FileWrite doesn't use suplied handle

[RaySS]

FileOpen does return the expected handle in the code below, but FileWrite doesn't write text lines to the newly opened file. Here's the code:

#include <File.au3>
#include <Array.au3>
#include <FileConstants.au3>
#include <MsgBoxConstants.au3>

Global $sTopDirectory = "D:\Clif\Test\", $sSaveTopDirectory, $hFilehandle, $hFilehandleINI, $sOutFile, $sDSS_log = "DSS.log", $sDSS_txt = "DSS.txt"
Global $aFilesFound[1] = [0], $sCreateTime = ""
Local $sEnvVar, $iLucky = 0, $3FitFail = 0, $i0000Fail = 0, $i1999Fail = 0, $i1999Warn = 0, $i9999Warn = 0, $iRefStar = 0, $iDoubleStar = 0, $iHitCount = 0


$sEnvVar = EnvGet("APPDATA")
$sFileNameINI = $sEnvVar & "\Doublestar\Structure.ini"

; Open file - preserving any existing content
$hFilehandleINI = FileOpen($sFileNameINI, $FO_APPEND)

; Prove it exists
If FileExists($sFileNameINI) Then
    MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "File", "Exists");Code to be supplied later
Else
    MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "File", "Does not exist")
    $hFilehandleINI = FileOpen($sFileNameINI, $FO_OVERWRITE) ;Get handle for %APPDATA%/Doublestar/Structure.ini
    ConsoleWrite('@@ Debug(' & @ScriptLineNumber & ') : $sFileNameINI = ' & $sFileNameINI & @CRLF & '>Error code: ' & @error & @CRLF) ;### Debug Console
    FileWrite($hFilehandleINI, "[TopDirectory]")
    FileWrite($hFilehandleINI, @CRLF & "TopDirectory=" & $sTopDirectory & @CRLF)
    ConsoleWrite('@@ Debug(' & @ScriptLineNumber & ') : $hFilehandleINI = ' & $hFilehandleINI & @CRLF & '>Error code: ' & @error & @CRLF) ;### Debug Console
EndIf

; Close the file handle
FileClose($hFilehandleINI)

Here's the console output:

@@ Debug(25) : $sFileNameINI = C:\Users\RAS\AppData\Roaming\Doublestar\Structure.ini
>Error code: 0
@@ Debug(28) : $hFilehandleINI = -1
>Error code: 0

The file name shown in line 25 above is correct, but I'm misusing the file handle in some way. Please tell me what I'm missing.

Thank you.

RaySS

Edited December 30, 2015 by RaySS

[TheSaint]

I don't see the point of doing a FileOpen before FileExists.

You are also using FileOpen twice on the same file, without closing the first FileOpen.

I haven't tested your code, obviously, but the location you are writing to would have a Permissions element.

[jguinch]

Also, there are some native functions to work with INI files : IniWrite, IniRead...

 

[TheSaint]

And you should be using the @error returned to see if FileOpen worked okay and for FileWrite, instead of bothering with FileExists, which could be used afterwards still if you wanted a double check.

$hFilehandleINI = FileOpen($sFileNameINI, $FO_APPEND)
If @error Then
     MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "File Error", "Does not exist and could not be created!")
Else
    ; your FileWrite code goes here
End If

P.S. I am presuming you have a reason for not using IniWrite etc?

Edited December 30, 2015 by Santa

[TheDcoder]

Here lies the problem:

$sFileNameINI = $sEnvVar & "\Doublestar\Structure.ini" ; $sEnvVar is currently empty ("") <---- False

And \Doublestar\Structure.ini is not a valid file... I assume that there is no Doublestar folder in the @ScriptDir

$sEnvVar is set to %appdata%... Try this code:

ShellExecute($sEnvVar & "\Doublestar\Structure.ini")

Does this open Structure.ini? If not, then the path is invalid...

Edited December 30, 2015 by TheDcoder

[RaySS]

I had a fundamental misunderstanding of file I/O. The following are my reactions to your contributions. You will see my evolution.  

@Santa

I don't see the point of doing a FileOpen before FileExists.

In the program where this code will be running, I expect that the Structure.ini file will already have been written previously. If that file does exist, I will read from it and do further processing (not yet coded).

You are also using FileOpen twice on the same file, without closing the first FileOpen.
 

If control gets into line 24, the file does not exist, therefore, it will be appropriate to create it and open for writing with the $FO_OVERWRITE mode.

I haven't tested your code, obviously, but the location you are writing to would have a Permissions element.
 

What is a "permissions element"? Are you saying I need a FileClose($hFilehandleINI) statement immediately following line 22 in the ELSE block?

 

@ jguinch
Also, there are some native functions to work with INI files : IniWrite, IniRead...

Yes, I saw those, but decided to write my own. It will be a very short .INI file with only one brief section. If I can get this section to work, I may be using it for writing short memo files elsewhere.

@TheDcoder
Does this open Structure.ini? If not, then the path is invalid...

Yes, the path is invalid because the conditional on line 20 is false and sends control to the ELSE block at line 22.

 

@Santa (second reply)
And you should be using the @error returned to see if FileOpen worked okay ...

I see now that the $FO_APPEND mode will open the file even if it doesn't already exist. I had thought "append" implied the statement would fail if the file was not already present and filled with a minimum of something more than $var = Null.

Here's your code fragment which I'm using as a model. I tested it and it works.

#include <File.au3>
#include <Array.au3>
#include <FileConstants.au3>
#include <MsgBoxConstants.au3>

Global $sTopDirectory = "D:\Clif\Test\", $sSaveTopDirectory, $hFilehandle, $hFilehandleINI, $sOutFile, $sDSS_log = "DSS.log", $sDSS_txt = "DSS.txt"
Global $aFilesFound[1] = [0], $sCreateTime = ""
Local $sEnvVar, $iLucky = 0, $3FitFail = 0, $i0000Fail = 0, $i1999Fail = 0, $i1999Warn = 0, $i9999Warn = 0, $iRefStar = 0, $iDoubleStar = 0, $iHitCount = 0


$sEnvVar = EnvGet("APPDATA")
$sFileNameINI = $sEnvVar & "\Doublestar\Structure.ini"

$hFilehandleINI = FileOpen($sFileNameINI, $FO_APPEND)
If @error Then
    MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "File Error", "Does not exist and could not be created!")
Else
    MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "File Exists", "Success")
EndIf

; Close the file handle
FileClose($hFilehandleINI)

My thanks to all who replied.
RaySS