Opening and reading binary files

[rodders45]

I am getting strange errors when opening files for binary reading. Here is my code:

fstr = ""
Open "c:\misc16.fsh" For Binary Access Read As #1
Do While Not EOF(1)
Get #1, temp
fstr = fstr & temp
Loop

When the code reaches the 'Get' line I get the following error:

Runtime error '458':

Variable uses an automation type not supported in Visual Basic

I am using VB5 Enterprise SP3 and this code worked before I installed SP3. Please help!

[REM]

If you are opening the file for binary access, then you can only retrieve chunks of data from the file, specified by the length of the string you declare. e.g.

Example 1:
     Open "C:\Test.txt" for binary as #1
     'Get all data in the file
     strTemp = Space(LOF(1))
     Get #1, , strTemp
     Close #1

Example 2:
     
     Dim strTemp as string * 10  '10 bytes

     Open "C:\Test.txt" for binary as #1
     
     'Get 1- bytes from start of file.
     Get #1, , strTemp
     Close #1

If you want to retrieve data from each line in your file (which it looks like you are trying to do), then you should use the following method.

'To read lines from a file, and append them
'to a string (with carriage returns at the end)
'use this method.

Open "C:\Test.txt" For Input As #1

'Loop while not the end of file
Do While Not EOF(1)
    
    'Get a line form the file
    Input #1, strTemp1

    'Append it to the file
    strTemp2 = strTemp2 & strTemp1 & vbCrLf

Loop

Or, if you are just after getting a big chunk from the file, use the following method.

'To retrieve a whole chunk from a file, use this method.

Open "C:\Test.txt" For Binary As #1
    
    'Create a string buffer
    strTemp1 = Space(LOF(1))
    
    'Get the data from the file
   Get #1, , strTemp1

Close #1

I hope this has helped. If you are still having problems, post back and explain in more depth what you are exactly trying to retrieve from the file...

Laterz

REM

[rodders45]

Cheers, that really helped.