VBA attempting to open file which name contains characters above high-ascii (256) - vba

Question

What I'd like to achieve is opening a file from the previously-stored variable. The problem is the filename sometimes contains characters like ŰŐ. VBA environment changes them to the closest one UO. So I'm unable to open a workbook included with "special" characters. What I have tried so far:
Sub open_last_modified()
Dim fso As New FileSystemObject
Dim files, folder, lmfile As String
Dim lmdate As Date
' a file previously created on desktop ( like őőőűűű.xlsx)
' with a proper filename, both method works very well
folder = ("C:\Users\szidzse\Desktop\")
files = Dir(folder & "*.*", vbNormal)
Do While files <> ""
On Error Resume Next 'if it contains non
If FileDateTime(folder & files) > lmdate Then
lmdate = FileDateTime(folder & files)
lmfile = files 'the last modified file what i'd like to open even if it has non-ascii characters.
End If
files = Dir
Loop
Set a = Workbooks.Open(folder & lmfile, ReadOnly:=True) 'does nothing when filename is not proper.
fso.CopyFile Source:=folder & lmfile, Destination:=folder & "temp.xlsx" 'file not found (I've tried to copy and rename it to a proper name.)
End Sub
I've also tried StrConv(string, vbFromUnicode or vbUnicode) without success.
Any help will be appreciated.

Answer 1

Please, test the next function. It should replace the non ASCII characters with similar ones:
Function replaceNonASCIICh(x As String) As String
Dim i As Long
For i = 1 To Len(x)
If AscW(Mid(x, i, 1)) <> Asc(Mid(x, i, 1)) Then
x = Replace(x, Mid(x, i, 1), Chr(Asc(Mid(x, i, 1))))
End If
Next i
replaceNonASCIICh = x
End Function
I tested it on the two not ASCII characters we could see/copy, in the next way:
Sub testReplaceNonASCII()
Dim x As String, result As String
x = ChrW(368) & ChrW(79) 'the string containing the characters you show us
result = replaceNonASCIICh(x)
ActiveCell.Offset(1).Value = result 'in Immediate Window non ASCII characters cannot be seen as they are...
End Sub
I do not know what other characters should be involved. Please, test it on your cases and send some feedback.
Now, supposing that Dir returns all files from the folder, even if their name contain non ASCII characters, you should firstly iterate between all of them and change their names, using the above function (and Name function). If it looks complicated, but if Dir returns them, I will show you how to proceed...
If you share such a file (supposing it is not confidential) I can try testing the code I posted, only supposing that it should work...
Edited:
I copied the workbook you sent in a folder named "InvalidCharacters", like subfolder of the one running the code. Then, I (manually) changed its name adding a suffix and copy it again (keeping the non ASCII characters). Please, do the same and test the following code:
Sub changeNonASCIIFileName()
Dim FSOLibrary As Object, fldObj As Object, fsoFile As Object
Dim foldPath As String, fileName As String, newName As String
Set FSOLibrary = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
foldPath = ThisWorkbook.path & "\InvalidCharacters\"
Set fldObj = FSOLibrary.GetFolder(foldPath)
For Each fsoFile In fldObj.files
On Error Resume Next 'if no characters to be replaced you cannot rename the file...
fsoFile.Name = replaceNonASCIICh(fsoFile.Name)
On Error GoTo 0
Next
End Sub
It uses the above function. Please, take care to be there!
I would like to receive some feedback after testing it...

Answer 2

#FaneDuru sorry for my late response.
Your code works, for me, it returns uo instead of űő. But gives File not found. when attempting to open. In my special case for opening a file, putting a question mark where the invalid character is doing the trick.
Workbooks.Open("C:\Users\User\invalid??.xlsx") opens successfully the file named: invalidűő.xlsx
Getting that file's last modified date is a bit trickier,if I tried to store as string it runs into error, file not found, so it must be done via FSO and a lot of mess with the strings, and telling the editor that "Hey this is from Middle European code table!!" so in my case:
Chr(254) is ő in the mid-euro table. If your string contains this char in the editor it handles as the following.
Chr(254) is õ in the western table.
Setting the string with the specified Unicode hex code here ChrW$(&H151) is the key. (Accented o letter). While Chr(254) is (o letter with tilde, or without).
Sub lmfile_check2()
Dim files As String
Dim folder As String
Dim lmdate As Date
Dim lmfile As String
files = Empty
For i = 1 To 11
folder = ThisWorkbook.Sheets(1).Cells(i, 2).Value
files = Dir(folder & "*.*", vbNormal)
Do While files <> ""
On Error Resume Next
If FileDateTime(folder & files) = Empty Then GoTo 2
On Error GoTo 2
lmdate_2:
If FileDateTime(folder & files) > lmdate Or lmdate2 > lmdate Then
If IsEmpty(FileDateTime(folder & files)) Then
GoTo ende
End If
lmfile = files '
If lmdate2 > lmdate And lmdate <> Empty Then
lmdate = lmdate2
Else
lmdate = FileDateTime(folder & files)
End If
End If
GoTo ende
2:
If InStr(1, files, "hétfo") > 0 Then 'this section is for known invalid character
Set fs = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
files2 = Replace(files, "hetfo", "hetf" & ChrW$(&H151), 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
l = Len(files2)
files2 = Left(files2, l - 5)
Set f = fs.GetFile(folder & files2 & ChrW$(&H151) & ".xls")
lmdate2 = f.DateLastModified
If lmdate2 > lmdate Then
lmdate = lmdate2
lmfile = Replace(files, "hetfo", "hetf" & "?", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
GoTo vege
End If
End If
GoTo lmdate_2
ende:
files = Dir
Loop
ThisWorkbook.Sheets(1).Cells(i, 1) = folder & lmfile
ThisWorkbook.Sheets(1).Cells(i, 4) = lmdate
Set f = Nothing
lmdate = Empty
lmfile = Empty
Next i
For i = 1 To 11
ThisWorkbook.Sheets(1).Cells(i, 1) = Replace(ThisWorkbook.Sheets(1).Cells(i, 1), "hétfo", "hétf" & "?", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
Next i
MsgBox "Vertig"
End Sub