February 1998: PerfectScript Journal

February 1998: Working with Files

When you use macros to help automate your work in WordPerfect, you often need to manipulate files in some way. You'll need to create files, open and modify existing files, save files, and sometimes delete files. This month we'll talk about some macro routines that can be used to do some of the common file handling chores.

Store filenames in variables

You should always store your filenames in variables, then use the variable name throughout the macro when you need to manipulate that file. This lets you avoid having to do time-consuming searches to change all occurences of a filename throughout your macro when the filename or directory changes.

Assign variables such as filenames at the top of the macro. They will always be easy to find and change when needed. I also color-code values such as filenames to make it easy to find them, and to differentiate the names from other macro code. For example,


Application(A1; "WordPerfect"; default; "US")
// Set variables 
vFormFile:=?PathDocument+"myform.frm"
vDataFile:=?PathDocument+"mydata.dat"

Checking if you have an available document window

If your macro will be opening files from the hard drive, it is a good idea to first check to see if a document window is available. WordPerfect allows you to have up to nine documents open at one time. In rare occurrences, there may not be an available window when you attempt to open a file, and an error will occur. So, if your macro needs to have five files open at the same time, there will need to be at least five available document windows.

To check whether a document window is available, use the ?NumberOpenDocuments system variable. In the example below, we check to make sure there is at least one document window available. If not, a message instructs the user to close at least one, then start over. Adjust the number of documents being tested to accommodate the number of documents your macro needs to use.


If(?NumberOpenDocuments > 8)
   MessageBox(;"Error"; "Please close at least one open document, then run the macro again.")
   Quit
Endif

Switching to the correct document

In some macros you may have two documents open at the same time, and be moving information from one document to another. To make sure you switch back and forth to the correct document, use the ?DocNumber system variable to get the document number of each document, and the SwitchDoc command to move back and forth between them. This is more accurate than using a command such as WindowNext or WindowPrevious, which will take you to the next window, but not necessary the correct document. For example,


FileOpen(vDoc1)
vDocNum1:=?DocNumber
FileOpen(vDoc2)
vDocNum2:=?DocNumber
// more commands in between 
SwitchDoc(vDocNum1)
// More Commands
SwitchDoc(vDocNum2)

Opening a file in the default directory

Your macro may need to open a file that users store in their default document directory. But the name of the default directory may be different for each user. You can make sure the macro always finds the file by using the ?PathDocument system variable.


vFilename:=?PathDocument+"myfile.wpd"
FileOpen(vFilename)
 There are several other system variables that let your macro find the desired path automatically. To list a few,


?PathCurrent
?PathGraphics
?PathDatabase
?PathSpreadsheet
?PathMacros

Opening a file in a non-default directory

If your macro needs to open a file in a directory other than one that has a system variable, you'll need to specify the exact directory and filename. Here are three ways to do that:

Hardcode the filename


FileOpen("c:\groupfiles\forms\myform.wpd")

Assign the complete filename to a variable, then use it later


vFilename:="c:\groupfiles\forms\myform.wpd"
FileOpen(vFilename)

Assign separate variables for the path and filename, then concatenate them


vPath:="c:\groupfiles\forms\"
vFile:="myform.wpd"
FileOpen(vPath+vFile)

Each of the three examples above do the exact same thing. When using any of these methods, you need to make sure you get all the parts of the path and filename correct, including the backslashes.

Combining two documents

At some point you may want to copy all the information from one file into a different file. There are a couple of ways to do this.

Inserting a file from the hard disk (disk to screen)

To insert a second document into a document that you already have on the screen, position the cursor where you want the second document to be inserted, then use the FileInsert command.


PosDocBottom()
HardPageBreak
FileInsert (Filename:vFilename; AutoDetect:Yes!; InsertIntoDoc:Insert!)

Appending to a file on the hard disk (screen to disk)

You can copy the file on the screen into a document stored on the hard drive with the AppendToFile command. The text will be copied to the bottom of the file on disk. Here's an example:


SelectAll()
AppendToFile(vFilename)

For more information on commands that manipulate files, see the WordPerfect Macro Online Help.

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