watch directory

I need to write a program that can watch a directory. When a file appears in the directory, the program will forward it to an other directory.

Perhaps you can use a timer program to check, say, every second or so, the directory whether there is a new file and if there is the program will transfer it to another directory. But this is an idea. I have never put it into practice.

I have seen an app who could watch a file or directory for changes, but i dont remember how it works or where i found it.

I haven't seen such an app. But the idea is simple and the code I don't think too difficult. The general idea is to check the directory first(using Dir$(), for example). If the directory is empty that is ok. If it is not empty then take down the names of all the files and, if necessary, some of their properties (such as length or date). Then using the timer program we can check at regular intervals to see if there is any change in the directory and/or on the files.

i dont know but i'll bet there is an api that communicates with windows and tells you when there is a change. maybe post the question in the api forum too.

Here's something i made some months ago:

Code:

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'Put this code in a module

'Search a dir for new files
'Calling this function the first time will only store the filenames
'To chech after new files call again
'Search will return a variant containing an array! Use For Each!
Function CheckNewFiles(directory)
   
    On Error Resume Next 'oldfiles will cause subscript out of range the first time.
    Static oldfiles() As String 'This static remains in memory after first function call
    Dim newfiles() As String: ReDim newfiles(0) 'Temporary holds the new ones
    Dim foundfiles() As String: ReDim foundfiles(0) 'The array to send in return
   
    fil = Dir(directory, 7) 'Catch first file (hidden/system/archive files readen)
    Do Until fil = ""
        ReDim Preserve newfiles(UBound(newfiles) + 1) 'Resize array
        newfiles(UBound(newfiles) - 1) = fil
        For n = 0 To UBound(oldfiles) 'Search the old ones...
            If fil = oldfiles(n) Then ' ... to test if fil is old
                Exit For
            End If
            If n = UBound(oldfiles) Then '... if no matches, add to foundlist
                ReDim Preserve foundfiles(UBound(foundfiles) + 1) 'Resize array
                foundfiles(UBound(foundfiles) - 1) = fil 'Add
            End If
        Next n
        fil = Dir() 'Find next file
    Loop
   
    ReDim oldfiles(UBound(newfiles) - 1) 'Removing last empty item in each array
    ReDim Preserve newfiles(UBound(newfiles) - 1)
    ReDim Preserve foundfiles(UBound(foundfiles) - 1)
    For n = 0 To UBound(newfiles) ' Store filenames until next search
        oldfiles(n) = newfiles(n)
    Next n
    CheckNewFiles = foundfiles() 'Return the found files in array

End Function
'Then in a timer on the form
Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
    Dim n As Variant
    For Each n In CheckNewFiles("C:\Sourcedir")
      Name "C:\Sourcedir\" & n As "C:\Targetdir\" & n
    Next n
End Sub

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+ If you want it only copy the new files, you have to call CheckNewFiles before starting the timer

Hey guys :) this will help ya!

http://www.mvps.org/vbnet/code/filea...chedfolder.htm

Thanks for all the tips. I havn't tried them yet, are going to do that tonight.

Maybe its not so stupid with a timer anyway (if you're going to check every second, i think this program would be a BIG system resorce killer. But i don't need to check more often than every 15 min or so.

Im not going to copy the file, im going to move it (thats almost the same, though).

And, yeah, I think the other program i saw was built on an API. To sad I can't write API. Somebody who got a good turtorial on that?