Question

Verifying that a file does not exist using VBScript

Asked by: mcpp661

I need to write a script to verify that a file does not exist. I know that the FileExists method is used to verify if a file exists, but is there an opposite method? Here's what I'm doing. I'm creating a startup script to create a folder on local PCs and then copy a file from the network to the folder. Before it does any of this, I want the script to verify first whether the file exists or not, then if the file doesn't exist it should check to see if the folder exists, if the folder exists it should check to see if the file is in there. If it is, then nothing should occur, if it isn't, then it should copy the file from the network. If neither the folder or file exist it should first create the folder and then copy the file from the network. Here's what I have so far but my code isn't entirely right because the else if statement only checks to see if the folder exists. If the folder exists but the file doesn't, it won't copy the file. Basically, I just don't want to generate unnecessary network traffic everyday copying a file to a PC if the file already exists on the PC. Please help.

Option Explicit
Dim objFSO, objFolder, objShell, strDirectory, strFile, sourcelocation, targetlocation
strDirectory = "c:\folder"
strFile = strDirectory & "\file.exe"
 
' Create the File System Object
Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
 
' Note If..Exists. Then, Else ... End If construction
If objFSO.FileExists(strFile) Then
      
Else If objFSO.FolderExists(strDirectory) Then
 
Else
   Set objFolder = objFSO.CreateFolder(strDirectory)
   sourcelocation = "\\server\share\file.exe"
   targetlocation = strFile
   objFSO.CopyFile sourcelocation, targetlocation, true
 
End If
End If
WScript.Quit

                                  
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Asked On
2008-05-13 at 06:06:57ID23397555
Tags

VBScript

Topics

VB Script

,

Microsoft Windows Operating Systems

Participating Experts
2
Points
500
Comments
3

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Answers

 

by: matthewspatrickPosted on 2008-05-13 at 06:08:40ID: 21554631

FileExists returns True or False...

If objFSO.FileExists(...) Then
    'code if it exists
Else
    'code if it doesn't exist
End If

 

by: paulop1975Posted on 2008-05-13 at 06:09:11ID: 21554640

Well, basically there no FileDoesNotExit() function, if that's what you're asking. What you can do is ask it this way:
If Not objFSO.FileExists(strFile) Then

 

by: paulop1975Posted on 2008-05-13 at 06:13:49ID: 21554687

If you only want to do anything if it doesn't exist, regardless if it existing already, you can use vbscript "Not" operator as I should you before. This way...
If file does not exist, FileExists will return false and, by using Not before the FileExists function, you will be denying its result, so you'll get (Not False) = True, which will do the trick.

If Not objFSO.FileExists(strFile) Then
   ' Do whatever you want to do if file does not exist

                                              
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