How to Carry Out VBScript File Management
Using VBScript to Create, Copy, Delete and Rename Files
Aug 15, 2009
In any VBScript project the programmer will, at some point, have to carry out operations such as:
- VBScript delete file
- VBScript copy file
- VBScript rename file
However, it may surprise a new programmer that a computer programming language as powerful as VBScript does not have these command built into it. That's because it makes use of the Windows File System Object. This does have these commands built into it.
Of course, before learning how to carry out a VBScript delete file, copy file or rename file, it is worth considering to carry out a VBScript create file operation.
The VBScript Create File Method
Before doing anything else in a VBScript file, the programmer should always add the line:
This ensures that all variables have to be defined before they can be used and, in this example, the variables are to be used in a subroutine (so that the code can be reused). The first of these variables in the subroutine is used to create the file system object:
And the second variable is used to create the file itself:
Once the file has been created then the script can write to it:
And, at the end of the subroutine, the script closes the file and unloads the file system object:
This can now be run by using:
Once the file has been created then it can be copied.
The VBScript Copy File Method
Like the VBScript create file method, the VBScript copy file method should be encapsulated into a procedure (again, so that it can be reused). This time it will be a function that reports the success or failure of the VBScript copy file operation:
It's worth noting that (assuming that all file permissions are correct and there's enough disk space) the VBScript file create method will always work. However, the VBScript copy file method will only work if the originating file exists:
This can be run by using the code:
The next step is to delete any unwanted files.
The VBScript Delete File Method
The VBScript delete file method follows the same general format of the preceding two, and again a check is needed to ensure that the file exists before it can be deleted:
This be run by using:
The final operation is the VBScript file rename.
A VBScript Rename File Subroutine
There is no rename functionality in VBScript or the file system object that it uses. However, it is easy to achieve this by combining the VBScript file copy method and the VBScript file delete method:
Which can then be run by using:
In this way the VBScript application developer can create a set of file management subroutines and functions that can be used in any VBScript program that they go on to write.
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