How To copy folder/file from A to B

[Sandy Beach]

Can anyone please teach me,

How can I copy a folder and all the sub folders and files in it, from a location A to a destination B. Replace the old content with this new one.

In another words, I trying to make a back up module for my data folder and files.

[ungas023]

make a new folder copy the folder or any of the sub folders, open your newly created folder then paste it there, if i am assuming that you do not do it in runtime.....

[Jim Davis]

Look for examples of Recursive folder handling on planetsourcecode.com. Then, you can make folders by using the MkDir() command, and copy files by using the FileCopy() method.

[Sandy Beach]

Is the following a valid code, also please tell me how can I delete the whole folder and all the child folders and the files in that folder.

<V.B 6.0>

Public Shared Sub Copy ( _
    sourceFileName As String, _
    destFileName As String _
)

Private Function FileCopy()
    Dim sourceFileName As String
    Dim destFileName As String
    MkDir("C:\temptest")
    sourceFileName="C:/temp/text.txt"
    destFileName="C:/temptest/text.txt"
    File.Copy(sourceFileName, destFileName)
End Function

[Jim Davis]

by using the harvested folder and file structure you got from the recursive search, you can copy then delete the files also.

to delete a file, use the Kill() method

Is the following a valid code

On vb.net could be. On vb6 it isnt.

[Siddharth Rout]

I prefer the API way...

'~~> Needs 1 Form, 2 textboxes and 1 Commandbutton
Option Explicit

Private Declare Function SHFileOperation _
Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "SHFileOperationA" _
(lpFileOp As SHFILEOPSTRUCT) As Long

Private Type SHFILEOPSTRUCT
    hWnd As Long
    wFunc As Long
    pFrom As String
    pTo As String
    fFlags As Integer
    fAborted As Boolean
    hNameMaps As Long
    sProgress As String
End Type

Private Const FO_COPY = &H2

Private Sub Command1_Click()
    '~~> Usage ~~> CopyFolder(From,To)
    '~~> Example ~~> CopyFolder("C:\Temp\1","C:\Temp\2")
    If CopyFolder(Text1.Text, Text2.Text) Then
        MsgBox "Copied"
    Else
        MsgBox "Not copied"
    End If
End Sub

Private Function CopyFolder(ByVal sFrom As String, _
ByVal sTo As String) As Boolean
    Dim SHFileOp As SHFILEOPSTRUCT
    On Error GoTo CF_Err
    CopyFolder = False
    With SHFileOp
        .wFunc = FO_COPY
        .pFrom = sFrom
        .pTo = sTo
    End With
    SHFileOperation SHFileOp
    CopyFolder = True
    Exit Function
CF_Err:
    MsgBox "Following error occurd while copying folder " & sFrom & vbCrLf & _
    Err.Description, vbExclamation, "Error message"
End Function

[Jim Davis]

@koolsid great, i didnt knew the api.

Here are the details of the SHFILEOPSTRUCT: (for example you can also use the _MOVE to delete the source after copying)
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...95(VS.85).aspx

Some more details and remarks about the api:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...64(VS.85).aspx

[Sandy Beach]

Great!

One last thing, I want to delete exhisting folder and its content before copying, else windows is prompting and asking if it can replace.

So if I delete before copying this will not happen right.

[JJJCR_FOX]

you can use the scripting file system object (fso.deletefolder) to delete a specified folder and its contents...

reference from msdn:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...xh(VS.85).aspx

[Siddharth Rout]

'~~> Set reference to Microsoft Scripting Runtime Library

Private Sub Command1_Click()
    '~~> Check if folder exists and if does then delete it
    If FolderExists("C:\temp\2") Then Call DeleteFolder("C:\temp\2")
    
    '~~> Rest of the Code to copy the folder + files as mentioned in POST#6
End Sub

'~~> Check If folder exists
Private Function FolderExists(ByVal strPath As String) As Boolean
    Dim s As String
    '~~> Strip final slash from path
    If Right(strPath, 1) = "\" Then strPath = Left(strPath, Len(strPath) - 1)
    
    '~~> Check if directory exists
    s = Dir(strPath, vbDirectory)
    If s <> "" Then FolderExists = True
End Function

'~~> Deletes Folder and files inside it
Sub DeleteFolder(ByVal strPath As String)
    On Error Resume Next
    Dim oFso As New Scripting.FileSystemObject

    If Right(strPath, 1) = "\" Then strPath = _
    Left(strPath, Len(strPath) - 1)

    If oFso.FolderExists(strPath) Then
        '~~> Deleting Read only files as well
        oFso.DeleteFolder strPath, True
    End If
End Sub

[Sandy Beach]

Thanks but
" Dim oFso As New Scripting.FileSystemObject
"

giving problem

[Siddharth Rout]

Read the very first line in comments in the code that i posted above

You need to set reference to Microsoft Scripting Runtime Library

Click On Menu project=>References and select the Microsoft Scripting Runtime Library

[Sandy Beach]

POWER it works.
But, may Know what is "'~~> Set reference to Microsoft Scripting Runtime Library"
I am unaware of this.

[Siddharth Rout]

A reference is an external file(s), such as a DLL. To use the file system object you need to set a reference to scrrun.dll

If you have msdn installed in your pc, Search on the topic "Creating a Reference to an Object" It will explain it in detail....

[Jim Davis]

What about the FO_DELETE flag on SHFILEOPSTRUCT? Will not delete the files and folders?

[Siddharth Rout]

What about the FO_DELETE flag on SHFILEOPSTRUCT? Will not delete the files and folders?

Yes you can use that as well... The reson why I gave the other code is because this will ask you to confirm the operation and I feel that the OP didn't want that....

Private Declare Function SHFileOperation Lib "shell32.dll" _
Alias "SHFileOperationA" (lpFileOp As SHFILEOPSTRUCT) As Long

Private Type SHFILEOPSTRUCT
    hWnd As Long
    wFunc As Long
    pFrom As String
    pTo As String
    fFlags As Integer
    fAborted As Boolean
    hNameMaps As Long
    sProgress As String
End Type
Private Const FO_DELETE = &H3
Private Const FOF_ALLOWUNDO = &H40
Sub DeleteFolder()
    Dim SHFileOp As SHFILEOPSTRUCT
    With SHFileOp
        '~~> Delete the folder
        .wFunc = FO_DELETE
        '~~> Select the folder
        .pFrom = "C:\temp\2"
        '~~> Move to Recycle Bin
        '~~> If you want to permanently delete it then comment the below
        .fFlags = FOF_ALLOWUNDO
    End With
    '~~> Perform Delete
    SHFileOperation SHFileOp
End Sub

[Jim Davis]

I see. So, there is no way to force the operation? For example, Total Commander also able to use the windows operations for file copy/deletions. You can set the "Force All" that there it will mass overwrite or/ delete the files without any further notification window. It also catches all widnows messages, then show its own UI window. I'm not sure how it does.

Edit:

FOF_NOCONFIRMATION
Respond with Yes to All for any dialog box that is displayed.

This flag might help you to catch the window messages.

FOF_WANTMAPPINGHANDLE
If FOF_RENAMEONCOLLISION is specified and any files were renamed, assign a name mapping object that contains their old and new names to the hNameMappings member. This object must be freed using SHFreeNameMappings when it is no longer needed.

These flags seems to me the best combo:

FOF_SILENT | FOF_NOCONFIRMATION | FOF_NOCONFIRMMKDIR

I have found a post here that there you can find the declare of each 'extra' flags
http://www.vbforums.com/showpost.php...02&postcount=4

[Siddharth Rout]

Hmmm let me check it out

Edit

Perfect! It works now

Private Declare Function SHFileOperation Lib "shell32.dll" _
Alias "SHFileOperationA" (lpFileOp As SHFILEOPSTRUCT) As Long

Private Type SHFILEOPSTRUCT
    hWnd As Long
    wFunc As Long
    pFrom As String
    pTo As String
    fFlags As Integer
    fAborted As Boolean
    hNameMaps As Long
    sProgress As String
End Type
Private Const FO_DELETE = &H3
Private Const FOF_ALLOWUNDO = &H40
Private Const FOF_NOCONFIRMATION = &H10
Sub DeleteFolder()
    Dim SHFileOp As SHFILEOPSTRUCT
    With SHFileOp
        '~~> Delete the folder
        .wFunc = FO_DELETE
        '~~> Select the folder
        .pFrom = "C:\temp\2"
        '~~> Delete Folder and it's contents without confirmation
        .fFlags = FOF_NOCONFIRMATION
    End With
    '~~> Perform Delete
    SHFileOperation SHFileOp
End Sub

[Jim Davis]

The FOF_ALLOWUNDO will move the content to the Recycle Bin, am i right? (in case Recycle bin is available, but if it is just disabled by system settings, it will not move to there..)

[Siddharth Rout]

No, In that case it won't... I believe. I could be wrong...