RENAME file

[Robert E. Carneal]

Suppose I have:
FileOut3$ = "E:\LGS\States\New\" & trim$(StateArray$(StateCount,1)) & ".Dat"
FileTemp$= "E:\LGS\States\New\" & trim$(StateArray$(StateCount,1)) & ".TMP"

(Let's say FileOut3$ = AK.Dat)

I am trying to rename AK.Dat to AK.TMP.

I tried saying
SHELL " ren FileOut3$ FileTemp$"

I want the AK.Dat file renamed to AK.TMP

But I get this error:
Duplicate file name or file not found.

How should I rename files from inside a DOS Powerbasic program please?

Thanks.

Robert

[Ian Cairns]

try NAME

look up NAME

Name filespec1 AS filespec2

regards, Ian.

[Mel Bishop]

Keep doing a DIR$ for AK.TMP.

Then, if found, delete the AK.TMP file or modify the output file name to AK.T[1], AK.t[2], etc.

[Manuel Valdes]

Another way to make sure your old backup doesn't longer exist is to open it as Binary, Close it, and then Kill it. This way you are not going to get an error trying to give a file an existing name, nor an error trying to KILL a non existent file.

Open FileTemp$ for Binary as #1
Close 1 'Now the file actually exists
KILL FileTemp$ 'Now the file doesn't exist
Name FileOut3$ as FileTemp$

Regards,

[Robert E. Carneal]

BINARY !!!!

That's the right word. Would you believe a teacher (Not a powerbasic teacher) told us the way to do it was:

Open FileTemp$ for BIN as #1


Which of course never worked for me. (Yes, I realize it is not Powerbasic's fault, but geeze, I believed this teacher!) If the teacher were alive today, I would take my laptop to his house and show him the correct format.
Thanks, Manual. Thanks, everyone!

Robert

[Michael Mattias]

BINARY? BIN?

Real Men...

   OPEN "B", #1, filetmps$

MCM

[Manuel Valdes]

BTW, the same technique can be used to verify whether a file exists.

 
Open "B", #1, Filespec$    'This notation is not accepted by PBCC, so do not get acustomed if you plan to move.
LF&=LOF(1)
Close 1
If LF&>0 Then
 Print Filespec$;" exists and it's size is ";LF&
Else
 Kill Filespec$
 Print Filespc$;" doesn't exist"
End If

[Tom Hanlin]

Err... don't? Just don't. It is never appropriate to open a file just to detect whether it exists. Those are two entirely separate kinds of operations. I'm not going to get into a long story of doom about how confusing the two will cause your dogs to be cats, and your cats, potatoes, but you really don't want to go there.

[Manuel Valdes]

OK Tom, then is not a technique but only a trick, and certainly is not wise to use it on files others than the ones your program created. I have used it only that way.

Best regards,

[Bud Durland]

Another way to make sure your old backup doesn't longer exist is to open it as Binary, Close it, and then Kill it.

Usually I just KILL the file then ERRCLEAR to get rid of any potential error state

[Scott Slater]

There is an Exist function that ships with PB35. If memory serves me correctly you can find it in either DOSUNIT.bas or DIRUNIT.bas (in the EXAMPLES folder).

[Mel Bishop]

I don't understand what the bru-ha-ha is.

te$ = dir$(path$ + filename.ext)
if te$ <> "" then kill path$ + filename.ext

A short little two-liner that works.

[Michael Mattias]

>then is not a technique but only a trick,

It's a trick when someone else does it.

It's a technique when you do it.

[dery yosi]

try

SHELL " ren " + FileOut3$ + " " + FileTemp$