Writing file to 'Users' temp directory ???

[Martin Francom]

I need to be able to write a file to the current Users Temp directory.

Is there a system variable that can be used? The program needs some how to find out current users temp directory. The directory would be in the path:

c:\Users\{current user}\AppData\MyApp\Temp

How do I find out the current user?

[Steve Rossell]

GetTempPath
Also see Creating and Using a Temporary File

[Marc Giao]

My humble effort...

TmpPath$ = ENVIRON$( "APPDATA" ) + "\OpenView"
IF DIR$( TmpPath$, ONLY 16 ) = "" THEN MKDIR TmpPath$

[George Bleck]

AppData would typically be used for Application INI files and stuff that needs constant changing but remains on the machine, aka things that would not be cleaned up during TEMP file removal. If you wish to have a Temp directory under AppData\YourApp you need to manage it completely yourself the way Marc describes.

If it's TRULY a temp file it belongs in the user Temp directory in my opinion. ENVIRON$("TEMP") is the logged on user's Temp directory, this is where I would store it.

[Michael Mattias]

If it's TRULY a temp file it belongs in the user Temp directory in my opinion. ENVIRON$("TEMP") is the logged on user's Temp directory, this is where I would store it.

GetTempPath() as suggested above is the better choice. ENVIRON$("TEMP") is used as one of the search paths by GetTempPath() (see SDK doc for complete search path, which varies with O/S).

FWIW, the folder returned by ENVIRON$("TEMP") may or may not be writable - for that matter it may not even exist, come to think about it! - but GetTempPath() will always return a writable folder.


MCM

[Tom Hanlin]

Actually, according to the docs for GetTempPath: "Note that the function does not verify that the path exists." There was also a case where GetTempPath used to fail without returning the expected zero error code, many years back-- I don't recall the circumstances. Some odd case, like a Win95 machine using a \\server\share temp path.

It will certainly pay you to check that the path is functional, whichever approach you use.

[Edwin Knoppert]

Yes, and there was confusement about using TMP or TEMP
Since 98 i never had any trouble with this API, this seems to be a non-issue, we use the temp really often (the customer does actually)

[Michael Mattias]

Windows NT/2000/XP: The GetTempPath function does not verify that the directory specified by the TMP or TEMP environment variables exists. The function gets the temporary file path as follows:


The path specified by the TMP environment variable.
The path specified by the TEMP environment variable, if TMP is not defined.
The Windows directory, if both TMP and TEMP are not defined.

I use GetTempPath() all the time, too, and no problems.

Maybe this is MS' way of saying "don't mess with the TMP or TEMP environment variables, which the system will set for you at startup!"

MCM

[Michael Mattias]

???

TempPath = IIF$(ISValidFolder(ENVIRON$("TEMP")), ENVIRON$("TEMP), _ 
                IIF$ (IsValidFolder (ENVIRON$("TMP")), ENVIRON$("TMP"), _ 
                       ShGetFolderPath (%CSIDL_WINDOWS)))

...
FUNCTION IsValidFolder (szPath AS ASCIIZ) AS LONG

  LOCAL  FA AS LONG

  FA         = GetFileAttributes(szPath)
  'MSGBOX "FA=" & HEX$(FA,8) & $CRLF & szPath
  IF FA = -1& THEN
      FUNCTION = 0
  ELSE
     FUNCTION = (FA AND %FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY) = %FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY
  END IF

END FUNCTION

But that does not test for 'writable'. I guess you could add a file name and use...

' FIXED. A Wildcard here is automatically an invalid output file name
FUNCTION IsValidOutFileName(szFN AS ASCIIZ) AS LONG
    ' see if a file name is valid by trying to open it
    ' returns true if we can create the file...or if it already exists else false

    LOCAL hFile AS LONG, E AS LONG, fs AS LONG
    LOCAL iPos AS LONG


    iPos = INSTR (szFN, ANY "?*")
    IF ISTRUE iPos THEN
        FUNCTION = %FALSE
        EXIT FUNCTION
    END IF

    IF DIR$(szFn) <> "" THEN  ' file exists, so the name must be valid
        FUNCTION  = -1&
        EXIT FUNCTION
    END IF

    hFile = FREEFILE
    OPEN szFN FOR BINARY AS hFILE
    E = ERRCLEAR
    'MSGBOX "E on open of " & szfn & " =" & STR$(E)
    IF ISFALSE E THEN
        fs = LOF(hFile)
        CLOSE hFile
        IF fs = 0 THEN   ' we just created it...empty..
           KILL szFN
        END IF
    END IF
    FUNCTION = (E=0)
END FUNCTION

MCM