How to find file and return it's path to string

[a6m1n0]

Hi. Was wondering how I can find file and return it's path to string to autoit. I can of course use dir c:\filename.ext /s /b to return something in the cmd window or redirect/pipe it somewhere, but two probelms: 1) How to get this data into autoit as string if I use DIR, and 2) is there a better way to do this just using autoit?

Some constants:

The drive searched will always be C:

The file searched for will always have the same name (8.3 format)

Thanks

[a6m1n0]

Thanks for the tips Larry...I'll do that.

[a6m1n0]

Ok, performed a search and found this script written by you Larry:

http://www.autoitscript.com/forum/index.ph...owtopic=571&hl=

The problem is when I attempt to Beta Run in SciTE with the example usage you provided (searching for *.au3 files) the following error is returned:

ERROR: FileFindNextFile() [built-in] called with wrong number of args.

$szBuffer = FileFindNextFile()

Actually it reports an error for each line that FileFindNextFile() is used. Am I just misusing your script? (Not unlikely :$ )

[seandisanti]

Ok, performed a search and found this script written by you Larry:

http://www.autoitscript.com/forum/index.ph...owtopic=571&hl=

The problem is when I attempt to Beta Run in SciTE with the example usage you provided (searching for *.au3 files) the following error is returned:

ERROR: FileFindNextFile() [built-in] called with wrong number of args.

$szBuffer = FileFindNextFile()

Actually it reports an error for each line that FileFindNextFile() is used. Am I just misusing your script? (Not unlikely :$ )

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

you have to assign a variable to your filefindfirstfile and pass it to FileFindNextFile()...example

; Shows the filenames of all files in the current directory.
$search = FileFindFirstFile("*.*")  

; Check if the search was successful
If $search = -1 Then
    MsgBox(0, "Error", "No files/directories matched the search pattern")
    Exit
EndIf

While 1
    $file = FileFindNextFile($search) 
    If @error Then ExitLoop
    
    MsgBox(4096, "File:", $file)
WEnd

; Close the search handle
FileClose($search)

[a6m1n0]

Ah ok. DOH! Thanks for the tip. (Man, you guys are fast!)

Modified like so: FileFindNextFile($szSearchString), where $szSearchString is the argument passed to the function that Larry wrote. Works perfectly.

Again, thanks for the help and the code.

[seandisanti]

Ah ok. DOH! Thanks for the tip. (Man, you guys are fast!)

Modified like so: FileFindNextFile($szSearchString), where $szSearchString is the argument passed to the function that Larry wrote. Works perfectly.

Again, thanks for the help and the code.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

NP, glad i could help. as far as speed of answer... i'm at work... what else is there to do?

[a6m1n0]

Ok, I cannot seem to get Larry's function to return a path and I am sure it is because I am a newb and am still learning. Let me rephrase: it returns all paths relative to the root directory of the drive--and this I am sure is beacause I modified the code (just what I mentioned above only), but only b/c out of the box it didn't work at all, and again I am sure this also is attributed to my newbness. :">

Since I need sciprts that are more 'out-of-the-box' so to speak until I can get the hang of this, I searched again for 'findfile' and ran across this URL with findfiles.au3:

http://www.autoitscript.com/fileman/users/jdeb/jdeb_autoit_stuff.htm

This script works really well, but fails Beta Run with SciTe if $DIR is defined as 'c:\'. How do I use this script to start it's search from the root directory of c:\? I have tried escaping the backslah eg 'c:\\' to account for the trimming of that slash, also tried 'c:\.' and 'c:\..' just for the heck of it and received the expected error.

The error that is returned by SciTe is when $DIR = "c:\" or "c:" :

Line 42: Invalid file handle used

Line 42 is:

$N_FILE = FileFindNextFile($N_SEARCH)

I 'kind of' understand the error from reviewing the AutoIt help again, but for the life of me I could not articulate this, nor could I modify to suit my needs; me=newb, remember?

Any help appreciated. Thanks for tolerating me.

[Digetal]

This is a easy way to search for something if using xp and it can be modified for win95-98

; Script start ---->

$file1 = "new.txt" ; you can change this to any file name you want

FileChangeDir("C:\") ; specified directory to search including sub directories 'this case entire C drive'

$d = "dir /b /s " & $file1 & " > C:\temp\file.txt" ; these two lines send the file name to the command prompt

RunWAIT(@ComSpec & " /C " & $d, "", @SW_HIDE);and put the output into a text document in temp folder

;<-------- End

then you could use the function (_FileCountLines) to get the number of files that search returned in file.txt

and you could also use the function (filereadline) in a loop to assign each full path its own variable

[a6m1n0]

Thanks for the help Digetal.

I am trying to keep from having to write a temp file somewhere since this can cause problems with what I am trying to do, and would take to long to explain here--nothing top secret or anything, just would take to long. There has to be way to do this without writing a tmp file though, isn't there?

I do appreciate the help and the swift reply, just need to know if this is possible or not with that script; well JdEb would know for certain I'm sure since it's his script.

Thanks

[Digetal]

I downloaded the script and tested it using winxp and autoit v3.1.1.75 (beta) and it works

change

Dim $DIR="c:\winutil\autoit3\programs\test" ; specify the directory to search

to

Dim $DIR="c:\" ; specify the directory to search

run in beta run mode from scite

it does reply alot of files in my case 1,432

and was giving the directories of each in a message box

ohh, and you have to open scite and goto tools beta run

can't just click and run script doesn't work

to complie use bet complie for scite

[a6m1n0]

Ok, I think I need to upgrade to the latest Beta version. Again Thanks for the help Digetal...I'll give it a go and reply back here.

EDIT: And yeah, I only use SciTe for builds and runs.

Edited September 17, 2005 by a6m1n0

[a6m1n0]

Awesome tip Digetal--That was the problem on this end. I downloaded the v3.1.1.75 (beta) zip file, after backing up the autoit program directory I unzipped the files, ran SciTe and a Beta Run--did not return any errors.

Thanks for the help! Hope I can return the favor sometime.

[Slydder]

Awesome tip Digetal--That was the problem on this end. I downloaded the v3.1.1.75 (beta) zip file, after backing up the autoit program directory I unzipped the files, ran SciTe and a Beta Run--did not return any errors.

Thanks for the help! Hope I can return the favor sometime.

Hello

I know this is a bit of an old post but I was having the same problem searching for a file. I did everything that was mentioned above and the script worked beatifully searching from "C:\" I had to make a few changes on my PC with regards to reinstalling some software and now I am getting the error

Invalid file handle used.:

$N_FILE = FileFindNextFile($N_SEARCH)

I tried reinstalling AutoIt and SciTe but that did not help. Any suggestions?