File Properties

[joltremari]

When I right click on a file and choose 'Properties' I have a tab called 'Summary', in which there are several things such as 'Title', 'Subject', 'Comments', and some other stuff.

I'm wondering if there is a way to access and write to these properties, and if so, how. I have tried with FSO but couldn't figure it out Any help would be greatly appreciated.

JO

[pnish]

Checkout this link at M$:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q224351/

Although it says it's for VB.Net, it's supposed to work for any COM aware language.

Good luck.

[velayua]

The MS link helps only with OLEs not with any other kinds..what abt other file types..any code our there that supports all kinds of files?

[Hack]

All you need to do is open the file's property sheet, programmatically. This will give you the same thing as right mouse clicking on a file from Windows Explorer.

Option Explicit
 
Private Type SHELLEXECUTEINFO
    cbSize        As Long
    fMask         As Long
    hwnd          As Long
    lpVerb        As String
    lpFile        As String
    lpParameters  As String
    lpDirectory   As String
    nShow         As Long
    hInstApp      As Long
    lpIDList      As Long
    lpClass       As String
    hkeyClass     As Long
    dwHotKey      As Long
    hIcon         As Long
    hProcess      As Long
End Type
 
Private Const SEE_MASK_INVOKEIDLIST = &HC
Private Const SEE_MASK_NOCLOSEPROCESS = &H40
Private Const SEE_MASK_FLAG_NO_UI = &H400
 
Private Declare Function ShellExecuteEx Lib "shell32.dll" (SEI As SHELLEXECUTEINFO) As Long
 
Private Sub ShowProperties(FileName As String, OwnerhWnd As Long)
 
  'open a file properties property page for
  'specified file if return value
   Dim SEI As SHELLEXECUTEINFO
  'Fill in the SHELLEXECUTEINFO structure
   With SEI
      .cbSize = Len(SEI)
      .fMask = SEE_MASK_NOCLOSEPROCESS Or _
               SEE_MASK_INVOKEIDLIST Or _
               SEE_MASK_FLAG_NO_UI
      .hwnd = OwnerhWnd
      .lpVerb = "properties"
      .lpFile = FileName
      .lpParameters = vbNullChar
      .lpDirectory = vbNullChar
      .nShow = 0
      .hInstApp = 0
      .lpIDList = 0
   End With
 
  'call the API to display the property sheet
   Call ShellExecuteEx(SEI)
  
End Sub
 
Private Sub Command1_Click()
With CommonDialog1
   .CancelError = True
   .InitDir = "C:\"
   .ShowOpen
   Call ShowProperties((.FileName), Me.hwnd)
End With
End Sub

[westconn1]

is this for mp3 files by some chance??

if so here is a program that can read and write to those properties, it is not written by me, but i have used some of the code.
it appears to work on a NTFS files system, but i have not tried it it on a FAT file system and i believe there maybe be differences, as discussed in a thread a few days ago.



Remember it writes to your mp3 files and until it is well tested should only be used on backups

rgds pete

[Keithuk]

When I right click on a file and choose 'Properties' I have a tab called 'Summary', in which there are several things such as 'Title', 'Subject', 'Comments', and some other stuff.

I'm wondering if there is a way to access and write to these properties, and if so, how.

No you can't alter these properties, they are set when the exe is compiled. You can read them quite easily.

Anyway why do you want to alter them? If you made the exe then its easy.

[westconn1]

well you can certainly change them in explorer, so chnging them by program would have to be possible too

i don't think he is meaning exes, more likley docs or mp3s

pete

[Keithuk]

well you can certainly change them in explorer, so chnging them by program would have to be possible too

i don't think he is meaning exes, more likley docs or mp3s

pete

You can't change the properties of any file in Explorer well you can't with Win98.

[Hack]

You can't change the properties of any file in Explorer well you can't with Win98.

That is true of most commerical software (such as the MS Office suite). Most VB .Exes, however, do permit this (I just compiled a Project1.Exe and I could update anything I wanted on the summary tab.)

My assumption, of the original request however, was that he wanted to be able to update the Summary tab of documents and spreadsheets, and stuff like that.