Get filepath of file on windows phone without explorer

Question

I recently found that you can browse the contents of my windows 8.1 phone using windows explorer.

I want to access it through programs other then windows explorer, but if I right click -> properties to look at the filepath, I get this:

Computer\Lumia920\Phone\Pictures\Testfolder\someimage.png

that is the entire filepath, there is no drive root (C:/). I also noticed that trying to drag this file over a console window, which usually fills in the file's path, doesn't work (it shows the cancel symbol (/) ), and shift-right clicking also doesn't show "copy as path".

Is there really no way to access these files except through explorer? I've never seen a filepath without a drive root before...is there some hidden folder where the phone is actually mounted and its just hiding it from me?

Answer 1

The path you see is VIRTUAL path of virtual object. Such objects are implemented by creation of Namespace Shell Extensions. Most of application can process real files only and cannot access to virtual objects, because they are not the part of real file system. And the only way to process virtual objects is using navigation throw shell namespace instead of real file system. And most programs and developers ignore this possibility because it requests a lot of additional code. So you can access to these files only from programs allows you to navigate throw shell namespace.