Dir() in Loop returns ""

[build]

G'day All,
I have a problem with this loop.
There are a number of .txt files in 'myPath'.

tmpFile = Dir(myPath & "\*.txt")
'PROCESS FOLDER
Do Until tmpFile = ""
<lottsa code>
<too much to post>
tmpFile = Dir
Loop

The first 'tmpFile = Dir(myPath & "\*.txt")'
returns the first .txt file however,
when I get to the 'tmpFile = Dir' it returns
a zero-length string ("").
Can anyone give *any* ideas what, where I should
look in the ensuing code for the problem.
I've been looking for 2 days now and am at a
total loss.

tia
build

[J French]

Re: Dir() in Loop returns &quot;&quot;

On Tue, 21 Sep 2004 20:06:38 +1000, build <build02@datafa st.net.au>
wrote:
[color=blue]
>G'day All,
>I have a problem with this loop.
>There are a number of .txt files in 'myPath'.
>
>tmpFile = Dir(myPath & "\*.txt")
>'PROCESS FOLDER
>Do Until tmpFile = ""
> <lottsa code>
> <too much to post>
> tmpFile = Dir
>Loop
>
>The first 'tmpFile = Dir(myPath & "\*.txt")'
>returns the first .txt file however,
>when I get to the 'tmpFile = Dir' it returns
>a zero-length string ("").
>Can anyone give *any* ideas what, where I should
>look in the ensuing code for the problem.
>I've been looking for 2 days now and am at a
>total loss.[/color]

I can make a very good guess

Somewhere in <lottsa code> you are using the Dir() function again
- that is shafting your first Dir() loop

Try reading all the .Txt file names into an Array and then processing
each item in the Array
Then dig into <lottsa code> and get rid of the culprit(s)

Dir() is a very dangerous thing to use, especially in lower
functions/subs

[build]

Re: Dir() in Loop returns &quot;&quot;

build wrote:[color=blue]
> G'day All,
> I have a problem with this loop.
> There are a number of .txt files in 'myPath'.
>
> tmpFile = Dir(myPath & "\*.txt")
> 'PROCESS FOLDER
> Do Until tmpFile = ""
> <lottsa code>
> <too much to post>
> tmpFile = Dir
> Loop
>
> The first 'tmpFile = Dir(myPath & "\*.txt")'
> returns the first .txt file however,
> when I get to the 'tmpFile = Dir' it returns
> a zero-length string ("").
> Can anyone give *any* ideas what, where I should
> look in the ensuing code for the problem.
> I've been looking for 2 days now and am at a
> total loss.
>
> tia
> build[/color]
G'day All,
OK looks like my question is not clear enough.
What can I be doing in the code between the
'Do Until tmpFile = ""' and the 'tmpFile = Dir'
that would make the second 'Dir' return a zero
length string?
Is that clearer?
tia
build

[Rick Rothstein]

Re: Dir() in Loop returns &quot;&quot;

> > I have a problem with this loop.[color=blue][color=green]
> > There are a number of .txt files in 'myPath'.
> >
> > tmpFile = Dir(myPath & "\*.txt")
> > 'PROCESS FOLDER
> > Do Until tmpFile = ""
> > <lottsa code>
> > <too much to post>
> > tmpFile = Dir
> > Loop
> >
> > The first 'tmpFile = Dir(myPath & "\*.txt")'
> > returns the first .txt file however,
> > when I get to the 'tmpFile = Dir' it returns
> > a zero-length string ("").
> > Can anyone give *any* ideas what, where I should
> > look in the ensuing code for the problem.
> > I've been looking for 2 days now and am at a
> > total loss.
> >
> > tia
> > build[/color]
> G'day All,
> OK looks like my question is not clear enough.
> What can I be doing in the code between the
> 'Do Until tmpFile = ""' and the 'tmpFile = Dir'
> that would make the second 'Dir' return a zero
> length string?[/color]

Using the Dir function with a path and filename (or without wildcards)
for a directory that has only one or no files in it. Another possibility
is a loop inside that <lottsa code> that uses Dir with a different
path/filename argument and in where the loop exhausts all the files in
that other Dir specified path/filename.
[color=blue]
> Is that clearer?[/color]

Not really.<g> Is this happening every time in the loop? Only at certain
times?

Rick - MVP

[mickey]

Re: Dir() in Loop returns &quot;&quot;

On Thu, 23 Sep 2004 07:22:23 +1000, build <build02@datafa st.net.au>
you typed some letters in random order:
[color=blue]
>build wrote:[color=green]
>> G'day All,
>> I have a problem with this loop.
>> There are a number of .txt files in 'myPath'.
>>
>> tmpFile = Dir(myPath & "\*.txt")
>> 'PROCESS FOLDER
>> Do Until tmpFile = ""
>> <lottsa code>
>> <too much to post>
>> tmpFile = Dir
>> Loop
>>
>> The first 'tmpFile = Dir(myPath & "\*.txt")'
>> returns the first .txt file however,
>> when I get to the 'tmpFile = Dir' it returns
>> a zero-length string ("").
>> Can anyone give *any* ideas what, where I should
>> look in the ensuing code for the problem.
>> I've been looking for 2 days now and am at a
>> total loss.
>>
>> tia
>> build[/color]
>G'day All,
>OK looks like my question is not clear enough.
>What can I be doing in the code between the
>'Do Until tmpFile = ""' and the 'tmpFile = Dir'
>that would make the second 'Dir' return a zero
>length string?
>Is that clearer?
>tia
>build[/color]

I use a similar piece of code to delete old log files
Notice the start of the do/while loop it differs from yours
Perhaps that's the problem?

I just tested it again and killed 192 files with this...

<code>

Function Kill_Files(Pad As String, Datum As Date, Patroon As String)
Dim MyFile As String

MyFile = Dir(Pad & "\" & Patroon)
Do While MyFile <> ""
If FileDateTime(Pa d & "\" & MyFile) < Datum Then
Kill (Pad & "\" & MyFile)
End If
MyFile = Dir ' Get next entry.
Loop
End Function

</code>




Groetjenz,

Mickey
--
#### gewoan skrieve su ast ut seist ####

[build]

Re: Dir() in Loop returns &quot;&quot; [my answer]

mickey wrote:[color=blue]
> On Thu, 23 Sep 2004 07:22:23 +1000, build <build02@datafa st.net.au>
> you typed some letters in random order:
>
>[color=green]
>>build wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>>>G'day All,
>>>I have a problem with this loop.
>>>There are a number of .txt files in 'myPath'.
>>>
>>>tmpFile = Dir(myPath & "\*.txt")
>>>'PROCESS FOLDER
>>>Do Until tmpFile = ""
>>> <lottsa code>
>>> <too much to post>
>>> tmpFile = Dir
>>>Loop
>>>
>>>The first 'tmpFile = Dir(myPath & "\*.txt")'
>>>returns the first .txt file however,
>>>when I get to the 'tmpFile = Dir' it returns
>>>a zero-length string ("").
>>>Can anyone give *any* ideas what, where I should
>>>look in the ensuing code for the problem.
>>>I've been looking for 2 days now and am at a
>>>total loss.
>>>
>>>tia
>>>build[/color]
>>
>>G'day All,
>>OK looks like my question is not clear enough.
>>What can I be doing in the code between the
>>'Do Until tmpFile = ""' and the 'tmpFile = Dir'
>>that would make the second 'Dir' return a zero
>>length string?
>>Is that clearer?
>>tia
>>build[/color]
>
>
> I use a similar piece of code to delete old log files
> Notice the start of the do/while loop it differs from yours
> Perhaps that's the problem?
>
> I just tested it again and killed 192 files with this...
>
> <code>
>
> Function Kill_Files(Pad As String, Datum As Date, Patroon As String)
> Dim MyFile As String
>
> MyFile = Dir(Pad & "\" & Patroon)
> Do While MyFile <> ""
> If FileDateTime(Pa d & "\" & MyFile) < Datum Then
> Kill (Pad & "\" & MyFile)
> End If
> MyFile = Dir ' Get next entry.
> Loop
> End Function
>
> </code>
>
> Groetjenz,
>
> Mickey[/color]

G'day Mickey,
THANK YOU for your reply.
Do While myFile "is not equal to empty string"
is the same as:
Do Until myFile "is equal to empty string"

What I've done is not an answer but avoids the problem.

Dim fileList() 'array to store filenames
Dim i as Integer 'loop counter
tmpFile = Dir(myPath & "\*.txt") 'get the first file name
Do Until tmpFile = "" ' do until empty string
ReDim Preserve fileList(i) 'set the size of array
fileList(i) = tmpFile 'put da name in array
tmpFile = Dir 'get next filename
i = i + 1 'increment counter
Loop

For i = 0 To UBound(fileList )
tmpFile = fileList(i)
<offending & offensive code>
Next i

actually it's probably clearer, easy to read etc, so better code.

Thank you again Mickey.
build