Some notes , tests in support of this
https://www.excelforum.com/excel-pro...-the-file.html
These are just some notes and tests into what order the Dir( with wild cards ) thing does stuff.
Introduction
VBA Dir Function thing ( https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/off...p/dir-function )
In the simplest form, ….._
_____ Dir(Fullpath&FileName, __ )
_............
Code:
Dim IsFileName As String
IsFileName = Dir("C:\MyFolder\myFileName.xls", __ )
this basically gives you the file name back if it exists, based on you giving it the full path and File name string, Fullpath&FileName.
In the above example, if you had the file "myFileName.xls" in the foilder, "MyFolder", then the text "myFileName.xls" would be Placed in variable , IsFileName
If that file does not exist, then it gives you back nothing, or rather an empty string of sorts “” ( I believe Dir is a throw back to older early computer days, when you typed something like Dir C:_____, and the result was that you got to go to that place which Dir C:_____ represented )
It seem that in VBA the Dir is mostly used to loop through all files in a single folder*. ( *It does not suit too well for use in coding looking at all files in folders and sub folders ). The suitability of the Dir function for this is based on a couple of things.
_(i) In Microsoft Windows, Dir supports the use of multiple character (*) and single character (?) wildcards to specify multiple files. ......
You can use wild cards in the full path and file name string that you give it, so it will look for a file matching your given string. ( So typically you might give a string like “C:\myFolder\*.xl*”, which would look for any excel file: In this bit *.xl* , the first * allows for any file name, and the second * will allow for extensions such as .xls , .xlsm, .xlsx, .. etc… )
__Dir _____ without arguments_(ii) After you use like Dir(Fullpath&FileName, __ ) once, then any use after of just _ Dir __ without any arguments, will give the next file it finds based on the criteria given by the wild carded full path and file name string you gave in the first use with arguments, or it returns "" if there are no further files meeting the criteria given by the wild carded full path and file name string you gave in the first use with arguments
What this post is about:
My interest was sparked by the reference thread ( https://www.excelforum.com/excel-pro...-the-file.html )
I am interested in finding out which of the files Dir or Dir(Fullpath&FileName, __ )will choose if there are more than 1 file meeting the criteria of a string , Fullpath&FileName , containing wild cards
Experiments so far
I made a test folder , named "Folder"
Folder.JPG : https://imgur.com/l9OwlQi
Attachment 2213
I created my files in this order
_1 “wbCodes.xlsm” --- the main file with all the codes in it. This is in the same Folder as the folder which I named "Folder" ( The main Folder is called “Kill Stuff” : Kill Stuff Folder.JPG : https://imgur.com/hN26AoW )
After making the main File, I created the folder, "Folder" , and created the following files in it. I created the following three files in the following order,
_2 “SecondFirstAfterwb.xlsx” --- made first after making “wbCodes.xlsm”
_3 “ThirdSecondAfterwb.xlsx” --- made second after making “wbCodes.xlsm”
_4 “AForthThirdAfterwb.xlsx” --- made third after making “wbCodes.xlsm”
I modified the codes from Alf and sintek from the referenced Thread, thus, ( I am mainly interested in the first part of the routines, as this deals with what the Dir chooses )
Code:
Sub zed369() ' sintek
Dim Path As String, File As String, Cnt As Long
Dim wb1 As Workbook, wb2 As Workbook
Dim ws1 As Worksheet, ws2 As Worksheet
' sintek's Dir Stuff
'Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Set wb1 = ThisWorkbook: Set ws1 = wb1.Sheets("Sheet1")
Path = ThisWorkbook.Path & "\Folder\": File = Dir(Path & "*.xl*") ' For this example, specific file is in a folder called Folder...same path as macro file...
Debug.Print "First got by Dir is " & File
Debug.Print
For Cnt = 1 To 3 - 1 ' -1 because we have three files, but typically the first is got from the first use of Dir , which is typically outside the loop
File = Dir: Debug.Print " use " & Cnt & " in loop of Dir gives " & File
Next Cnt
Debug.Print
Debug.Print
' sintek's way to do stuff
'Stop ' _____________________________________________________________________________
'Set wb2 = Workbooks.Open(Path & File): Set ws2 = wb2.Sheets("Tabelle1")
'With ws2
' .UsedRange.Copy ws1.Range("A1")
'End With
'wb2.Close
'Kill Path & File
'Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
'
Sub CopyAndKill() ' Alf
Dim aString As String, Cnt As Long, aStringToOpen As String
' Alf's Dir stuff
'aString = Dir("N:\a_test\")
aString = Dir("F:\Excel0202015Jan2016\ExcelForum\wbSheetMakerClsdWbADOMsQueery\Kill Stuff\Folder\")
Debug.Print "First got by Dir is " & aString
aStringToOpen = "F:\Excel0202015Jan2016\ExcelForum\wbSheetMakerClsdWbADOMsQueery\Kill Stuff\Folder\" & Dir("F:\Excel0202015Jan2016\ExcelForum\wbSheetMakerClsdWbADOMsQueery\Kill Stuff\Folder\")
Debug.Print "First file will be opened using this string " & vbCrLf & aStringToOpen
Debug.Print
For Cnt = 1 To 3 - 1 ' -1 because we have three files, but typically the first is got from the first use of Dir , which is typically outside the loop
aString = Dir: Debug.Print " use " & Cnt & " in loop of Dir gives " & aString
Next Cnt
Debug.Print
Debug.Print
'Stop ' __________________________________________________________________
' Alf's way to do the stuff
'Workbooks.Open ("N:\a_test\" & Dir("N:\a_test\"))
'Sheets("Sheet1").Activate
'ActiveSheet.UsedRange.Copy
'ThisWorkbook.ActiveSheet.Range("A1").PasteSpecial Paste:=xlAll
'Application.CutCopyMode = False
'Windows(aString).Close
'Kill ("N:\a_test\" & Dir("N:\a_test\"))
End Sub
I get this sort of output ( in the immediate window )
Code:
First got by Dir is AForthThirdAfterwb.xlsx
use 1 in loop of Dir gives SecondFirstAfterwb.xlsx
use 2 in loop of Dir gives ThirdSecondAfterwb.xlsx
First got by Dir is AForthThirdAfterwb.xlsx
First file will be opened using this string
F:\Excel0202015Jan2016\ExcelForum\wbSheetMakerClsdWbADOMsQueery\Kill Stuff\Folder\AForthThirdAfterwb.xlsx
use 1 in loop of Dir gives SecondFirstAfterwb.xlsx
use 2 in loop of Dir gives ThirdSecondAfterwb.xlsx
Initially it appears that I get alphabetic order.
But possibly there could be more to it than that.
I will look again at this in a few days , possibly on some other computers and systems, and experiment with various settings , etc….
In the next posts I will use this simplified routine which is only interested in looking at the order in which Dir chooses files.
Rem 1 gives a few ways to get the string up to and including the Folder in which files are to be searched for, ( in the form below , ‘1b ) , is used to get the folder named “Folder” in the same folder as the workbook in which the routine is placed )
Rem 2 : As before, an initial use of Dir(C:\somewhers\kjhfkhs.*sdfjkah,___) is made to set the search criteria, followed by the un argumented Dir in a loop which then looks for the next files
Code:
Sub DirOrder()
Dim strWB As String
Rem 1 get the full string, strWB, for a Folder to use in the Dir(Fullpath&FileName, __ ) ( strWB=Fullpath&FileName - FileName )
'1a) use the asking pop up thing, File dialogue folder picker
' With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFolderPicker)
' .Title = "Folder Select"
' .AllowMultiSelect = False
' If .Show <> -1 Then
' Exit Sub
' Else
' End If
' Let strWB = .SelectedItems(1) ' & "\"
' End With
'
'1b) Using a test Folder, named Folder in the same Folder as the workbook in which this code is
Let strWB = ThisWorkbook.Path & "\Folder"
'1c) Hard code instead
'Let strWB = "F:\Excel0202015Jan2016\ExcelForum\wbSheetMakerClsdWbADOMsQueery\Kill Stuff\Folder"
Debug.Print "Folder used is" & vbCrLf & strWB & vbCrLf & "" & Right(strWB, (Len(strWB) - InStrRev(strWB, "\", -1, vbTextCompare)))
Debug.Print
Let strWB = strWB & "\"
Rem 2 add last file bit for use in the Dir(Fullpath&FileName, __ ) , but include wild cards... http://www.excelfox.com/forum/showthread.php/2056-Appendix-Thread-(-Codes-for-other-Threads-HTML-Tables-etc-)?p=11089&viewfull=1#post11089 : _(i) You can use wild cards in the full path and file name string that you give it, so it will look for a file matching your given string. ( So typically you might give a string like “C:\myFolder\*.xl*”, which would look for any excel file: In this bit *.xl* , the first * allows for any file name, and the second * will allow for extensions such as .xls , .xlsm, .xlsx, .. etc… ) _(ii) After you use like Dir(Fullpath&FileName, __ ) once, then any use after of just _ Dir __ without any arguments, will give the next file it finds based on the string you gave in the first use with arguments
'2a) Excel files
Let strWB = strWB & "*.xls*"
Dim file As String: Let file = Dir(strWB)
Debug.Print "First got by Dir(" & strWB & ")" & vbCrLf & "is " & file
Debug.Print
Dim Cnt As Long
For Cnt = 1 To 3 - 1 ' -1 because we have three files, but typically the first is got from the first use of Dir , which is typically outside the loop
file = Dir: Debug.Print "Use " & Cnt & " in loop of unargumented Dir gives " & file
Next Cnt
Debug.Print
Debug.Print
End Sub
This would be comparible output ( in the Immedite Window ( http://www.eileenslounge.com/viewtop...247121#p247121 ) ) to the test files anf folder used so far
HTML Code:
Folder used is
F:\Excel0202015Jan2016\ExcelForum\wbSheetMakerClsdWbADOMsQueery\Kill Stuff\Folder
Folder
First got by Dir(F:\Excel0202015Jan2016\ExcelForum\wbSheetMakerClsdWbADOMsQueery\Kill Stuff\Folder\*.xls*)
is AForthThirdAfterwb.xlsx
Use 1 in loop of unargumented Dir gives SecondFirstAfterwb.xlsx
Use 2 in loop of unargumented Dir gives ThirdSecondAfterwb.xlsx
And here is what it looks like in the explorer window:
ExpOrder1.JPG : https://imgur.com/OfQfHeH
Attachment 2224
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