code: def _winreg_getShellFolder( name ):
      
      k = _winreg.OpenKey(
          _winreg.HKEY_CURRENT_USER,
          r"Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders"
      )
      try:
          # should check that it's valid? How?
          return _winreg.QueryValueEx( k, name )[0]
      finally:
          _winreg.CloseKey( k )
docs: Get a shell folder by string name from the registry