file_exists confusion

[sandyrepope]

I've read the help on file_exists but I don't understand what it needs to work. I need my script to check for a file on the disk.

With file_exists do I need a path? If so, what command do I need to use to get the correct path?

I just need more information than the help file gives.

Thanks
Sandy

[Petr Schreiber]

Hi sandy,

what kind of file do you need to check then when you have no full path ?
If it is some file relative to script directory, you could try:


FILE_EXISTS( APP_SOURCEPATH+"MyFile.txt")


If you could give example I could help better :)


Bye,
Petr

[sandyrepope]

Petr, tried your line and it worked so I don't have an example. I just wanted the script to check to see if a certain file was on the disk and do some things if it was.

Thanks for the line that I needed!
Sandy

[ErosOlmi]

Sandy,

I will add some more info into help. Here, as Petr said, the problem seems to be the path (ie file name). FILE_EXISTS need the full path of the file to be checked. If no full path, FILE_EXISTS search in current directory but sometimes you cannot be sure what current directory is, so always better to pass full path names. DIR_GetCurrent will get back the current directory

APP_SourcePath or APP_ScriptPath functions will always return the script path, so this can be a start.

Ciao
Eros

[sandyrepope]

Here is a sample script using file_exists:


uses "UI"
USES "File"


dim fName as string
dim sFile as long



fName = "testing.txt"



look


function look()
' sFile = file_exists(app_sourcepath + fName)
sFile = file_exists(dir_getcurrent + "\" + fName)
msgbox 0, dir_getcurrent

If sFile = %true then
msgbox 0, "file exists"
else
msgbox 0, "file doesn't exist!"

end if
end function

As you can see... dir_getcurrent doesn't work with file_exists unless there is a backslash ( \ ) placed before the file name. Note: app_sourcepath provides the \.

I've also noticed that in the help, under dir_getcurrent, it talks about the drivename. The entry is very confusing as to what it's talking about.

Thanks
Sandy

[ErosOlmi]

Ok, I will try to add more info in help. You are right.

A drive name is the name of the disk: C:, D:, E:, ...
Every drive have a Current Directory. In the system there is also a CurrentDrive that is the one taken from dir_getcurrent in case you do not specify any drive name.

I know, it is quite confusing, and that's why a sied to always specify a file with full path.

Anyhow, I will fix dir_getcurrent to return a "\" at the end.

Thanks
Eros