Filer.dll

Filer.dll is a component version of the Filer desk accessory, available in previous versions of Microsoft Visual FoxPro (versions 3.0b and earlier). Filer.dll supports the most popular features of the Filer, including support for searching files for text strings and opening multiple files for editing.

Filer.dll is a COM object, and as such, supports Automation. Therefore, you can create an instance of Filer.dll in Visual FoxPro or other Automation servers such as Microsoft Visual Basic and Microsoft Excel.

Filer.dll is a base component that provides the file and text search engine, but doesn't include a user interface. For example, you can programmatically create an instance of the Filer and search for and manipulate files without any input from a user. However, a Visual FoxPro form, Filer.scx (and Filer.sct), is provided to demonstrate how you can create a user interface for Filer.dll.

The following command will create an instance of the non-visual Filer search engine in Visual FoxPro. The syntax for other Automation servers is similar.

oMyFiler = CREATEOBJECT('Filer.FileUtil')

Once the Filer object is instantiated, you can specify file search conditions with the Filer properties, and then execute the file search with the Find( ) method. The Find method creates a Files collection object with its own set of properties that make it possible for you to determine information about the files that match the search conditions. There are also methods for the Files collection object that make it possible for you to open or delete the matching files.

The following simple Visual FoxPro example demonstrates how you can search for and open text files from within Visual FoxPro.

*** Instantiate the Filer object
oMyFiler = CREATEOBJECT('Filer.FileUtil')

oMyFiler.SearchPath = HOME() && Home directory
oMyFiler.FileExpression = '*.TXT' && Text file search

oMyFiler.Find(0) && Search, discard last collection

FOR nFileCount = 1 TO oMyFiler.Files.Count
   oMyFiler.Files.Item(nFileCount).Edit && Open files
ENDFOR

Distribution

You can distribute Filer.dll and its companion files, filer.ico, filer.scx, and filer.sct, with your distributed Visual FoxPro runtime applications.

Note   These files are unsupported – technical support is not available for problems you encounter when using these files.

Filer Object Properties

The following table describes the properties associated with the Filer object.

Filer Object Methods

The following table describes the methods associated with the Filer object.

Files Collection Objects

The following table describes the object references associated with the Files collection.

Files Collection Properties

The following table describes the properties associated with the Files collection.

Files Collection Methods

The following table describes the methods associated with the Files collection.

Running Filer.scx

A sample form, Filer.scx, is included to demonstrate how you can create a user interface in Visual FoxPro for Filer.dll. To run the Filer form, use the DO FORM command as follows:

DO FORM (HOME(1) + 'Tools\Filer\Filer.scx')

When you run the Filer form, a Filer item is added to the Visual FoxPro Tools menu, and the item remains in the menu during the current Visual FoxPro session. Choose the Filer item from the Tools menu to run the Filer again.

Issue the following command to open the Filer form to view the code behind the interface or to modify the form:

MODIFY FORM (HOME(1) + 'Tools\Filer\Filer.scx')

See Also

VFP8R.DLL Run-Time Library | VFP8T.DLL Run-Time Library | COMPOBJ( ) Function | DO FORM Command