Functions for handling directories and external files

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Functions for handling directories and external files

Note: These functions are also available in prefix syntax (Functions for handling directories and external files (prefix syntax)).

The following functions are used to manage external files:


fAddBuffer	Adds the content of a buffer at the end of a file.
fAddText	Adds the content of a character string at the end of a file.
fAttribute	Returns or modifies the attributes of a file.
fAttributeReadOnly	Gets and sets the read-only attribute of a file.
fBuildPath	Builds a complete file path from the directory and short name of a file. This function is mainly used to get a valid file name without having to worry about the presence of separators in the path ('/' or '\') or about their direction according to the platform.
fBuildRelativePath	Returns the path to a file relative to a reference directory.
fCacheDir	Returns the path of directory that will be used to store the data in cache on the internal storage space of application.
fChangeExtension	Changes the extension of a file on disk.
fChangeSize	Resizes an external file.
fClose	Closes an external file.
fCompare	Compares the content of two files bit by bit.
fCompress	Compresses a file.
fContentType	Returns the type of file according to the MIME standard (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions).
fCopyDir	Copies the contents of a directory and its subdirectories.
fCopyFile	Copies one or more files (regardless of their attributes).
fCopyFileWebFolder	Copies an image file from the data directory of application (or from one of its sub-directories) to the "_WEB" directory of application (or to one of its sub-directories).
fCreate	Creates an external file.
fCreateLink	Creates a link on a file at the specified location.
fCurrentDir	Identifies or modifies the current directory.
fCurrentDrive	Gets or sets the current drive.
fDataDir	Returns the full path of the directory of HFSQL data files specified by the user when installing the application.
fDataDirCommon	Returns a directory path for the data shared: between all the users of the computer between all the TSE users This directory can be used without restriction in Windows XP, Vista, and so on. This directory is used to store: the files for the general configuration of the application (.INI files, .XML files, etc.). data files common to all users (HFSQL data files .fic, .ndx, .mmo).
fDataDirUser	Returns a directory path for the data of the current user of the current application.
fDate	Returns or modifies the different dates associated with a file or directory (date created, modified or accessed).
fDateTime	Returns or modifies the different dates and times associated with a file or directory (date created, modified or accessed).
fDecrypt	Decrypts a file that was encrypted by fCrypt.
fDelete	Deletes a file accessible from the current computer.
fDeleteFileWebFolder	Deletes an image file from the "_WEB" directory of the application (or from one of its sub-directories).
fDetectRemovableStorage	Detects whether a removable storage unit (CD, USB key, USB camera, ...) was added or removed.
fDir	Finds a file or directory.
fDirAttribute	Returns or modifies the attributes of a directory.
fDirectoryExist	Checks the existence of a directory.
fDirExist	Checks the existence of a directory.
fDirRename	Renames a directory.
fDirSize	Returns the size of a directory in bytes.
fDriveInfo	Returns information about a drive.
fDriveReady	Determines: if a given drive (storage card, CD or DVD) is available, whether the drive exists.
fEncrypt	Encrypts a file in binary or ASCII format.
fExeDir	Returns the directory from which the execution is started.
fExtractPath	Returns the different elements of a path: drive, directories, name and extension of the file.
fExtractResource	Extracts a resource from the application into a physical device location.
fFileExist	Checks the existence of an external file.
fFileName	Returns the name of an external file currently open.
fFind	Finds a character string or a buffer in a file opened by fOpen.
fGlobalDirCommon	Returns a directory path for the global data of current application (data shared between several applications), regardless of the current user.
fGlobalDirUser	Returns a directory path for the global data of current application (data shared between several applications), for the current user.
fGraphicFilter	Returns the list of image formats supported by the current platform, in the format expected by the filter of fSelect.
fImageSelect	Opens the image picker of Windows.
fInsertTextAtBeginning	Inserts text at the beginning of a file without overwriting the existing text.
fIsImage	Determines whether a file on disk or in a buffer corresponds to an image format recognized by WINDEV or WEBDEV.
fListDirectory	Lists the subdirectories of a given directory and returns the full paths of listed subdirectories.
fListDisk	Returns the list of disks installed on the computer.
fListFile	Lists the files found in a directory and returns the list of files.
fListResource	Lists the resources integrated to the application.
fLoadBuffer	Loads the content of an external file (text, image, ...) in a buffer variable.
fLoadResource	Loads the content of a resource from a library.
fLoadText	Loads the contents of a text file into any text field or variable (string variable, window edit control, report label field, etc.).
fLock	Entirely or partially locks an external file.
fLongName	Returns the long name of a file or directory.
fLongPath	Returns the full long path of a file or directory.
fMakeDir	Creates a directory (and the intermediate directories if necessary).
fMerge	Merges several files into a single one.
fMIMEType	Returns the type of file according to the MIME standard (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions).
fMoveDir	Moves a directory and its content.
fMoveFile	Moves a file from one directory to another.
fOpen	Opens an external file (ANSI or UNICODE) for programmatic manipulation.
fOpenTempFile	Creates and opens a temporary file.
fParentDir	Returns the path of the parent directory for the specified directory.
fRead	Reads: a block of bytes (characters) in an external file (ANSI or Unicode), the content of an external file (ANSI or Unicode) and assigns it to a memory area.
fReadLine	Reads a line from an external file (ANSI or Unicode).
fReadLineRegularExpression	Reads a line in an external file, gets sections of this line according to a regular expression and assigns them to a variable.
fRemoveDir	Deletes a directory from a disk.
fRename	Modifies the name of a file.
fReportsAndQueriesDir	Returns: the full path of the directory for the custom reports and queries. This directory corresponds to the directory of the reports and queries visible by the user who created them. the full path of the directory for the shared reports and queries. This directory corresponds to the directory of the reports and queries visible by all the application users.
fResourceDir	Returns the path of the read-only resources of the application.
fSaveBuffer	Creates and fills a text file with the content of a string or buffer variable.
fSaveText	Creates and fills a text file with the content of a text control or text variable (string variable, edit control in a window, Static Text control in a report, ...).
fSeek	Gets and sets current position in an external file.
fSelect	Opens the Windows file picker.
fSelectDir	Opens a directory picker.
fSep	Returns the separator of directory according to the current platform ('\' or '/').
fSeparator	Returns a file path with normalized separators.
fShortName	Returns the short name of a file or directory.
fShortPath	Returns the full short path of a file or directory.
fSize	Returns the size of a file (in bytes).
fSizeUncompressed	Returns the size of a file before compression. When a file is decompressed by fUncompress, we recommend that you to compare the non-compressed size of file with the available disk space.
fSplit	Splits a file into several files.
fStopCompress	Stops the operation used to compress or decompress a file.
fTempDir	Returns the name of directory used to store the temporary files.
fTempFile	Returns the name of a unique temporary file.
fTempPath	Returns the name of directory used to store the temporary files.
fTime	Returns or modifies the different times associated with a file or directory (date created, modified or accessed).
fUncompress	Decompresses a file that was compressed by fCompress.
fUnlock	Entirely or partially unlocks an external file.
fWatchDirectory	Detects changes made to the contents of a directory.
fWatchFile	Starts watching a file.
fWatchStop	Stops watching a file or directory.
fWatchStopAll	Stops all current watch tasks of files and directories.
fWebDir	Returns the physical name of the directory containing the images, JavaScript files and Java files of the WEBDEV website.
fWrite	Writes: a character string to an external file. a memory section.
fWriteLine	Writes a line to a text file (ANSI or Unicode).

The following functions can also be used to manage the external files:


CompleteDir	Adds a backslash to the end of a string, if necessary. This function is useful for building full file names when the path format is unknown (e.g., if the user types a file path).
UncompleteDir	Removes the "/" or "\" character from the end of a string, if necessary. This function is useful for building full file names when the path format is unknown (e.g., if the user types a file path).

Related Examples:

Unit examples (WINDEV): The fListFile function

[ + ] Using fListFile and its syntax that directly returns the list of files/directories found in string format.

Unit examples (WINDEV): Handling text files

[ + ] Handling "text" files with WINDEV:
- Create a text file
- Write into a text file
- Read in a text file

Unit examples (WINDEV): The TableTo functions

[ + ] Exporting table data with the WLanguage functions.
The following topics are presented in this example:
1/ interfacing with Word and Excel
2/ sending data to the clipboard
3/ generating a text file
This example explains how to export the content of a table to a Word document, an Excel workbook, the clipboard or a text file via the following WLanguage functions: TableToWord, TableToExcel, ToClipboard, TableToText.

Unit examples (WEBDEV): Handling text files

[ + ] This example explains how to handle "non HFSQL" files with WEBDEV and it allows you to:
- Create a text file
- Write into a text file
- Read in a text file

Complete examples (WINDEV): WD File Synchronization

[ + ] This example is used to synchronize two file directories in WLanguage. After the synchronization, the destination directory and the source directory are identical. The comparison is based on the presence and on the date of the files. This can be very useful to manage the backups.
In this example, we will present the functions for handling the files on disk.

Summary of the example supplied with WINDEV:
Select a source directory containing the files to save and a destination directory where these files will be saved. Start the synchronization. The application will compare the content of the two directories. If the file is not found, if the source file is more recent, then the file will be updated in the backup directory.

Unit examples (WINDEV Mobile): Handling text files

[ + ] Handling external "text" files:
- Create a text file
- Write into a text file
- Read in a text file