Get shortpath using powershell

Question

I am trying to get shortpath using the below code in powershell. For some folders it works. For some it does not work.

$a = New-Object -ComObject Scripting.FileSystemObject 
$f = $a.GetFile("C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer") 
$f.ShortPath

I get the below error although the folders are available :

Exception calling "GetFile" with "1" argument(s): "Exception from HRESULT: 0x800A0035 (CTL_E_FILENOTFOUND)"
At C:\Misc\GetShortPath.ps1:4 char:1
+ $f = $a.GetFile("C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer")
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [], MethodInvocationException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : ComMethodTargetInvocation

Can someone please help

Answer 1

Distinguish files and folders:

$a = New-Object -ComObject Scripting.FileSystemObject 
$f = $a.GetFile("C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe") 
$f.ShortPath
$f = $a.GetFolder("C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer") 
$f.ShortPath

Output:

C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\iexplore.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1