Testing for File In Use (Word 97SR2)

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If you try to open a document that is already in use by another user, Word will respond with the in use dialog (see below). I would like to be able to test for FileInUse without the user seeing any message or message box. How can I do that?

Testing for the presence of the temporary file of the open file is unreliable. I need a better way.

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Try On Error REsume Next and test the error code.
Might do the deed.

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Kev,

Try this:

boolFileInUse = True
On error goto FileInUse
Open “The file you want to open” for input lock read as 1
on error goto 0
close #1
boolFileInUse=false
FileInUse:

etc.

Cheers,

Kevin Bell

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Touch

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Talk about embarassing!

I actually had this code in my app!
I forget where I got it, but it does the job by another name.

Function fFileLocked(strFileName As String) As Boolean
On Error Resume Next
Open strFileName For Binary Access Read Write Lock Read Write As #1
Close #1
If Err.Number 0 Then
fFileLocked = True
Else
fFileLocked = False
End If
Err.Clear
End Function

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Hi Kevin,

Also in the ‘seen it before’ category, couldn’t you replace

If Err.Number 0 Then
fFileLocked = True
Else
fFileLocked = False
End If

with

fFileLocked = CBool(Err.Number)

Gary

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You are a very good student!

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While were at it, why not reiterate the idea that since the Function is declared Boolean the assignment statement does not need the CBool function. Therefore,

fFileLocked = Err.Number

will suffice.

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Edited by Gary Frieder on 18-Jan-02 19:09.

Actually that’s what I was going to post, and then got cold feet. I thought: even though I know it’s going to work, would I release that code? So I added the CBool back as a security blanket, even though not really necessary.

Kind of like setting a boolean variable = False at the beginning of a function – not really necessary but one sleeps better.

Still, what you’ve posted wins the brevity prize.

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Where’s my ribbon?

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That’s what I had suggested.

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It’s a little different in that he is not trapping the error when the .Open method fails, but separately opening and closing the file using old VB as a test before running the .Open method. I’m not sure it’s worth the extra code to do it that way, but since it’s already written…

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