I am creating a VB app which will "move" xls reports from a directory to a ReportSafe app. I am also working in an existing VB app which does just that, so I am using it for reference.
It isn't as simple as moving files from one directory to another, because ReportSafe requires an lpr command to tell it (ReportSafe) which file to pick up.
Here is what I have so far:
Imports System.IO
Module Module1
Sub Main()
''Declarations
Dim Files As ArrayList = New ArrayList()
Dim FileName As String
''Write All Files in *directory* to ReportSafe
Files.Clear()
Files.AddRange(Directory.GetFiles(*directory*))
For Each FileName In Files
Dim RPname As String
Dim RealName As String
RPname = FileName.ToString
RealName = "/"
RealName = RealName & RPname.Remove(0, 34)
Dim a As New Process
a.StartInfo.FileName = "C:\Windows\system32\lpr.exe"
a.StartInfo.Arguments = "-S*ServerName* -Plp -J" & Chr(34) & RealName & Chr(34) & " " & Chr(34) & RPname & Chr(34)
a.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = False
Next
End Sub
End Module
The whole lpr command/arguments are throwing me for a loop. I'm not sure if my question is specific to ReportSafe, and if that's the case, I may be out of luck here. I have pulled this code from the already existing app which moves reports to ReportSafe, and adjusted for my own use, but no luck so far.
FYI, I had to turn on LPR Monitor services to obtain to the lpr.exe
Questions:
What are the proper arguments to pass through to this lpr command?
Is there a problem with the logic that is causing the issue?
I continued to tinker and look at my reference code and discovered some flaws in logic:
For one, the report name I was passing did not include the complete file path.
Another thing is that I never started the process with a.Start(). Rookie mistakes for sure... haha
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've looked at the top results when typing in the Title of this question, and I hit a dead end...
I have a list of customers, and each customer gets a Job Number [Job_Ref__]. In conjunction with this, each customer gets a folder in SharePoint for all of their documents. The naming convention is Job Number - Last Name, First Name. I want to be able to click a button on my Access form that opens the customer's specific folder, but it keeps opening "My Documents" on my local disk instead.
I've tried the below code without the customer's folder details, and it opens the root of the SharePoint 'drive' with no issue...
Below is what works when I click my OPEN FOLDER button on the form:
Private Sub Command232_Click()
Dim folderName As String
Dim folderfullPath As String
folderName = Me.FilePath
folderfullPath = "C:\Users\" & Environ("Username") & "\SharePoint Site\Customers 2020\"
Call Shell("explorer.exe " & folderfullPath, vbNormalFocus)
End Sub
When I use folderName is when I hit the issue; I've tried to wildcard the folder name, but to no avail:
Private Sub Command232_Click()
Dim folderName As String
Dim folderfullPath As String
folderName = Me.FilePath
folderfullPath = "C:\Users\" & Environ("Username") & "\SharePoint Site\Customers 2020\"
Call Shell("explorer.exe " & folderfullPath & folderName & "*", vbNormalFocus)
End Sub
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated, as I've hit a pretty big brick wall.
Of note: I tried to define folderName = Job_Ref__, but I figured that was too vague, so I added a FilePath field with macros in the Access Form that builds the customer's folder name Job_Ref__ - Last Name, First Name
None of this has worked - am I doing too much with this? XD
Windows allows comma in file name but Shell() function does not like. Options:
don't use comma in file name and use Replace() function in VBA to eliminate comma from field value to match file name
use FollowHyperlink to open folder - it does accept comma
FollowHyperlink(folderfullPath & folderName)
I'm developing a MS Word macro which needs to open a file on a network drive and pass it the calling file's path as a parameter (i can then retrieve the parameters in the opened file using this method http://www.vbaexpress.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-21174.html).
What i am trying to achieve is the following:
1. Document X (any MS word document) calls document Y (macro document)
2. Document Y processes document X (using the Document object)
3. Document Y closes
The reason i am doing step 1 above is do that users don't have to deploy complex vba code (i am dealing with non IT literate users) and the ease of making updates and enhancements to the code if required.
The following code snippet opens the file with parameters:
Dim currentFilePath As String
currentFilePath = ThisDocument.Path & ThisDocument.Name
Dim MacroFilePath As String
MacroFilePath = ThisDocument.Path & "\Test.docm"
MacroFilePath = """" & MacroFilePath & """" & currentFilePath
Documents.Open (MacroFilePath)
The value of 'MacroFilePath' is gets setup like this (263 chars):
“\\XXXXXXXXXXXX\XX_XX\XXX_XXX XXXX procedural documentation\XX Design Support\Macros - DO NOT MOVE\Work in progress\Calling Document.docm” \\XXXXXXXXXXXX\XX_XX\XXX_XXX XXXX procedural documentation\XX Design Support\Macros - DO NOT MOVE\Work in progress\Test.docm
When I run the above code the error Run-Time '9105': String is longer than 255 characters occurs. I have tested the code where i moved the files to a shorter directory and it works. Is there a way to get around this or another way of achieving what i am trying to do?
Shorting the file paths by saving the documents elsewhere, changing the language i am programming in, or creating any kind of executable is not an option as i am in an enterprise environment.
X can open Y, then call a procedure in Y and pass in it's own path as a parameter.
You can use Application.Run to do this.
See:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ff838935.aspx
Here's the example from that link:
Dim strTemplate As String
Dim strModule As String
Dim strMacro As String
Dim strParameter As String
strTemplate = InputBox("Enter the template name")
strModule = InputBox("Enter the module name")
strMacro = InputBox("Enter the macro name")
strParameter = InputBox("Enter a parameter value")
Application.Run MacroName:=strTemplate & "." _
& strModule & "." & strMacro, _
varg1:=strParameter
I'm making a task manager type program and I need to get the path to every file. I don't want to find out the directory off my own executable. Just external files.
This is the beginning of getting the executable:
For Each OneProcess As Process In Process.GetProcesses
To find the directory and file name of any Process use MainModule.FileFileName
Here is sample code to help
System.Diagnostics.Process mm22= System.Diagnostics.Process.GetProcessesByName("notepad")[0];
string stp = mm22.MainModule.FileName; //location of the executable with filename
I had the same problem.. browse for answers, got close but it wasnt what i was excepting, then i saw GetProcessesByName which reminded me of javascript..so i changed it to GetProcessById.
For Each p In System.Diagnostics.Process.GetProcesses()
ListBox1.Items.Add(p.ProcessName & " - " & p.Id.ToString() & " - ")
Next
Dim id = ListBox1.SelectedItem.ToString.Split("-")(1).Trim
Dim p As System.Diagnostics.Process = System.Diagnostics.Process.GetProcessById(id)
MsgBox( p.MainModule.FileName)
I need some help with my program. I want to rewrite the data on my .txt file but an error occurs:
The process cannot access the file 'C:\Users\AARVIII\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\PROJECT\WindowsApplication3\bin\Debug\ORDERS\aa.txt' because it is being used by another process.
Here is the code:
Sub WRITEDATA()
Dim write As New System.IO.StreamWriter("ORDERS\" & TBFNAME.Text + "" + TBLNAME.Text & ".txt", False)
write.WriteLine(TBFNAME.Text)
write.WriteLine(TBLNAME.Text)
write.WriteLine(TBEADD.Text)
write.WriteLine(TBEADD2.Text)
write.WriteLine(TBADDRESS.Text)
write.WriteLine(TBCONTACT.Text)
write.close()
End Sub
I used a StreamReader to get the data which had already been put in that text file. Please help me figure out how to kill that process so that I can rewrite my data.
It is very possible that your app (on another thread?) is the culprit. First, to make sure you release the resource, make sure to wrap your code in a using block:
Using Dim write As New System.IO.StreamWriter("ORDERS\" & TBFNAME.Text + "" + TBLNAME.Text & ".txt", False)
write.WriteLine(TBFNAME.Text)
write.WriteLine(TBLNAME.Text)
write.WriteLine(TBEADD.Text)
write.WriteLine(TBEADD2.Text)
write.WriteLine(TBADDRESS.Text)
write.WriteLine(TBCONTACT.Text)
End Using
Additionally, you may want to see this thread: .NET Asynchronous stream read/write