How to Check That a File Exists Using VBScript

At times, when programming with VBScript, a programmer will want to know if a file exists prior to performing another function.

This is good programming practice and it can be accomplished by accessing the Windows Script Host via VBScript and making use of the FileSystemObject.

The program below will walk you through the steps necessary to accomplish this task and give you a real world example to learn from.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer
• Windows(98 or Newer)

1. Create a file
   
   Create a file on your computer named test.txt at the following location C:\Temp\test.txt
   
   This will be used to demonstrate the VBScript.

2. Open Notepad
   
   Go to Start - All Programs - Accessories - Notepad
   Save your file as C:\Temp\FileCheck.vbs
   
   Note: Adding .vbs to any .txt file creates an executable VBScript file.

3. Copy Code
   
   Copy and Paste the following code into Notepad.
   
   '**************************************************************
   Option Explicit
   
   'Set Dimension
   DIM fso
   
   'Set Object
   Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
   
   'Create Condition
   If (fso.FileExists("C:\Temp\test.txt")) Then
   'Alert User
   WScript.Echo("File exists!")
   WScript.Quit()
   Else
   'Alert User
   WScript.Echo("File does not exist!")
   End If
   
   'Exit Script
   WScript.Quit()
   '**************************************************************
   Save your VBScript file and exit Notepad

4. 
    
   File exists!

   4.Run Script
   
   Browse to C:\Temp\FileCheck.vbs using My Computer or Explore, depending on what you're use to.
   Double-click on VBScript file "FileCheck.vbs". You should get a message box as shown below stating that the "File exists!". Select "OK"

5. 
    
   File does not exist!

   Now rename or remove the following file C:\Temp\test.txt and Double-click on the FileCheck.vbs again.
   This will create a condition where the file does not exist and you should get a message box which states "File does not exist!" Select "OK"
   
   
   The If Then Else statement in the code above is doing the check and alerting you as to whether or not the file exists.
   
   Congratulations! You've written a VBScript to check for the existance of a file.

Tips & Warnings

• When working with vbscript(.vbs) files you'll want to right-click on them and choose Edit to modify them, otherwise you will run the script.

Resources

• VisualBasicScript.com

[who10]

on 6/30/2009 I would do something like this.

'******************************************************
Option Explicit

'add
Const EVENT_SUCCESS = 0

'Set Dimension
DIM fso

'add
DIM objShell

'Set Object
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

'add
Set objShell = wscript.CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")

'Create Condition
If (fso.FileExists("C:\Temp\test.txt")) Then

'add
objShell.LogEvent EVENT_SUCCESS, _
"File exists!"

'Alert User
WScript.Echo("File exists!")
WScript.Quit()
Else
'Alert User
WScript.Echo("File does not exist!")
End If

'Exit Script
WScript.Quit()
'******************************************************

Check out http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/scripts/default.mspx?mfr=true

[choat1]

on 6/23/2009 What would I need to do to get this code to post an event to the Applciation Eventlog on Windows?