how can I check if a file exists?

Question

I want to check to see if a file exists and if it does, I want to open it and read the 1st line,

If the file doesn't exist or if the file has no contents then I want to fail silently without letting anyone know that an error occurred.

Did you search for `vbscript file exists` anywhere? – Fionnuala Aug 23 '11 at 13:42 — Fionnuala, Aug 23 '11 at 13:42
@Fionnuala but this *is* the first result from google :D ;) – Nov 08 '17 at 13:41 — , Nov 08 '17 at 13:41

score 72 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 23 '11 at 13:47

72

Start with this:

Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
If (fso.FileExists(path)) Then
   msg = path & " exists."
Else
   msg = path & " doesn't exist."
End If

Taken from the documentation.

answered Aug 23 '11 at 13:47

Helge Klein

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score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 14 '18 at 14:02

For anyone who is looking a way to watch a specific file to exist in VBS:

Function bIsFileDownloaded(strPath, timeout)
  Dim FSO, fileIsDownloaded
  set FSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
  fileIsDownloaded = false
  limit = DateAdd("s", timeout, Now)
  Do While Now < limit
    If FSO.FileExists(strPath) Then : fileIsDownloaded = True : Exit Do : End If
    WScript.Sleep 1000      
  Loop
  Set FSO = Nothing
  bIsFileDownloaded = fileIsDownloaded
End Function

Usage:

FileName = "C:\test.txt"
fileIsDownloaded = bIsFileDownloaded(FileName, 5) ' keep watching for 5 seconds

If fileIsDownloaded Then
  WScript.Echo Now & " File is Downloaded: " & FileName
Else
  WScript.Echo Now & " Timeout, file not found: " & FileName 
End If

score -3 · Answer 3 · edited Jun 05 '13 at 20:48

-3

an existing folder will FAIL with FileExists

Function FileExists(strFileName)
' Check if a file exists - returns True or False

use instead or in addition:

Function FolderExists(strFolderPath)
' Check if a path exists

edited Jun 05 '13 at 20:48

Martin Turjak

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answered Jun 05 '13 at 20:29

allanw

9
1

This answer does not answer the question. It also does not follow the formatting guidelines. – Seeta Somagani Jun 05 '13 at 20:46

how can I check if a file exists?

3 Answers3

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