I apologise for my lack of basic VB.net knowledge but I'm looking to use the equivalent of %systemdrive% to find the drive containing Windows to check for an existing directory in VB.net - so I have the below.
Dim systemPath As String = Mid(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.System), 1, 3)
If Not Directory.Exists("'systemPath'\MyFolder") Then
Directory.CreateDirectory("'systemPath'\MyFolder")
End If
Can someone help with using the systemPath string in the directory query? Thank you.
Well you should write
Dim systemPath As String = Mid(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.System), 1, 3)
If Not Directory.Exists(Path.Combine(systemPath, "MyFolder")) Then
Directory.CreateDirectory(Path.Combine(systemPath, "MyFolder"))
End If
You could get the environment variable called %SYSTEMDRIVE% with Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable, but then the results obtained should be manually combined with current directory separator char ("\") because I have not found any way to convince Path.Combine to build a valid path with only the system drive (I.E. C: )
Dim sysDrive = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("SystemDrive")
Dim myPath = sysDrive & Path.DirectorySeparatorChar & "MyFolder"
IO.Path has methods that should be used IMHO
Dim sysDrive As String = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("SystemDrive") & IO.Path.DirectorySeparatorChar
Dim myPath As String = IO.Path.Combine(sysDrive, "FolderName")
Related
how do I add a path to a code where "HERE_HAS_TO_BE_A_PATH" is. When I do, Im getting an error message. The goal is to be able to specific the path where is the final text file saved.
Thanks!
Here is a code:
Dim newFile As IO.StreamWriter = IO.File.CreateText("HERE_HAS_TO_BE_A_PATH")
Dim fix As String
fix = My.Computer.FileSystem.ReadAllText("C:\test.txt")
fix = Replace(fix, ",", ".")
My.Computer.FileSystem.WriteAllText("C:\test.txt", fix, False)
Dim query = From data In IO.File.ReadAllLines("C:\test.txt")
Let name As String = data.Split(" ")(0)
Let x As Decimal = data.Split(" ")(1)
Let y As Decimal = data.Split(" ")(2)
Let z As Decimal = data.Split(" ")(3)
Select name & " " & x & "," & y & "," & z
For i As Integer = 0 To query.Count - 1
newFile.WriteLine(query(i))
Next
newFile.Close()
1) Use a literal string:
The easiest way is replacing "HERE_HAS_TO_BE_A_PATH" with the literal path to desired output target, so overwriting it with "C:\output.txt":
Dim newFile As IO.StreamWriter = IO.File.CreateText("C:\output.txt")
2) Check permissions and read/write file references are correct:
There's a few reasons why you might be having difficulties, if you're trying to read and write into the root C:\ directory you might be having permissions issues.
Also, go line by line to make sure that the input and output files are correct every time you are using one or the other.
3) Make sure the implicit path is correct for non-fully qualified paths:
Next, when you test run the program, it's not actually in the same folder as the project folder, in case you're using a relative path, it's in a subfolder "\bin\debug", so for a project named [ProjectName], it compiles into this folder by default:
C:\path\to\[ProjectName]\bin\Debug\Program.exe
In other words, if you are trying to type in a path name as a string to save the file to and you don't specify the full path name starting from the C:\ drive, like "output.txt" instead of "C:\output.txt", it's saving it here:
C:\path\to\[ProjectName]\bin\Debug\output.txt
To find out exactly what paths it's defaulting to, in .Net Framework you can check against these:
Application.ExecutablePath
Application.StartupPath
4) Get user input via SaveFileDialogue
In addition to a literal string ("C:\output.txt") if you want the user to provide input, since it looks like you're using .Net Framework (as opposed to .Net Core, etc.), the easiest way to set a file name to use in your program is using the built-in SaveFileDialogue object in System.Windows.Forms (like you see whenever you try to save a file with most programs), you can do so really quickly like so:
Dim SFD As New SaveFileDialog
SFD.Filter = "Text Files|*.txt"
SFD.ShowDialog()
' For reuse, storing file path to string
Dim myFilePath As String = SFD.FileName
Dim newFile As IO.StreamWriter = IO.File.CreateText(myFilePath) ' path var
' Do the rest of your code here
newFile.Close()
5) Get user input via console
In case you ever want to get a path in .Net Core, i.e. with a console, the Main process by default accepts a String array called args(), here's a different version that lets the user add a path as the first parameter when running the program, or if one is not provided it asks the user for input:
Console.WriteLine("Hello World!")
Dim myFilePath = ""
If args.Length > 0 Then
myFilePath = args(0)
End If
If myFilePath = "" Then
Console.WriteLine("No file name provided, please input file name:")
While (myFilePath = "")
Console.Write("File and Path: ")
myFilePath = Console.ReadLine()
End While
End If
Dim newFile As IO.StreamWriter = IO.File.CreateText(myFilePath) ' path var
' Do the rest of your code here
newFile.Close()
6) Best practices: Close & Dispose vs. Using Blocks
In order to keep the code as similar to yours as possible, I tried to change only the pieces that needed changing. Vikyath Rao and Mary respectively pointed out a simplified way to declare it as well as a common best practice.
For more information, check out these helpful explanations:
Can any one explain why StreamWriter is an Unmanaged Resource. and
Should I call Close() or Dispose() for stream objects?
In summary, although streams are managed and should garbage collect automatically, due to working with the file system unmanaged resources get involved, which is the primary reason why it's a good idea to manually dispose of the object. Your ".close()" does this. Overrides for both the StreamReader and StreamWriter classes call the ".dispose()" method, however it is still common practice to use a Using .. End Using block to avoid "running with scissors" as Enigmativity puts it in his post, in other words it makes sure that you don't go off somewhere else in the program and forget to dispose of the open filestream.
Within your program, you could simply replace the "Dim newFile As IO.StreamWriter = IO.File.CreateText("C:\output.txt")" and "newFile.close()" lines with the opening and closing statements for the Using block while using the simplified syntax, like so:
'Dim newFile As IO.StreamWriter = IO.File.CreateText(myFilePath) ' old
Using newFile As New IO.StreamWriter(myFilePath) ' new
Dim fix As String = "Text from somewhere!"
newFile.WriteLine(fix)
' other similar operations here
End Using ' new -- ensures disposal
'newFile.Close() ' old
You can write that in this way. The stream writer automatically creates the file.
Dim newFile As New StreamWriter(HERE_HAS_TO_BE_A_PATH)
PS: I cannot mention all these in the comment section as I have reputations less than 50, so I wrote my answer. Please feel free to tell me if its wrong
regards,
vikyath
I would like to create a sub-folder Y in a folder X which I already created on my desktop (see below).
Dim myFolder As String = IO.Path.Combine(My.Computer.FileSystem.SpecialDirectories.Desktop, "X")
If (Not (System.IO.Directory.Exists(myFolder))) Then
System.IO.Directory.CreateDirectory(myFolder)
End If
I think I should use: System.IO.Directory.CreateDirectory(path), but what will be the path?
I don't know the syntax to use to create a folder "Y" inside the folder "X".
Maybe, path = My.Computer.FileSystem.SpecialDirectories.Desktop & "\X\", but nothing is created.
It may be easier than you think: Directory.CreateDirectory will create all the directories required, so you could use:
Dim myFolder = Path.Combine(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.DesktopDirectory), "X", "Y")
Directory.CreateDirectory(myFolder)
Or if you are using the .NET Framework 1.1 which only allows two items in Path.Combine:
Dim rootFolder = Path.Combine(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.DesktopDirectory), "X")
Dim myFolder = Path.Combine(rootFolder, "Y")
Directory.CreateDirectory(myFolder)
It is always worth looking at the documentation as it often includes useful comments about some common uses for a method.
OK, I found it. Just doing a double combination.
Thank you for your help.
JLuc01
Dim Folder As String = IO.Path.Combine(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.DesktopDirectory), "X")
Dim subFolder As String = IO.Path.Combine(Folder, "Y")
If (Not (System.IO.Directory.Exists(subFolder))) Then
System.IO.Directory.CreateDirectory(subFolder)
End If
This is the code I'm Using:
Dim file As String
Dim prefetchPath As String
Dim FileName As String = My.Application.Info.AssemblyName
prefetchPath = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("windir", EnvironmentVariableTarget.Machine) & "\Prefetch"
For Each file In IO.Directory.GetFiles(prefetchPath)
If file.Contains(FileName) Then
IO.File.Delete(file)
End If
Next
i don't know why it does not work if i use FileName. But it work if i use this code
If file.Contains("Example.exe") Then
IO.File.Delete(file)
End If
I want to make sure that if someone changes the name of the application the code works the same way(I already running the file as Administrator)
Help me Thanks.
My guess is that AssemblyName only returns the name without the extension, try including the .exe. Also, it is worth noting that you can use the IO.DirectoryInfo class and pass the file name in the GetFiles method to cut out your For/Each loop.
Here is a quick example:
Dim prefetchPath As String = IO.Path.Combine(Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("windir", EnvironmentVariableTarget.Machine), "Prefetch")
Dim FileName As String = My.Application.Info.AssemblyName & ".exe"
If New IO.DirectoryInfo(prefetchPath).GetFiles(FileName).Count > 0 Then
IO.File.Delete(IO.Path.Combine(prefetchPath, FileName))
End If
I am tringing to copy files settings.copy from sourceDir to backupDir but getting error
Dim sourceDir As String = "c:\in\settings.copy"
Dim backupDir As String = "c:\out\"
File.Copy(sourceDir, backupDir)
while executing above script getting below error
System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException: 'Could not find a part of the path 'c:\out\'.'
I already created c:\out\ folder
Have you read the documentation for File.Copy, or even just paid attention to Intellisense? Both arguments must be file paths. Neither can be folder paths.
On a related note, why do you have a variable named 'sourceDir' when it's clearly a file path and not a directory path? If you name things clearly - and particularly not misleadingly - then it's more likely that you'll avoid such mistakes. Of course, using the Help menu or F1 key to confirm that you're using a type of method correctly would help too.
Dim userprofile As String = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.UserProfile)
Dim SystemDir As String = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("SystemDrive")
Dim sourceDir As String = "y\inbound\settings.exe"
Dim backupDir As String = "AppData\Local\user\default_user\"
Dim root As String = Path.GetPathRoot(userprofile)
Dim useDrpath As String = Path.Combine(userprofile, backupDir)
Dim SysDrpath As String = Path.Combine(SystemDir, root, sourceDir)
Dim file = New FileInfo("settings.cps")
file.CopyTo(Path.Combine(SysDrpath, useDrpath, file.Name), True)
My gole is to copy file from system installed driver to user profile driver
with above code i am able to copy file
c:\y\inbound\settings.exe C:\Users\pavan\AppData\Local\user\default_user\
please suggested any other better way to do above
I have been trying to do this seemingly simple task for a while now, but no luck. Here is some pieces of code I'm using...
Dim SDPath As String = TextBox1.Text
Dim ContentPath As String = TextBox2.Text
Dim RPXName As String = TextBox4.Text
Dim Copy_To_Dir As String = SDPath & RPXName
Dim Copy_To_Dir As String = SDPath & RPXName
'copy any subdirs from ContentDir to SD:\RPXName
For Each ContentDirSub In System.IO.Directory.GetDirectories(ContentPath, "*", IO.SearchOption.AllDirectories)
My.Computer.FileSystem.CopyDirectory(ContentDirSub, Copy_To_Dir, True)
Next
This should create the sub directories in the specific path. Where am I going wrong here??? I've been scouring examples but found nothing. I also want this to copy the contents of the sub directory as well.
Not sure why it isn't working but you could try to make sure that the path you are copying to is a correct directory path. The below code combines the path into a correct path name.
Dim Copy_To_Dir As String = System.IO.Path.Combine(SDPath & RPXName)
You also don't need to write that twice.
Is there any errors appearing?