FolderExists (Windows XP SP2/VBA)

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I am using the FolderExist() Method, which works correctly as stated in the help file. I would however, if possible, like to use the method to search for a folder that starts with a certain string… For example, If a folder exists called “BB123 Building Project”, i would like to search for “BB123” and return back that the folder exists. Is there a way to do this?

Thanks in Advance

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You could use good old Dir with a wildcard and vbDirectory for this:

Dim blnFolderExists As Boolean
blnFolderExists = Not (Dir("F:BB123*", vbDirectory) = "")

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Thanks Hans

Worked like a charm!!

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Hmmmm. Interesting. I have set up a RamDrive “R:” to simulate a client’s network drive. All their drives are single letters.

The DIR fails to detect the drive when there are no files yet created within R:.
Once I copy a file to drive R:, I can detect the folder.
Once I delete that file, the folder R: is undetectable.

I’m using RamDrive.sys from KB 257405

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Maybe it is a flaw in the driver? A Dir of an empty drive should return the “self” folder (.) at least, and typically returns the “parent” folder (..) even if there really isn’t one. Can you test this out at a command prompt (you can skip making the SUBST since you already have a drive letter to test)?

C:Testingempty>subst r: .

C:Testingempty>subst
R:: => C:Testingempty

C:Testingempty>dir r:*.*
 Volume in drive R is  
 Volume Serial Number is  

 Directory of R:

05/04/2005  05:42 PM              .
05/04/2005  05:42 PM              ..
               0 File(s)              0 bytes
               2 Dir(s)   1,190,252,544 bytes free

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Chris’s post is about the VB/VBA function Dir, not about the command prompt instruction DIR.

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Yeah, that was lazy of me… The Immediate window does show the . and .. folders when you run this against a substituted drive:

Sub ShowDirsInSubstDrive()
Dim strFile As String
strFile = Dir(“r:”, vbDirectory)
While strFile vbNullString
Debug.Print strFile
strFile = Dir
Wend
End Sub

That’s why I think there’s something fishy about the RAM drive driver… or maybe it’s something in Chris’s code…

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> Maybe it is a flaw in the driver?

Despite Hans’s (thanks Hans!) counter and your counter-counter i think that you are right.

Before I posted I considered that there was a software bug (well, it couldn’t be a hardware fault, now could it?!!!) and the RamDisk.sys or whatever, on finding no space set aside for an initial root folder merely reported a null string or similar, whereupon the VBA/DIR command reported a non-existent drive. I suspect that the ram disk root folder doesn’t get created/initialised until the first file is lodged there. As an interesting footnote, later on I dragged any old file in there, and it didn’t work untiul I cleared the Hidden attribute, so it seems as if it has to be a visible file in the ram drive before VBA/DIR reports success.

I should have posted that my post was “for information only”, because if THIS client ever has an empty “R:” drive, they’ll be having more serious problems that my little bit of VBA code can offer.

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FWIW this does not appear to be a foolproof technique! (blush)
For the second sample, according to my WinXP Command prompt “The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.”.

Public Function blnFolderExists(strFolderName) As Boolean
    On Error Resume Next
    blnFolderExists = Not (Dir(strFolderName, vbDirectory) = "")
End Function
    Sub TESTblnFolderExists()
        MsgBox blnFolderExists("C:") ' should return TRUE
        MsgBox blnFolderExists("C:") ' should return FALSE
    End Sub

I discovered this after examining how my code was able to create a folder with multiple periods!

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FSO doesn’t seem to fare much better:

Public Function blnNEWFolderExists(strPath As String)
    Dim objFSO  As Object
    Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
    blnNEWFolderExists = objFSO.FolderExists(strPath)
End Function
Sub TESTblnNEWFolderExists()
    MsgBox blnNEWFolderExists("c:")
    MsgBox blnNEWFolderExists("c:")
    MsgBox blnNEWFolderExists("M:G04liugh")
    MsgBox blnNEWFolderExists("M:G04liugh....")
End Sub

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