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 Python generated by Kaitai Struct depends on the Python runtime library. You have to install it before you can parse data.
The Python runtime library can be installed from PyPI:
python3 -m pip install kaitaistructParse a local file and get structure in memory:
data = WindowsLnkFile.from_file("path/to/local/file.lnk")
Or parse structure from a bytes:
from kaitaistruct import KaitaiStream, BytesIO
raw = b"\x00\x01\x02..."
data = WindowsLnkFile(KaitaiStream(BytesIO(raw)))
After that, one can get various attributes from the structure by invoking getter methods like:
data.header # => get header
# This is a generated file! Please edit source .ksy file and use kaitai-struct-compiler to rebuild
# type: ignore
import kaitaistruct
from kaitaistruct import KaitaiStruct, KaitaiStream, BytesIO
import windows_shell_items
from enum import IntEnum
if getattr(kaitaistruct, 'API_VERSION', (0, 9)) < (0, 11):
raise Exception("Incompatible Kaitai Struct Python API: 0.11 or later is required, but you have %s" % (kaitaistruct.__version__))
class WindowsLnkFile(KaitaiStruct):
"""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.
.. seealso::
Source - https://winprotocoldoc.blob.core.windows.net/productionwindowsarchives/MS-SHLLINK/[MS-SHLLINK].pdf
"""
class DriveTypes(IntEnum):
unknown = 0
no_root_dir = 1
removable = 2
fixed = 3
remote = 4
cdrom = 5
ramdisk = 6
class WindowState(IntEnum):
normal = 1
maximized = 3
min_no_active = 7
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
super(WindowsLnkFile, self).__init__(_io)
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root or self
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.header = WindowsLnkFile.FileHeader(self._io, self, self._root)
if self.header.flags.has_link_target_id_list:
pass
self.target_id_list = WindowsLnkFile.LinkTargetIdList(self._io, self, self._root)
if self.header.flags.has_link_info:
pass
self.info = WindowsLnkFile.LinkInfo(self._io, self, self._root)
if self.header.flags.has_name:
pass
self.name = WindowsLnkFile.StringData(self._io, self, self._root)
if self.header.flags.has_rel_path:
pass
self.rel_path = WindowsLnkFile.StringData(self._io, self, self._root)
if self.header.flags.has_work_dir:
pass
self.work_dir = WindowsLnkFile.StringData(self._io, self, self._root)
if self.header.flags.has_arguments:
pass
self.arguments = WindowsLnkFile.StringData(self._io, self, self._root)
if self.header.flags.has_icon_location:
pass
self.icon_location = WindowsLnkFile.StringData(self._io, self, self._root)
def _fetch_instances(self):
pass
self.header._fetch_instances()
if self.header.flags.has_link_target_id_list:
pass
self.target_id_list._fetch_instances()
if self.header.flags.has_link_info:
pass
self.info._fetch_instances()
if self.header.flags.has_name:
pass
self.name._fetch_instances()
if self.header.flags.has_rel_path:
pass
self.rel_path._fetch_instances()
if self.header.flags.has_work_dir:
pass
self.work_dir._fetch_instances()
if self.header.flags.has_arguments:
pass
self.arguments._fetch_instances()
if self.header.flags.has_icon_location:
pass
self.icon_location._fetch_instances()
class FileHeader(KaitaiStruct):
"""
.. seealso::
Section 2.1 - https://winprotocoldoc.blob.core.windows.net/productionwindowsarchives/MS-SHLLINK/[MS-SHLLINK].pdf
"""
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
super(WindowsLnkFile.FileHeader, self).__init__(_io)
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.len_header = self._io.read_bytes(4)
if not self.len_header == b"\x4C\x00\x00\x00":
raise kaitaistruct.ValidationNotEqualError(b"\x4C\x00\x00\x00", self.len_header, self._io, u"/types/file_header/seq/0")
self.link_clsid = self._io.read_bytes(16)
if not self.link_clsid == b"\x01\x14\x02\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\xC0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x46":
raise kaitaistruct.ValidationNotEqualError(b"\x01\x14\x02\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\xC0\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x46", self.link_clsid, self._io, u"/types/file_header/seq/1")
self._raw_flags = self._io.read_bytes(4)
_io__raw_flags = KaitaiStream(BytesIO(self._raw_flags))
self.flags = WindowsLnkFile.LinkFlags(_io__raw_flags, self, self._root)
self.file_attrs = self._io.read_u4le()
self.time_creation = self._io.read_u8le()
self.time_access = self._io.read_u8le()
self.time_write = self._io.read_u8le()
self.target_file_size = self._io.read_u4le()
self.icon_index = self._io.read_s4le()
self.show_command = KaitaiStream.resolve_enum(WindowsLnkFile.WindowState, self._io.read_u4le())
self.hotkey = self._io.read_u2le()
self.reserved = self._io.read_bytes(10)
if not self.reserved == b"\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00":
raise kaitaistruct.ValidationNotEqualError(b"\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00", self.reserved, self._io, u"/types/file_header/seq/11")
def _fetch_instances(self):
pass
self.flags._fetch_instances()
class LinkFlags(KaitaiStruct):
"""
.. seealso::
Section 2.1.1 - https://winprotocoldoc.blob.core.windows.net/productionwindowsarchives/MS-SHLLINK/[MS-SHLLINK].pdf
"""
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
super(WindowsLnkFile.LinkFlags, self).__init__(_io)
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.is_unicode = self._io.read_bits_int_be(1) != 0
self.has_icon_location = self._io.read_bits_int_be(1) != 0
self.has_arguments = self._io.read_bits_int_be(1) != 0
self.has_work_dir = self._io.read_bits_int_be(1) != 0
self.has_rel_path = self._io.read_bits_int_be(1) != 0
self.has_name = self._io.read_bits_int_be(1) != 0
self.has_link_info = self._io.read_bits_int_be(1) != 0
self.has_link_target_id_list = self._io.read_bits_int_be(1) != 0
self._unnamed8 = self._io.read_bits_int_be(16)
self.reserved = self._io.read_bits_int_be(5)
self.keep_local_id_list_for_unc_target = self._io.read_bits_int_be(1) != 0
self._unnamed11 = self._io.read_bits_int_be(2)
def _fetch_instances(self):
pass
class LinkInfo(KaitaiStruct):
"""
.. seealso::
Section 2.3 - https://winprotocoldoc.blob.core.windows.net/productionwindowsarchives/MS-SHLLINK/[MS-SHLLINK].pdf
"""
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
super(WindowsLnkFile.LinkInfo, self).__init__(_io)
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.len_all = self._io.read_u4le()
self._raw_all = self._io.read_bytes(self.len_all - 4)
_io__raw_all = KaitaiStream(BytesIO(self._raw_all))
self.all = WindowsLnkFile.LinkInfo.All(_io__raw_all, self, self._root)
def _fetch_instances(self):
pass
self.all._fetch_instances()
class All(KaitaiStruct):
"""
.. seealso::
Section 2.3 - https://winprotocoldoc.blob.core.windows.net/productionwindowsarchives/MS-SHLLINK/[MS-SHLLINK].pdf
"""
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
super(WindowsLnkFile.LinkInfo.All, self).__init__(_io)
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.len_header = self._io.read_u4le()
self._raw_header = self._io.read_bytes(self.len_header - 8)
_io__raw_header = KaitaiStream(BytesIO(self._raw_header))
self.header = WindowsLnkFile.LinkInfo.Header(_io__raw_header, self, self._root)
def _fetch_instances(self):
pass
self.header._fetch_instances()
_ = self.local_base_path
if hasattr(self, '_m_local_base_path'):
pass
_ = self.volume_id
if hasattr(self, '_m_volume_id'):
pass
self._m_volume_id._fetch_instances()
@property
def local_base_path(self):
if hasattr(self, '_m_local_base_path'):
return self._m_local_base_path
if self.header.flags.has_volume_id_and_local_base_path:
pass
_pos = self._io.pos()
self._io.seek(self.header.ofs_local_base_path - 4)
self._m_local_base_path = self._io.read_bytes_term(0, False, True, True)
self._io.seek(_pos)
return getattr(self, '_m_local_base_path', None)
@property
def volume_id(self):
if hasattr(self, '_m_volume_id'):
return self._m_volume_id
if self.header.flags.has_volume_id_and_local_base_path:
pass
_pos = self._io.pos()
self._io.seek(self.header.ofs_volume_id - 4)
self._m_volume_id = WindowsLnkFile.LinkInfo.VolumeIdSpec(self._io, self, self._root)
self._io.seek(_pos)
return getattr(self, '_m_volume_id', None)
class Header(KaitaiStruct):
"""
.. seealso::
Section 2.3 - https://winprotocoldoc.blob.core.windows.net/productionwindowsarchives/MS-SHLLINK/[MS-SHLLINK].pdf
"""
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
super(WindowsLnkFile.LinkInfo.Header, self).__init__(_io)
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.flags = WindowsLnkFile.LinkInfo.LinkInfoFlags(self._io, self, self._root)
self.ofs_volume_id = self._io.read_u4le()
self.ofs_local_base_path = self._io.read_u4le()
self.ofs_common_net_rel_link = self._io.read_u4le()
self.ofs_common_path_suffix = self._io.read_u4le()
if (not (self._io.is_eof())):
pass
self.ofs_local_base_path_unicode = self._io.read_u4le()
if (not (self._io.is_eof())):
pass
self.ofs_common_path_suffix_unicode = self._io.read_u4le()
def _fetch_instances(self):
pass
self.flags._fetch_instances()
if (not (self._io.is_eof())):
pass
if (not (self._io.is_eof())):
pass
class LinkInfoFlags(KaitaiStruct):
"""
.. seealso::
Section 2.3 - https://winprotocoldoc.blob.core.windows.net/productionwindowsarchives/MS-SHLLINK/[MS-SHLLINK].pdf
"""
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
super(WindowsLnkFile.LinkInfo.LinkInfoFlags, self).__init__(_io)
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.reserved1 = self._io.read_bits_int_be(6)
self.has_common_net_rel_link = self._io.read_bits_int_be(1) != 0
self.has_volume_id_and_local_base_path = self._io.read_bits_int_be(1) != 0
self.reserved2 = self._io.read_bits_int_be(24)
def _fetch_instances(self):
pass
class VolumeIdBody(KaitaiStruct):
"""
.. seealso::
Section 2.3.1 - https://winprotocoldoc.blob.core.windows.net/productionwindowsarchives/MS-SHLLINK/[MS-SHLLINK].pdf
"""
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
super(WindowsLnkFile.LinkInfo.VolumeIdBody, self).__init__(_io)
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.drive_type = KaitaiStream.resolve_enum(WindowsLnkFile.DriveTypes, self._io.read_u4le())
self.drive_serial_number = self._io.read_u4le()
self.ofs_volume_label = self._io.read_u4le()
if self.is_unicode:
pass
self.ofs_volume_label_unicode = self._io.read_u4le()
def _fetch_instances(self):
pass
if self.is_unicode:
pass
_ = self.volume_label_ansi
if hasattr(self, '_m_volume_label_ansi'):
pass
@property
def is_unicode(self):
if hasattr(self, '_m_is_unicode'):
return self._m_is_unicode
self._m_is_unicode = self.ofs_volume_label == 20
return getattr(self, '_m_is_unicode', None)
@property
def volume_label_ansi(self):
if hasattr(self, '_m_volume_label_ansi'):
return self._m_volume_label_ansi
if (not (self.is_unicode)):
pass
_pos = self._io.pos()
self._io.seek(self.ofs_volume_label - 4)
self._m_volume_label_ansi = (self._io.read_bytes_term(0, False, True, True)).decode(u"IBM437")
self._io.seek(_pos)
return getattr(self, '_m_volume_label_ansi', None)
class VolumeIdSpec(KaitaiStruct):
"""
.. seealso::
Section 2.3.1 - https://winprotocoldoc.blob.core.windows.net/productionwindowsarchives/MS-SHLLINK/[MS-SHLLINK].pdf
"""
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
super(WindowsLnkFile.LinkInfo.VolumeIdSpec, self).__init__(_io)
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.len_all = self._io.read_u4le()
self._raw_body = self._io.read_bytes(self.len_all - 4)
_io__raw_body = KaitaiStream(BytesIO(self._raw_body))
self.body = WindowsLnkFile.LinkInfo.VolumeIdBody(_io__raw_body, self, self._root)
def _fetch_instances(self):
pass
self.body._fetch_instances()
class LinkTargetIdList(KaitaiStruct):
"""
.. seealso::
Section 2.2 - https://winprotocoldoc.blob.core.windows.net/productionwindowsarchives/MS-SHLLINK/[MS-SHLLINK].pdf
"""
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
super(WindowsLnkFile.LinkTargetIdList, self).__init__(_io)
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.len_id_list = self._io.read_u2le()
self._raw_id_list = self._io.read_bytes(self.len_id_list)
_io__raw_id_list = KaitaiStream(BytesIO(self._raw_id_list))
self.id_list = windows_shell_items.WindowsShellItems(_io__raw_id_list)
def _fetch_instances(self):
pass
self.id_list._fetch_instances()
class StringData(KaitaiStruct):
def __init__(self, _io, _parent=None, _root=None):
super(WindowsLnkFile.StringData, self).__init__(_io)
self._parent = _parent
self._root = _root
self._read()
def _read(self):
self.chars_str = self._io.read_u2le()
self.str = (self._io.read_bytes(self.chars_str * 2)).decode(u"UTF-16LE")
def _fetch_instances(self):
pass