Fileexists

Home › Operating System Functions › FileExists

FileExists

Returns non-zero if the file exists, or 0 if it does not.

Syntax

Declare Function FileExists ( ByVal filename As ZString Ptr ) As Long

Parameters

• filename

Description

FileExists tests for the existence of a file.
Internally, it may issue an Open() and a Close() function, which may have consequences - eg, any existing Lock(s) on the file may be released.
Depending on the exact requirements, alternative methods of checking for file existence may be to use the Dir() function (being careful of attributes and ensuring the path doesn't contain wildcards), or to try Opening the file and checking the return value for success.

Return Value

Returns non-zero (-1) if the file exists, otherwise returns zero (0).

Remarks

Usage

#include "file.bi"

result = FileExists( filename )

or

#include "vbcompat.bi"

result = FileExists( filename )

Platform Differences

• Linux requires the filename case matches the real name of the file. Windows, DOS and a default macOS volume are case insensitive. Path separators in Linux and macOS are forward slashes /. Windows uses backward slashes \ but it allows for forward slashes. DOS uses backward \ slashes.

Differences from QB

• New to FreeBASIC

See also

• Dir

Examples

#include "vbcompat.bi"

Dim filename As String

Print "Enter a filename: "

Line Input filename

If FileExists( filename ) Then

  Print "File found: " & filename

Else

  Print "File not found: " & filename

End If

---

Category: Operating System Functions
Kind: function

---

Reproduced from the FreeBASIC Wiki Manual under the GNU Free Documentation License 1.3 — with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts and no Back-Cover Texts. Copyright © the FreeBASIC project and wiki contributors. See License.