FileExists and quoted paths not working

[BrewManNH]

Why is it that if you send the function FileExists with a path that has quotes around it, for example see below, it tells you that the file/path doesn't exist?

$drive = """C:""" ;$drive = "C:" Doesn't work
ConsoleWrite('@@ Debug(' & @ScriptLineNumber & ') : $drive = ' & $drive & @CRLF & '>Error code: ' & @error & @CRLF) ;### Debug Console
If FileExists($drive) Then
    MsgBox(4096, $drive & " Dir ", "Exists")
Else
    MsgBox(4096, $drive & " Dir ", "Does NOT exists")
EndIf
$drive1 = "C:" ; $drive1 = C: Works
ConsoleWrite('@@ Debug(' & @ScriptLineNumber & ') : $drive1 = ' & $drive1 & @crlf & '>Error code: ' & @error & @crlf) ;### Debug Console
If FileExists($drive1) Then
    MsgBox(4096, "C: Dir ", "Exists")
Else
    MsgBox(4096, "C: Dir", "Does NOT exists")
EndIf

If you're using FileExists with path names that you've put quotes around to work with other functions, you either have to check for the file before putting the quotes, or stripping them off before checking, which seems a little backwards. Not sure if I should report this as a bug, or something to add to the help file.

[Reg2Post]

Maybe, because "C:" (when you pass """C:""" to the function) is not a path? Or maybe I am not understanding the question?

[BrewManNH]

You should run the example before posting...you clearly haven't and you're not understanding the question because of that.

[Reg2Post]

Wow, why so hostile? I did run the code, it's the FileExists.au3 include with commented out lines. And your $drive var is "C:" not C:

So, what did I miss?

[BrewManNH]

The string has quotes around it, that shouldn't cause the function to fail, unless I'm missing something in how it works or the documentation should be updated to mention the fact that you can't send the function a string that's enclosed in quotes.

BTW, wasn't trying to come across as hostile, but the question asked didn't make any sense if the script had been run.

There are plenty of times when quotes around a file name and path are necessary because certain functions or Run commands won't work correctly because of spaces in the file name, this function and several others I've discovered, don't work if you enclose the path in quotes.

[Reg2Post]

I understand you may not have tried to be hostile, but I did test the issue and you assumed I didn't. Anyways, back to trying to help out. I know you need quotes around strings with spaces for syntax but I was trying to point out that """C:""" = "C:" because the triple quote when giving the var a string value turns it into a single quote (since you need quotes for the string value to begin with).

I just tested a file path out with a space and the function works fine with $drive = "path with space" in single quotes.

[guinness]

I used the function seems like it's Windows not AutoIt.

ConsoleWrite(@ScriptFullPath & " >> " & _WinAPI_PathFileExists(@ScriptFullPath) & @LF) ; File.
ConsoleWrite("""C:"" >> " & _WinAPI_PathFileExists("""C:""") & @LF) ; Drive.
ConsoleWrite("C: >> " & _WinAPI_PathFileExists("C:") & @LF) ; Drive.
ConsoleWrite(@ProgramFilesDir & " >> " & _WinAPI_PathFileExists(@ProgramFilesDir) & @LF) ; Directory.
ConsoleWrite("""Z:File.txt"" >> " & _WinAPI_PathFileExists("""Z:File.txt""") & @LF) ; Shouldn't exist!

Func _WinAPI_PathFileExists($sFilePath)
    Local $aReturn = DllCall('shlwapi.dll', 'int', 'PathFileExistsW', 'wstr', $sFilePath)
    If @error Then
        Return SetError(1, 0, 0)
    EndIf
    Return $aReturn[0]
EndFunc   ;==>_WinAPI_PathFileExists

[BrewManNH]

I just tried it with $drive = """C:Program files""" and it doesn't work, and I know that the triple quote gives me a quoted string, which was the point. You can't use a quoted path in FileExists, I could have used $drive = chr(34) & "C:Program Files" & chr(34) and I'd still get the message box telling me it doesn't exist. Yet if I do a FileCopy using a quoted string it works fine, even though fileexists can't find it.

[BrewManNH]

I used the function seems like it's Windows not AutoIt.

If that's the case, then maybe a mention in the help file in regards to this "issue"? I'm surprised this hasn't been noticed before considering how long FileExists has been in the language, I also noticed this using FileGetAttributes on a path with quotes around it.

[guinness]

A Dev would need to confirm first whether or not FileExist strips quotes, because if it does then it's failing somewhere.

[Reg2Post]

I just tested filecopy with triple quote paths and it did not work for me.

[BrewManNH]

Yes, you're right, it doesn't work with a quoted path either, for some reason I thought it did.

[guinness]

On a side note you can use _WinAPI_PathUnquoteSpaces from WinAPIEx to remove quotes.

#include <WinAPIEx.au3>

ConsoleWrite('Path: ' & _WinAPI_PathUnquoteSpaces("""C:""") & @CRLF)

Edited May 14, 2012 by guinness

[Tripredacus]

What happens if you use single quotes instead of double quotes?

[guinness]

What happens if you use single quotes instead of double quotes?

Did you try it?

Exactly the same thing.

[Reg2Post]

What happens if you use single quotes instead of double quotes?

Double quotes are blanks (empty strings).

BrewmanNH, you could of course use StringTrimLeft and StringTrimRight if needed, as well.

[BrewManNH]

Same thing happens, doesn't work with single or double quotes. Now that I know about the issue, I am sure I'm going to remember this "problem" in the future because none of the internal functions that use filepathfilename can use quoted strings sent to them, and none of the _Filexx functions work either because they all seem to be using the internal Filexx functions inside them which don't like a path sent that way.

So, I guess if you need a quoted string for a file for something like a Run command, don't add the quotes until after you've used any File/_File related commands.

Interestingly enough, the Run box from the start menu in Windows will accept a quoted string, while Windows Explorer will not.

[Tripredacus]

Did you try it?

Exactly the same thing.

Sorry I misread the post. The """C:""" is what isn't working, not the other one.

Take a look at how SciTE color codes these:

[guinness]

That's correct.

[Tripredacus]

Got it. It may end up being a Windows issue for now. When I use the """C:""", the .exe I made actually ended up looking for this path in the "working directory" aka @ScriptDir.

F:test"C:"

FASTIO_NETWORK_QUERY_OPEN

NAME INVALID

If I try to go to """C:""" from Explorer, it tries to get there in the browser as:

http://%22c/%22

If I trace the exe using the "c:" variable instead, it looks at C: as expected.