ACC: How to Retrieve the Path or the File Name from the Name Property

ID: Q182306

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Access versions 7.0, 97
Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications version 5.0

SUMMARY

The Database object provided by Microsoft Data Access Objects (DAO) has a Name property. However, this property returns the full path and the file name of the database. In order to retrieve either the path or the file name separately, you must parse the string returned by the Name property by searching for slash characters ("/").

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support professionals can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact a Microsoft Certified Solution Provider or the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about Microsoft Certified Solution Providers, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/mcsp/

For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp

The following Visual Basic for Applications procedure loops backward through the string returned by the Name property and determines the position of the first slash. If you want only the name of the file without the path, the function returns the portion of the string to the right of the slash. If you want only the path of the folder in which the current database is located, the function returns the portion of the string to the left of the slash.

Start Microsoft Access and open any database.

Open a new module and type the following procedure:


      Function RetrievePathFile(Optional vComponent As Variant)

         ' This function takes an optional argument that specifies
         ' whether you want to return the directory portion of
         ' the path or the file portion of the path.
         ' Usage: If you want to return only the name of the file
         ' without the path, use the syntax:
         '    RetrievePathFile("FName")
         ' If you supply a different argument or no argument at all
         ' the function returns only the folder in which the file is
         ' located.
         Dim strCurDBName As String
         Dim i As Integer  ' loop counter.
         strCurDBName = CurrentDb.Name
         ' Loop backward through string to find last "\"
         For i = Len(strCurDBName) To 1 Step -1
            If Mid(strCurDBName, i, 1) = "\" Then
               If IsMissing(vComponent) Then
                  RetrievePathFile = Mid(strCurDBName, 1, i - 1)
               ElseIf vComponent = "FName" Then
                  RetrievePathFile = Mid(strCurDBName, i + 1)
               Else
                  RetrievePathFile = Mid(strCurDBName, 1, i - 1)
               End If
            Exit For
            End If
         Next i
      End Function

On the Debug menu, click Compile And Save All Modules.

Press CRTL+G to open the Debug window.

Type the following line in the Debug window, and then press ENTER:
```
?RetrievePathFile("FName") 
```
The function returns the name of the current database without the complete path.

Type the following line in the Debug window, and then press ENTER:
```
?RetrievePathFile() 
```
The function returns the path of the folder in which the current database is located.

REFERENCES

For more information about getting help with Visual Basic for Applications, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q163435 VBA: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for Applications

Additional query words: kbmacro vba


Keywords          : PgmParse PgmHowto 
Version           : WINDOWS:5.0,7.0,97
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: July 6, 1999