Username function works (in general) but includes "weird characters" when used in a concat string

[skydivetom]

Good morning:

I need some assistance with, potentially, cleaning up/trimming a string value (i.e., "strPath_2").

Recap (username):
- DB includes a "username" import function.
- There never has been any issues displaying it when using "username" in, e.g., a form's text field.

Recap (what I'm trying to achieve):


- I need to create an export routine that outputs, e.g., a spreadsheet on the user's name desktop (or any other designated path)
- To make it dynamic, I'd like to create a concatenated file path string

Issue:
- Per VBA code below, the username ("strPath_2") returns a bunch of block/rectangle characters
- Thus, when concatenating all 3 string elements (i.e., "strPath_Concat = strPath_1 & strPath_2 & strPath_3"), the third element ("strPath_3") is NOT included in the concatenated string ("strPath_Concat").

Goal:
- Output, e.g., "strPath_Concat" = "C:\Users\jsmith\CompanyName\Mainfolder\Subfolder" .... where "jsmith" is NOT a constant but being dynamically read into


Please see attached PNG which illustrates both the 'hover over' values as well as 'message boxes'. If indeed strPath_2's block/rectangle characters cause strPath_3 NOT to be included in the concatenated string, what is the solution for, e.g., trimming/cleaning up "strPath_2"?

Option Compare Database
Option Explicit
    
Private Sub Form_Load()

    'Checks current network login ID is
    Me!txtNetworkID = fOSUserName()
    Me!txt_username = Me!txtNetworkID
          
End Sub




Private Sub Listbox1_AfterUpdate()

    Dim strPath_1 As String
    Dim strPath_2 As String
    Dim strPath_3 As String
    Dim strPath_Concat As String


    strPath_1 = "C:\Users\"
    strPath_2 = Me!txtNetworkID
    strPath_3 = "\CompanyName\Mainfolder\Subfolder"


    strPath_Concat = strPath_1 & strPath_2 & strPath_3
    
    
    MsgBox "Msg Box #1: " & strPath_1
    MsgBox "Msg Box #2: " & strPath_2
    MsgBox "Msg Box #3: " & strPath_3
    MsgBox "Msg Box Concat: " & strPath_Concat    
    
        
    '... More functionality
    '...
    '...


End Sub

[skydivetom]

Found alternate solution:

https://www.msaccesstips.com/2022/09...nto-excel.html

[Gicu]

Hi Tom,
Do you still get those characters if you use the function directly in the str_Path2 assignment? Could it be that the first textbox (NetworkID) adds the padding?

str_Path2=fOSUserName()

Here are a couple alternatives to get you to the desktop:
https://www.devhut.net/vba-getting-t...ystem-folders/
https://excel.tips.net/T008233_Findi...oogle_vignette
Cheers,