Deleting all files over a certain age in 1 folder
Hello fellow experts!
I have an Access application used as a front end, but I think my question is more of a VB question. The frontend Access database is linked to a backend database. I have code in the front end that makes a copy of the backend database and saves it in a backup folder in the on load event of the Startup form. It also makes a backup before it closes and another in between when the user clicks a certain button. I have a function that uses the current date and time along with a couple other things to come up with a name for the backups, so each backup has a different name. They are all saved in the same folder.
My question is what is the code to search a folder and delete every file that is over a week old (or a month or whatever I choose) by checking the date the file was last modied.
I think it will take some API's but I'm not sure. I just don't want to take the time to figure it out myself. I would like some code that is already to go (except with whatever small changes I need to make)
You can use this example if you want:
Using todays date:
(9/21/00)
I want to delete every file in this folder:
"C:\Data\BkUps"
That is over 1 week old:
(modified before 9/14/00)
I am using Win95 and Access97 but will soon be using Win2000 and Office2000. If the code for the 2000 software is different (because I know some of the 95 API's don't work with 2000) and you don't know both, then I will take either, but let me know which it is.
I hope these points are enough for the complete code and make up for me being to lazy today to figure it out myself.
Cheers!
ahammar
I have an Access application used as a front end, but I think my question is more of a VB question. The frontend Access database is linked to a backend database. I have code in the front end that makes a copy of the backend database and saves it in a backup folder in the on load event of the Startup form. It also makes a backup before it closes and another in between when the user clicks a certain button. I have a function that uses the current date and time along with a couple other things to come up with a name for the backups, so each backup has a different name. They are all saved in the same folder.
My question is what is the code to search a folder and delete every file that is over a week old (or a month or whatever I choose) by checking the date the file was last modied.
I think it will take some API's but I'm not sure. I just don't want to take the time to figure it out myself. I would like some code that is already to go (except with whatever small changes I need to make)
You can use this example if you want:
Using todays date:
(9/21/00)
I want to delete every file in this folder:
"C:\Data\BkUps"
That is over 1 week old:
(modified before 9/14/00)
I am using Win95 and Access97 but will soon be using Win2000 and Office2000. If the code for the 2000 software is different (because I know some of the 95 API's don't work with 2000) and you don't know both, then I will take either, but let me know which it is.
I hope these points are enough for the complete code and make up for me being to lazy today to figure it out myself.
Cheers!
ahammar
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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Create a reference to the Microsoft Scripting Runtime
and then use the following code:
Dim fso As Scripting.FileSystemObject
Dim fld As Folder
Dim f As File
Dim CutOffDate As Date
CutOffDate = DateAdd("d", -7, Now)
'Where the -7 represents 7 days ago
Set fso = New FileSystemObject
Set fld = fso.GetFolder("C:\Data\BkU
For Each f In fld.Files
If f.DateCreated <= CutOffDate Then
Debug.Print f.Name
f.Delete
End If
Next
Hope this helps.
-M
ahammar:
You could key off of the file name itself. Except you didn't tell us exactly how you named your files, only mentioning that the current date and time, among other things, are included in the file name.
The following routine will remove all files x number of days old.
This solution does *not* require adding any references to your project. It does not require learning WinAPI functions. Just simple VB code. Other library references and WinAPI are very useful tools, but they should never be used soley for the sake of using them. In some cases, native VB code is the best way to go.
My sample code would be used in the following manner:
KillOldFiles "C:\Data\BkUps" ' <--- deletes all files in that directory older than 7 days
KillOldFiles "C:\Data\BkUps", 30 '<--- deletes all files in that directory older than 30 days
Add the following subroutine to a code module (.BAS). This routine will kill all files in the specified directory that was last modified over x days ago:
Public Sub KillOldFiles(ByVal sDirectory As String, Optional ByVal NumDaysOld As Integer = 7)
Dim CurFile As String
Dim ModDate As Date
If Right(sDirectory, 1) <> "\" Then sDirectory = sDirectory & "\"
CurFile = Dir(sDirectory & "*.*")
Do While Len(CurFile)
'Time Component of File's date is ignored
ModDate = CLng(FileDateTime(sDirecto
If ModDate + NumDaysOld < Date Then
Kill sDirectory & CurFile
End If
CurFile = Dir()
Loop
End Sub
You could key off of the file name itself. Except you didn't tell us exactly how you named your files, only mentioning that the current date and time, among other things, are included in the file name.
The following routine will remove all files x number of days old.
This solution does *not* require adding any references to your project. It does not require learning WinAPI functions. Just simple VB code. Other library references and WinAPI are very useful tools, but they should never be used soley for the sake of using them. In some cases, native VB code is the best way to go.
My sample code would be used in the following manner:
KillOldFiles "C:\Data\BkUps" ' <--- deletes all files in that directory older than 7 days
KillOldFiles "C:\Data\BkUps", 30 '<--- deletes all files in that directory older than 30 days
Add the following subroutine to a code module (.BAS). This routine will kill all files in the specified directory that was last modified over x days ago:
Public Sub KillOldFiles(ByVal sDirectory As String, Optional ByVal NumDaysOld As Integer = 7)
Dim CurFile As String
Dim ModDate As Date
If Right(sDirectory, 1) <> "\" Then sDirectory = sDirectory & "\"
CurFile = Dir(sDirectory & "*.*")
Do While Len(CurFile)
'Time Component of File's date is ignored
ModDate = CLng(FileDateTime(sDirecto
If ModDate + NumDaysOld < Date Then
Kill sDirectory & CurFile
End If
CurFile = Dir()
Loop
End Sub
ASKER
Thank you all for your replies!
q2eddie was the first to answer and it works fine for me, so I must give him the points.
Thanks again to all who replied and sorry you all couldn't have got the points.
I'll probably be back with more questions....
Cheers!
ahammar
q2eddie was the first to answer and it works fine for me, so I must give him the points.
Thanks again to all who replied and sorry you all couldn't have got the points.
I'll probably be back with more questions....
Cheers!
ahammar
To MELeBlanc and DennisBorg:
Your code is excellent! It's obvious that you both put some thought into your responses.
Bye. -e2
Your code is excellent! It's obvious that you both put some thought into your responses.
Bye. -e2
Thank-you, q2eddie! Congrats on your solution!
#Try This
1. Use the dir and the filedatetime functions.
(I tested this in Word97.)
' Display the names in C:\ that represent directories.
mypath = "c:\Data\bkups\" ' Set the path.
myname = Dir(mypath)
Do While myname <> "" ' Start the loop.
' Ignore the current directory and the encompassing directory.
If myname <> "." And myname <> ".." Then
If FileDateTime(mypath & myname) < #9/14/00# Then
Kill mypath & myname
End If
End If
myname = Dir ' Get next entry.
Loop
Bye. -e2