MoveFile

MoveFile [/D/I[=i ]/M=messageStr /O/P=pathName /S=saveMessageStr /Z[=z ] ] [srcFileStr ] [ as destFileOrFolderStr ]

The MoveFile operation moves or renames a file on disk. A file is renamed by "moving" it to the same folder it is already in using a different name.

Parameters

srcFileStr can be a full path to the file to be moved or renamed (in which case /P is not needed), a partial path relative to the folder associated with pathName, or the name of a file in the folder associated with pathName.

If Igor cannot determine the location of the file from srcFileStr and pathName, it displays an Open File dialog allowing you to specify the source file.

destFileOrFolderStr is interpreted as the name of (or path to) an existing folder when /D is specified, otherwise it is interpreted as the name of (or path to) a possibly existing file.

If destFileOrFolderStr is a partial path, it is relative to the folder associated with pathName.

If /D is specified, the source file is moved inside the folder using the source file's name.

If Igor cannot determine the location of the destination file from pathName , srcFileStr, and destFileOrFolderStr, it displays a Save File dialog allowing you to specify the destination file (and folder).

If you use a full or partial path for either srcFileStr or destFileOrFolderStr, see Path Separators for details on forming the path.

Folder paths should not end with single Path Separators. See MoveFolder's Details section.

Flags

/D	destFileOrFolderStr is interpreted as the name of (or path to) an existing folder (or "directory"). Without /D, destFileOrFolderStr is interpreted as the name of (or path to) a file.
	If destFileOrFolderStr is not a full path to a folder, it is relative to the folder associated with pathName.
/I [=i ]	i =0: Interactive only if srcFileStr or destFileOrFolderStr is not specified or if the source file is missing. (Same as if /I was not specified.) i =1: Interactive even if srcFileStr is specified and the source file exists. i =2: Interactive even if destFileOrFolderStr is specified. i =3: Interactive even if srcFileStr is specified and the source file exists. Same as /I only.
/M=messageStr
	Specifies the prompt message in the Open File dialog. If /S is not specified, then messageStr will be used for both Open File and for Save File dialogs.
/O	Overwrite existing destination file, if any. Without /O, the user is asked if replacing the existing file is to be allowed.
/P=pathName
	Specifies the folder to look in for the source file, and the folder into which the file is copied. pathName is the name of an existing symbolic path.
	Using /P means that both srcFileStr and destFileOrFolderStr must be either simple file or folder names, or paths relative to the folder specified by pathName.
/S=saveMessageStr
	Specifies the prompt message in the Save File dialog.
/Z[=z ]	Prevents procedure execution from aborting if it attempts to move a file that does not exist. Use /Z if you want to handle this case in your procedures rather than having execution abort.
	/Z=0: Same as no /Z at all. /Z=1: Moves a file only if it exists. /Z alone is equivalent to /Z=1. /Z=2: Moves a file if it exists or displays a dialog if it does not exist.

Variables

The MoveFile operation returns information in the following variables:
V_flag	Set to zero if the file was moved, to -1 if the user cancelled either the Open File or Save File dialogs, and to some nonzero value if an error occurred, such as the specified file does not exist.
S_fileName	Stores the full path to where the file was moved from. If an error occurred or if the user cancelled, it is set to an empty string.
S_path	Stores the full path where the file was moved to. If an error occurred or if the user cancelled, it is set to an empty string.

Examples

// Rename a file, using full paths
MoveFile "HD:folder:aFile.txt" as "HD:folder:bFile.txt"

// Rename a file, using a symbolic path
MoveFile/P=myPath "aFile.txt" as "bFile.txt"

// Move a file into a subfolder (the subfolder must exist)
MoveFile/D "Macintosh HD:folder:aFile.txt" as ":subfolder"

// Move a file into an unrelated folder (the subfolder must exist)
MoveFile/D "Macintosh HD:folder:afile.txt" as "Server:archive"

// Move a file from one folder to another and rename it.
MoveFile "Macintosh HD:folder:afile.txt" as "Server:archive:destFile.txt"

// Move user-selected file into a particular folder
MoveFile/D as "C:My Data:Selected Files Folder"

// Move user-selected file in any folder as bFile.txt in same folder
MoveFile as "bFile.txt"

// Move user-selected file in any folder as bFile.txt in any folder
MoveFile/I=2 as "bFile.txt"

See Also

Operations[Open], MoveFolder, CopyFolder, NewPath, CreateAliasShortcut, IndexedFilendexedFile], Symbolic Paths