Binaryworld - GetFileDescription - Get a file's description through Windows API ... [ VB -> Files & Folder ]

Private Const MAX_PATH = 260

Private Type SHFILEINFO
  hIcon As Long
  iIcon As Long
  dwAttributes As Long
  szDisplayName As String * MAX_PATH
  szTypeName As String * 80
End Type

Private Declare Function SHGetFileInfo Lib "Shell32" Alias "SHGetFileInfoA" _
  (ByVal pszPath As Any, ByVal dwFileAttributes As Long, psfi As SHFILEINFO, _
  ByVal cbFileInfo As Long, ByVal uFlags As Long) As Long

' Returns the description of the specified file/folder
' (for example "Folder", "Executable file", "Bmp Image" and so on)

Function GetFileDescription(ByVal sPath As String) As String
  Const SHGFI_TYPENAME = &H400

  Dim FInfo As SHFILEINFO

  ' retrieve the item's attributes
  SHGetFileInfo sPath, 0, FInfo, Len(FInfo), SHGFI_TYPENAME
  ' read the szTypeName field
  GetFileDescription = Left$(FInfo.szTypeName, InStr(FInfo.szTypeName & _
    vbNullChar, vbNullChar) - 1)
End Function