CreateFile ... no luck

[kcornell]

In a VB program, for a "new file" command, I need to create a file, but CreateFile is acting up. It doesn't stop the program, but doesn't create the file either. Here's the entire sub (in case I'm going about this the wrong way...)

Dim mfile$, blah As SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES
dialog.Action = 1
mfile$ = dialog.FileName
X = CreateFile(mfile$, &HC0000000, 0, blah, CREATE_NEW, FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL, 0)
Open mfile$ For Input As #1
For i = 0 To 99
Write #1, vbNullString
Next
Call LoadMacros
Call LoadLBox

The sub hangs @ Open mfile$ where it returns that the file doesn't exist. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
-KMCornell@aol.com

[Vlatko]

Here is an example from API-Guide:

'This project needs a Common Dialog box, named CDBox.
' (To add the Common Dialog Box to your tools menu, go to Project->Components (or press CTRL-T)
' and select Microsoft Common Dialog control)
Private Type FILETIME
dwLowDateTime As Long
dwHighDateTime As Long
End Type
Private Type SYSTEMTIME
wYear As Integer
wMonth As Integer
wDayOfWeek As Integer
wDay As Integer
wHour As Integer
wMinute As Integer
wSecond As Integer
wMilliseconds As Integer
End Type
Private Const GENERIC_WRITE = &H40000000
Private Const OPEN_EXISTING = 3
Private Const FILE_SHARE_READ = &H1
Private Const FILE_SHARE_WRITE = &H2
Private Declare Function CreateFile Lib "kernel32" Alias "CreateFileA" (ByVal lpFileName As String, ByVal dwDesiredAccess As Long, ByVal dwShareMode As Long, ByVal lpSecurityAttributes As Long, ByVal dwCreationDisposition As Long, ByVal dwFlagsAndAttributes As Long, ByVal hTemplateFile As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function SetFileTime Lib "kernel32" (ByVal hFile As Long, lpCreationTime As FILETIME, lpLastAccessTime As FILETIME, lpLastWriteTime As FILETIME) As Long
Private Declare Function SystemTimeToFileTime Lib "kernel32" (lpSystemTime As SYSTEMTIME, lpFileTime As FILETIME) As Long
Private Declare Function CloseHandle Lib "kernel32" (ByVal hObject As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function LocalFileTimeToFileTime Lib "kernel32" (lpLocalFileTime As FILETIME, lpFileTime As FILETIME) As Long
Private Sub Form_Load()
'KPD-Team 1998
'URL: http://www.allapi.net/
'KPDTeam@Allapi.net
Dim m_Date As Date, lngHandle As Long
Dim udtFileTime As FILETIME
Dim udtLocalTime As FILETIME
Dim udtSystemTime As SYSTEMTIME
m_Date = Format(Now, "DD-MM-YY")

'Set the dialog's title
CDBox.DialogTitle = "Choose a file ..."
'Set the dialog's filter
CDBox.Filter = "All Files (*.*)|*.*"
'Show the 'Open File'-dialog
CDBox.ShowOpen

udtSystemTime.wYear = Year(m_Date)
udtSystemTime.wMonth = Month(m_Date)
udtSystemTime.wDay = Day(m_Date)
udtSystemTime.wDayOfWeek = WeekDay(m_Date) - 1
udtSystemTime.wHour = Hour(m_Date)
udtSystemTime.wSecond = Second(m_Date)
udtSystemTime.wMilliseconds = 0

' convert system time to local time
SystemTimeToFileTime udtSystemTime, udtLocalTime
' convert local time to GMT
LocalFileTimeToFileTime udtLocalTime, udtFileTime
' open the file to get the filehandle
lngHandle = CreateFile(CDBox.Filename, GENERIC_WRITE, FILE_SHARE_READ Or FILE_SHARE_WRITE, ByVal 0&, OPEN_EXISTING, 0, 0)
' change date/time property of the file
SetFileTime lngHandle, udtFileTime, udtFileTime, udtFileTime
' close the handle
CloseHandle lngHandle
MsgBox "The date of the file '" + CDBox.Filename + "' has been changed to" + Str$(m_Date), vbInformation + vbOKOnly, App.Title
End Sub

[kcornell]

This seems to work well.

However, for others needing a new command, I found another system which seems to work well. A template file "ala Word' s normal.dot" seems to not only provide customization options for the end-user, but the simplicity of creating a new file with "FileCopy" instead of rolling the dice with API. Just wanted to explore other options.

Thanks,
-KMCornell@aol.com

[Babbalouie]

Of course, there is a non-API answer to your question as well. If the file is opened in the Append, Binary, Output, or Random modes (instead of the Input mode you used), then it is automatically created if it does not already exist...

[kcornell]

"Of course, there is a non-API answer to your question as well. If the file is opened in the Append, Binary, Output, or Random modes (instead of the Input mode you used), then it is automatically created if it does not already exist... "

Why was I using Write when I had the file open as Input ... *smack*. Note to self: No VB after 3 AM...