Save into Debug Folder

Question

Save into Debug Folder

Wilfred Eghenedji 326

THE CODE:

 Private Sub SaveToolStripMenuItem_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles SaveToolStripMenuItem.Click
                SaveFileDialog1.ShowDialog()
                                If My.Computer.FileSystem.FileExists(SaveFileDialog1.FileName) Then
                    Dim ask As MsgBoxResult
                    ask = MsgBox("File already exists, would you like to replace it?", MsgBoxStyle.YesNo, "File Exists")
                                       If ask = MsgBoxResult.No Then
                        SaveFileDialog1.ShowDialog()
                                           ElseIf ask = MsgBoxResult.Yes Then
                        My.Computer.FileSystem.WriteAllText(SaveFileDialog1.FileName, TextBox1.Text, False)
                    End If
              Else
                    Try
                        My.Computer.FileSystem.WriteAllText(SaveFileDialog1.FileName, TextBox1.Text, False)
                    Catch ex As Exception
                    End Try
                End If
 End Sub

THE PROBLEM

I have the above code. I want it to save into debug folder but all to no avail. I have tried various options but keeps opening 'my document' folder as save destination. I would like it to write the text to a file and save directly into the debug folder without showing openfiledialog.

ATTEMPTS:

IO.File.WriteAllText(SaveFileDialog1.FileName, TextBox1.Text).
IO.File.WriteAllText("Application.StartupPath")

These makes no expected effect.

Thank you very much!

Accepted answer

3 additional answers

Your answer

Answer 1

LesHay 7,141

Hi
OK, trying to simplify things.
Here is a single function that will create a unique path/filename each time it is called.

Each time the User clicks the menustrip Save item, the function will supply a unique path/filename to the IO.File.Write ............ method used to save the contents of TextBox1.

    Function FinalPath() As String
        Dim path As String =
    IO.Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(BaseFileName) & My.Settings.Counter.ToString & IO.Path.GetExtension(BaseFileName)
        My.Settings.Counter += 1
        Return IO.Path.Combine(Application.StartupPath, path)
    End Function
    Private Sub SaveToolStripMenuItem_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles SaveToolStripMenuItem.Click
        IO.File.WriteAllText(FinalPath, TextBox1.Text)
    End Sub

Wilfred Eghenedji 326 Reputation points

2022-04-08T17:43:27.17+00:00

Thank you for this useful information. But, would like know why it is not producing a valid text file? See attachment.
LesHay 7,141 Reputation points

2022-04-08T18:03:37.677+00:00

Hi
Looking at the attachment, I have no idea! You are using some code that is doing whatever you made the code do.
Did you try putting the function I posted into your code and put the IO.Write .... in the SaveToolStripMenuItem.Click? You must also have a TextBox1 with text in it to save.

BTW: here, the code, per the post just above here, works just fine with me, producing a set of files as expected.

Wilfred Eghenedji 326

Never mind, bro. I concatenated + ".txt" to BaseFileName after declaration i.e.

Dim BaseFileName As String
    Function FinalPath() As String
        Dim path As String = IO.Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(BaseFileName + ".txt") & My.Settings.Counter.ToString & IO.Path.GetExtension(BaseFileName + ".txt")
        My.Settings.Counter += 1
        Return IO.Path.Combine(Application.StartupPath, path)
    End Function

Thank you very much! You really have been very helpful, today!

LesHay 7,141 Reputation points

2022-04-08T18:06:10.027+00:00
Hi
I did have the full filename and extension declared.

Dim BaseFileName As String = "Accounts.txt"
Wilfred Eghenedji 326 Reputation points

2022-04-08T18:12:02.13+00:00

Correction acknowledged and updated. Thank you very much!

Answer 2

LesHay 7,141

Hi

If I understand correctly, then you can build variations of below code. The components of the final 'myPath' can easily be made to be composed from direct hard coded string(s), or from TextBoxes etc. The main thing is that using the IO.Path.Combine will ensure a valid path is used. NOTE: doing things like this makes the save location 'follow' the exe. Wherever the application is started from is where the file would be saved.

 Dim myPath As String = IO.Path.Combine(Application.StartupPath, "myFileName.txt")

 IO.File.WriteAllText(myPath, TextBox1.text)

Wilfred Eghenedji 326 Reputation points

2022-04-08T13:49:54.25+00:00

Thank you, for your response. Using the code, I can now save into the debug folder but can't save more than a file. New saving overrides existing file, being "myFileName.txt". Certainly then, i would need the openfiledialog to facilitate saving different files.... Pls attend, thank you.
Wilfred Eghenedji 326 Reputation points

2022-04-08T18:29:55.01+00:00

This code works as i needed with the following alteration:

Dim myPath As String = IO.Path.Combine(Application.StartupPath, TextBox1.Text + ".txt")
IO.File.WriteAllText(myPath, TextBox1.Text)

Thank you.

Answer 3

LesHay 7,141

Hi

There are many ways to deal with that.

One way: Use a variation of Now.ToString("ddd, dd MMM yyyy") and incorporate into file name.

Another way: Keep a counter variable (say in My.Settings) and append to filename.

Another way: Use a TextBox with a default name portion and allow user to add/edit to that and use as filename.

If you need an example, just post back and ask.

Wilfred Eghenedji 326 Reputation points

2022-04-08T14:01:14.93+00:00

I really do need an example. Thank you very much.

Answer 4

LesHay 7,141

Hi
Second attempt to post an editted answer.

Hi
Example - no problem. Here are 3 variations. This is a stand alone example, and needs a new Project with default Form1 containing a ListBox1 and Buttons 1,2 and 3. Also needs a My.Settings.Counter as an Integer value - initialized to 1. Depending on your needs, the easiest one is the My.Settings.Counter one. The BaseFileName is used in all generated file names in one way or another.

' Form1 with ListBox1,
' Buttons 1, 2 1nd 3
Option Strict On
Option Explicit On
Public Class Form1
    Dim BaseFileName As String = "Accounts.txt"
    Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click

        Dim part1 As String = Now.Ticks.ToString & " " & IO.Path.GetFileName(BaseFileName)

        ListBox1.Items.Add("Using TICKS")
        ListBox1.Items.Add(FinalPath(part1))
    End Sub

    Private Sub Button2_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click

        Dim part1 As String = IO.Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(BaseFileName)
        Dim part2 As String = IO.Path.GetExtension(BaseFileName)

        ListBox1.Items.Add("Using LARGE DATE STRING")
        ListBox1.Items.Add(FinalPath(part1 & Now.ToString(" yyyy MM dd HH-mm-ss-ffff") & part2))

    End Sub

    Private Sub Button3_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button3.Click

        ' this is probably the simplest
        ' assuming a My.Settings.Counter as an Integer has been created.

        Dim part1 As String = IO.Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(BaseFileName)
        Dim part2 As String = IO.Path.GetExtension(BaseFileName)

        ListBox1.Items.Add("Using simple My.Settings.Counter")
        ListBox1.Items.Add(FinalPath(part1 & My.Settings.Counter.ToString & part2))

        ' will work over application start/end
        My.Settings.Counter += 1

    End Sub

    Function FinalPath(FinalFileName As String) As String
        ' make final path
        Return IO.Path.Combine(Application.StartupPath, FinalFileName)
    End Function
End Class

Wilfred Eghenedji 326 Reputation points

2022-04-08T15:25:29.123+00:00

I really do appreciate this and of course, very great; but, it doesn't seem applicable to my current need.

Let me recap: I am building a notepad but wants the user to be able to save their works with unique names into the debug folder, and not into My Document folder.
LesHay 7,141 Reputation points

2022-04-08T15:29:04.627+00:00

Hi
OK, did you try the code I posted? If so, were any of the 3 examples suitable for the filename part of the path.
I am still not sure if you realized I had posted an updated version specifically incorporating the Debug folder.
Wilfred Eghenedji 326 Reputation points

2022-04-08T15:36:47.467+00:00

Yes, i did attempted them, but the texts output were showing in the listbox, which doesnt fulfil the objective of the program, which is to save files into debug folder with uniques names.

Dim myPath As String = IO.Path.Combine(Application.StartupPath, "myFileName.txt")
IO.File.WriteAllText(myPath, TextBox1.text)

This saves in the expected folder but each new saving overrides existing file, being "myFileName.txt". Been a notepad, various files would be saved and retrieved subsequently.
LesHay 7,141 Reputation points

2022-04-08T15:42:57.573+00:00

Hi
OK, I think I see what may be happening. The Unique filename and the appropriate Path need to be regenerated each time the User needs to save a file - I was only showing you the ways to do the generation.

Just for clarity. I am assuming that you are asking for the means to save unique filenames for a single user - not multiple users using the same save folder - is that correct?

If so, I can amend the code I posted so that a single function can be used to provide a full unique path/filename each time. What I would need from you is to decide which style of unique filename would suit your needs - from the 3 I provided which would be best for you?

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Save into Debug Folder

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