dir() directory listing - unusual short filename result returned

[Travb81]

Brief intro:


We use 5 digit job numbers. Each job has a job folder starting with these digits, followed by some of it's job name.
To locate the job folder, I search using the job number followed by a astrix wildcard.


I'm experiencing some odd results from dir() directory listings.

I've found that there are Short File name listings (eg 8 character name, 3 character extension), which can be returned with the "dir /x" extension.

The weird behaviour, is that sometimes Windows has created a folder, where the short name is quite different from the long name.
When I'm relying on a long file name result, it's giving me a weird unexpected result.

An example to explain....

dir t5246*
 Directory of N:\Jobs
17/11/2018  10:19 AM    <DIR>          T4411 - New Flooring

dir t5246* /x
17/11/2018  10:19 AM    <DIR>          T52463~H     T4411 - New Flooring

I've tried to utilise the Scripting.FileSystemObject methods instead - but they are much slower than a native DIR() command.
I cant see a switch for the dir() command, to exclude short file name results.

Any ideas?
Is there a way to manipulate the dir() data more, maybe to compare the short and long filename - if they are significantly different, ignore that dir() result and look for the next one?

Thanks!

[ranman256]

don't use DIR, instead use ("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

Public Function FileExists(ByVal pvFile) As Boolean
Dim fso
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
FileExists = fso.FileExists(pvFile)
Set fso = Nothing
End Function



Public Function DirExists(ByVal pvDir) As Boolean
Dim fso
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
DirExists = fso.FolderExists(pvDir)
Set fso = Nothing
End Function

[Travb81]

Thanks....
But FileSystemObject doesn't work with wildcards?
If i use the fso.GetFolder routine, and loop through each .SubFolder result, the outcome is too slow.

don't use DIR, instead use ("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

Public Function FileExists(ByVal pvFile) As Boolean
Dim fso
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
FileExists = fso.FileExists(pvFile)
Set fso = Nothing
End Function



Public Function DirExists(ByVal pvDir) As Boolean
Dim fso
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
DirExists = fso.FolderExists(pvDir)
Set fso = Nothing
End Function

[ssanfu]

You don't say what you are doing with the folder name(s), but I found some code (at https://www.excelhowto.com/macros/ho...use-excel-vba/ and https://excelmacromastery.com/vba-di...VBA_Dictionary ) and modified it.

Right now the code asks you to pick a folder and loops through the path collecting all folders/sub folders. It found over 4400 folders (I picked a drive) in under 3 seconds (I didn't time it, but is was fast).
You could modify the "Select folder" code to search for a folder, if that is what you need.
Then it writes the found folders to the immediate window.
Instead of writing to the immediate window, you could modify the code to write to a table, then do what you need to do with the folders.

Sub ListAllFolders()

    Dim MyPath As String, MyFolderName As String
    Dim i As Integer, F As Boolean
    Dim objShell As Object, objFolder As Object, AllFolders As Object
    Dim key
    Dim tmp()
    On Error Resume Next

    '************************
    'Select folder
    Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
    Set objFolder = objShell.BrowseForFolder(0, "", 0, 0)
    If Not objFolder Is Nothing Then
        MyPath = objFolder.self.Path & "\"
    Else
        Exit Sub
        'MyPath = "G:\BackUp\"
    End If
    Set objFolder = Nothing
    Set objShell = Nothing

    '************************


    'Find all folders/sub folders
    Set AllFolders = CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")

    AllFolders.Add (MyPath), ""
    i = 0
    Do While i < AllFolders.Count
        key = AllFolders.Keys
        MyFolderName = Dir(key(i), vbDirectory)
        Do While MyFolderName <> ""
            If MyFolderName <> "." And MyFolderName <> ".." Then
                If (GetAttr(key(i) & MyFolderName) And vbDirectory) = vbDirectory Then
                    AllFolders.Add (key(i) & MyFolderName & "\"), ""
                End If
            End If
            MyFolderName = Dir
        Loop
        i = i + 1
    Loop


    'display the folders found in the immediate window
    PrintContents AllFolders


    Set AllFolders = Nothing
End Sub



'##########################################

Sub PrintContents(dict As Scripting.Dictionary)
    
    Dim k As Variant
    For Each k In dict.Keys
        ' Print key and value
        Debug.Print k   ' << could write to a table here
    Next

End Sub

EDIT: the folder/sub folders includes the full path, so if you want just the folder name, you will have to parse the string to get just the folder name.