How to tell when a directory is stable

[ChrisL]

I need to monitor a directory to see when it has some files copied in to it, but I need to be sure the file copy has finished.

I tried using dirgetsize() in a loop but this doesn't work.

When the filecopy starts Windows allocates the finished size to the directory. So if its a large file that takes 30 seconds to copy in the directory size is aready showing the final size each check.

Is there an alternative method?

Thanks

[Zohar]

I donno how to do it in AutoIt,

But Do you know C#?

In C#(.NET generally) you can use a component called System.IO.FileSystemWatcher.

What you can do is write the Waiting function in C#, compile it to an EXE,

and then use RunWait() in your AutoIt code, to run it and wait for it.

[Manjish]

can't u just see if the directory has that file or not.. by _FileListToArray.. just search for file's name in there

Edited February 16, 2009 by Manjish

[Manjish]

or easier still.. just see if the "Copying.." window exists or not.. by WinExists

[ChrisL]

Well Thanks for the replies, but the best method I have found so far is to use

Func _FileOpenAPI($sFile)
    Local $GENERIC_READ = 0x80000000, $GENERIC_WRITE = 0x40000000, $OPEN_ALWAYS = 4, $FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL = 0x00000080, $FILE_SHARE_NONE = 0x00000000, $FILE_SHARE_READ = 0x00000001, $FILE_SHARE_WRITE = 0x00000002
    Local $AFO_h
    $AFO_h = DllCall("kernel32.dll", "hwnd", "CreateFile", "str", $sFile, "long", BitOR($GENERIC_READ, $GENERIC_WRITE), "long", $FILE_SHARE_NONE, "ptr", 0, "long", $OPEN_ALWAYS, "long", $FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL, "long", 0)
    Return $AFO_h[0]
EndFunc  ;==>_FileOpenAPI

Using the "File_Share_None" flag and check each file in the directory to make sure I can open it.

It fails to open if it is mid copy.