory(require('kaitai-struct/KaitaiStream'), require('./WindowsShellItems'));
} else {
root.WindowsLnkFile = factory(root.KaitaiStream, root.WindowsShellItems);
}
}(typeof self !== 'undefined' ? self : this, function (KaitaiStream, WindowsShellItems) {
/**
* Windows .lnk files (AKA "shell link" file) are most frequently used
* in Windows shell to create "shortcuts" to another files, usually for
* purposes of running a program from some other directory, sometimes
* with certain preconfigured arguments and some other options.
* @see {@link https://winprotocoldoc.blob.core.windows.net/productionwindowsarchives/MS-SHLLINK/[MS-SHLLINK].pdf|Source}
*/
var WindowsLnkFile = (function() {
WindowsLnkFile.WindowState = Object.freeze({
NORMAL: 1,
MAXIMIZED: 3,
MIN_NO_ACTIVE: 7,
1: "NORMAL",
3: "MAXIMIZED",
7: "MIN_NO_ACTIVE",
});
WindowsLnkFile.DriveTypes = Object.freeze({
UNKNOWN: 0,
NO_ROOT_DIR: 1,
REMOVABLE: 2,
FIXED: 3,
REMOTE: 4,
CDROM: 5,
RAMDISK: 6,
0: "UNKNOWN",
1: "NO_ROOT_DIR",
2: "REMOVABLE",
3: "FIXED",
4: "REMOTE",
5: "CDROM",
6: "RAMDISK",
});
function WindowsLnkFile(_io, _parent, _root) {
this._io = _io;
this._parent = _parent;
this._root = _root || this;
this._read();
}
WindowsLnkFile.prototype._read = function() {
this.header = new FileHeader(this._io, this, this._root);
if (this.header.flags.hasLinkTargetIdList) {
this.targetIdList = new LinkTargetIdList(this._io, this, this._root);
}
if (this.header.flags.hasLinkInfo) {
this.info = new LinkInfo(this._io, this, this._root);
}
if (this.header.flags.hasName) {
this.name = new StringData(this._io, this, this._root);
}
if (this.header.flags.hasRelPath) {
this.relPath = new StringData(this._io, this, this._root);
}
if (this.header.flags.hasWorkDir) {
this.workDir = new StringData(this._io, this, this._root);
}
if (this.header.flags.hasArguments) {
this.arguments = new StringData(this._io, this, this._root);
}
if (this.header.flags.hasIconLocation) {
this.iconLocation = new StringData(this._io, this, this._root);
}
}
/**
* @see {@link https://winprotocoldoc.blob.core.windows.net/productionwindowsarchives/MS-SHLLINK/[MS-SHLLINK].pdf|Section 2.2}
*/
var LinkTargetIdList = WindowsLnkFile.LinkTargetIdList = (function() {
function LinkTargetIdList(_io, _parent, _root) {
this._io = _io;
this._parent = _parent;
this._root = _root || this;
this._read();
}
LinkTargetIdList.prototype._read = function() {
this.lenIdList = this._io.readU2le();
this._raw_idList = this._io.readBytes(this.lenIdList);
var _io__raw_idList = new KaitaiStream(this._raw_idList);
this.idList = new WindowsShellItems(_io__raw_idList, this, null);
}
return LinkTargetIdList;
})();
var StringData = WindowsLnkFile.StringData = (function() {
function StringData(_io, _parent, _root) {
this._io = _io;
this._parent = _parent;
this._root = _root || this;
this._read();
}
StringData.prototype._read = function() {
this.charsStr = this._io.readU2le();
this.str = KaitaiStream.bytesToStr(this._io.readBytes((this.charsStr * 2)), "UTF-16LE");
}
return StringData;
})();
/**
* @see {@link https://winprotocoldoc.blob.core.windows.net/productionwindowsarchives/MS-SHLLINK/[MS-SHLLINK].pdf|Section 2.3}
*/
var LinkInfo = WindowsLnkFile.LinkInfo = (function() {
function LinkInfo(_io, _parent, _root) {
this._io = _io;
this._parent = _parent;
this._root = _root || this;
this._read();
}
LinkInfo.prototype._read = function() {
this.lenAll = this._io.readU4le();
this._raw_all = this._io.readBytes((this.lenAll - 4));
var _io__raw_all = new KaitaiStream(this._raw_all);
this.all = new All(_io__raw_all, this, this._root);
}
/**
* @see {@link https://winprotocoldoc.blob.core.windows.net/productionwindowsarchives/MS-SHLLINK/[MS-SHLLINK].pdf|Section 2.3.1}
*/
var VolumeIdBody = LinkInfo.VolumeIdBody = (function() {
function VolumeIdBody(_io, _parent, _root) {
this._io = _io;
this._parent = _parent;
this._root = _root || this;
this._read();
}
VolumeIdBody.prototype._read = function() {
this.driveType = this._io.readU4le();
this.driveSerialNumber = this._io.readU4le();
this.ofsVolumeLabel = this._io.readU4le();
if (this.isUnicode) {
this.ofsVolumeLabelUnicode = this._io.readU4le();
}
}
Object.defineProperty(VolumeIdBody.prototype, 'isUnicode', {
get: function() {
if (this._m_isUnicode !== undefined)
return this._m_isUnicode;
this._m_isUnicode = this.ofsVolumeLabel == 20;
return this._m_isUnicode;
}
});
Object.defineProperty(VolumeIdBody.prototype, 'volumeLabelAnsi', {
get: function() {
if (this._m_volumeLabelAnsi !== undefined)
return this._m_volumeLabelAnsi;
if (!(this.isUnicode)) {
var _pos = this._io.pos;
this._io.seek((this.ofsVolumeLabel - 4));
this._m_volumeLabelAnsi = KaitaiStream.bytesToStr(this._io.readBytesTerm(0, false, true, true), "cp437");
this._io.seek(_pos);
}
return this._m_volumeLabelAnsi;
}
});
return VolumeIdBody;
})();
/**
* @see {@link https://winprotocoldoc.blob.core.windows.net/productionwindowsarchives/MS-SHLLINK/[MS-SHLLINK].pdf|Section 2.3}
*/
var All = LinkInfo.All = (function() {
function All(_io, _parent, _root) {
this._io = _io;
this._parent = _parent;
this._root = _root || this;
this._read();
}
All.prototype._read = function() {
this.lenHeader = this._io.readU4le();
this._raw_header = this._io.readBytes((this.lenHeader - 8));
var _io__raw_header = new KaitaiStream(this._raw_header);
this.header = new Header(_io__raw_header, this, this._root);
}
Object.defineProperty(All.prototype, 'volumeId', {
get: function() {
if (this._m_volumeId !== undefined)
return this._m_volumeId;
if (this.header.flags.hasVolumeIdAndLocalBasePath) {
var _pos = this._io.pos;
this._io.seek((this.header.ofsVolumeId - 4));
this._m_volumeId = new VolumeIdSpec(this._io, this, this._root);
this._io.seek(_pos);
}
return this._m_volumeId;
}
});
Object.defineProperty(All.prototype, 'localBasePath', {
get: function() {
if (this._m_localBasePath !== undefined)
return this._m_localBasePath;
if (this.header.flags.hasVolumeIdAndLocalBasePath) {
var _pos = this._io.pos;
this._io.seek((this.header.ofsLocalBasePath - 4));
this._m_localBasePath = this._io.readBytesTerm(0, false, true, true);
this._io.seek(_pos);
}
return this._m_localBasePath;
}
});
return All;
})();
/**
* @see {@link https://winprotocoldoc.blob.core.windows.net/productionwindowsarchives/MS-SHLLINK/[MS-SHLLINK].pdf|Section 2.3.1}
*/
var VolumeIdSpec = LinkInfo.VolumeIdSpec = (function() {
function VolumeIdSpec(_io, _parent, _root) {
this._io = _io;
this._parent = _parent;
this._root = _root || this;
this._read();
}
VolumeIdSpec.prototype._read = function() {
this.lenAll = this._io.readU4le();
this._raw_body = this._io.readBytes((this.lenAll - 4));
var _io__raw_body = new KaitaiStream(this._raw_body);
this.body = new VolumeIdBody(_io__raw_body, this, this._root);
}
return VolumeIdSpec;
})();
/**
* @see {@link https://winprotocoldoc.blob.core.windows.net/productionwindowsarchives/MS-SHLLINK/[MS-SHLLINK].pdf|Section 2.3}
*/
var LinkInfoFlags = LinkInfo.LinkInfoFlags = (function() {
function LinkInfoFlags(_io, _parent, _root) {
this._io = _io;
this._parent = _parent;
this._root = _root || this;
this._read();
}
LinkInfoFlags.prototype._read = function() {
this.reserved1 = this._io.readBitsIntBe(6);
this.hasCommonNetRelLink = this._io.readBitsIntBe(1) != 0;
this.hasVolumeIdAndLocalBasePath = this._io.readBitsIntBe(1) != 0;
this.reserved2 = this._io.readBitsIntBe(24);
}
return LinkInfoFlags;
})();
/**
* @see {@link https://winprotocoldoc.blob.core.windows.net/productionwindowsarchives/MS-SHLLINK/[MS-SHLLINK].pdf|Section 2.3}
*/
var Header = LinkInfo.Header = (function() {
function Header(_io, _parent, _root) {
this._io = _io;
this._parent = _parent;
this._root = _root || this;
this._read();
}
Header.prototype._read = function() {
this.flags = new LinkInfoFlags(this._io, this, this._root);
this.ofsVolumeId = this._io.readU4le();
this.ofsLocalBasePath = this._io.readU4le();
this.ofsCommonNetRelLink = this._io.readU4le();
this.ofsCommonPathSuffix = this._io.readU4le();
if (!(this._io.isEof())) {
this.ofsLocalBasePathUnicode = this._io.readU4le();
}
if (!(this._io.isEof())) {
this.ofsCommonPathSuffixUnicode = this._io.readU4le();
}
}
return Header;
})();
return LinkInfo;
})();
/**
* @see {@link https://winprotocoldoc.blob.core.windows.net/productionwindowsarchives/MS-SHLLINK/[MS-SHLLINK].pdf|Section 2.1.1}
*/
var LinkFlags = WindowsLnkFile.LinkFlags = (function() {
function LinkFlags(_io, _parent, _root) {
this._io = _io;
this._parent = _parent;
this._root = _root || this;
this._read();
}
LinkFlags.prototype._read = function() {
this.isUnicode = this._io.readBitsIntBe(1) != 0;
this.hasIconLocation = this._io.readBitsIntBe(1) != 0;
this.hasArguments = this._io.readBitsIntBe(1) != 0;
this.hasWorkDir = this._io.readBitsIntBe(1) != 0;
this.hasRelPath = this._io.readBitsIntBe(1) != 0;
this.hasName = this._io.readBitsIntBe(1) != 0;
this.hasLinkInfo = this._io.readBitsIntBe(1) != 0;
this.hasLinkTargetIdList = this._io.readBitsIntBe(1) != 0;
this._unnamed8 = this._io.readBitsIntBe(16);
this.reserved = this._io.readBitsIntBe(5);
this.keepLocalIdListForUncTarget = this._io.readBitsIntBe(1) != 0;
this._unnamed11 = this._io.readBitsIntBe(2);
}
return LinkFlags;
})();
/**
* @see {@link https://winprotocoldoc.blob.core.windows.net/productionwindowsarchives/MS-SHLLINK/[MS-SHLLINK].pdf|Section 2.1}
*/
var FileHeader = WindowsLnkFile.FileHeader = (function() {
function FileHeader(_io, _parent, _root) {
this._io = _io;
this._parent = _parent;
this._root = _root || this;
this._read();
}
FileHeader.prototype._read = function() {
this.lenHeader = this._io.readBytes(4);
if (!((KaitaiStream.byteArrayCompare(this.lenHeader, [76, 0, 0, 0]) == 0))) {
throw new KaitaiStream.ValidationNotEqualError([76, 0, 0, 0], this.lenHeader, this._io, "/types/file_header/seq/0");
}
this.linkClsid = this._io.readBytes(16);
if (!((KaitaiStream.byteArrayCompare(this.linkClsid, [1, 20, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 192, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 70]) == 0))) {
throw new KaitaiStream.ValidationNotEqualError([1, 20, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 192, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 70], this.linkClsid, this._io, "/types/file_header/seq/1");
}
this._raw_flags = this._io.readBytes(4);
var _io__raw_flags = new KaitaiStream(this._raw_flags);
this.flags = new LinkFlags(_io__raw_flags, this, this._root);
this.fileAttrs = this._io.readU4le();
this.timeCreation = this._io.readU8le();
this.timeAccess = this._io.readU8le();
this.timeWrite = this._io.readU8le();
this.targetFileSize = this._io.readU4le();
this.iconIndex = this._io.readS4le();
this.showCommand = this._io.readU4le();
this.hotkey = this._io.readU2le();
this.reserved = this._io.readBytes(10);
if (!((KaitaiStream.byteArrayCompare(this.reserved, [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]) == 0))) {
throw new KaitaiStream.ValidationNotEqualError([0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], this.reserved, this._io, "/types/file_header/seq/11");
}
}
/**
* Technically, a size of the header, but in reality, it's
* fixed by standard.
*/
/**
* 16-byte class identified (CLSID), reserved for Windows shell
* link files.
*/
/**
* Lower 32 bits of the size of the file that this link targets
*/
/**
* Index of an icon to use from target file
*/
/**
* Window state to set after the launch of target executable
*/
return FileHeader;
})();
return WindowsLnkFile;
})();
return WindowsLnkFile;
}));