Getting the file size of a growing file (SOLVED)

[TheSaint]

See Post #13 for the solution.

Not had any luck on this yet, but still trying ... testing any method that suggests itself.

THE SCENARIO

I have a third party program downloading a file, and it doesn't display size as the file grows ... or even show what the final size may be.

So I am attempting to at least report on the growing file size.

However, a well known issue with Windows Explorer, is that it doesn't continually refresh, so something needs to occur to make it do so.

In an open folder window, one can press F5 or send it via code. Or one can select another file. The true file size then shows.

THE QUESTION

Is their some way, programmatically, with the destination folder window closed, where you can force Explorer to refresh itself for the content of that folder and thus get the file size at the time of querying?

Note, I am using the FileGetSize command of course.

P.S. I attempted a Win API variant, but failed ... probably did it wrong. Perhaps VBScript has something, but I'd rather I just used some method via AutoIt ... but any solution will do in a pinch.

MY CODE

If FileExists($vidfle) Then
    ;_FileCreate($tmpfle)
    ;$size = FileGetSize($tmpfle)
    ;
    ;$handle = _WinAPI_CreateFile($vidfle, 2, 2)
    ;$size = _WinAPI_GetFileSizeEx($handle)
    ;_WinAPI_CloseHandle($handle)
    ;
    $size = FileGetSize($vidfle)
    If $size <> 0 Then
        $size = $size / 1048576
        If $size > 999 Then
            $size = Round($size / 1024, 2) & " Gb"
        Else
            $size = Round($size) & " Mb"
        EndIf
        GUICtrlSetData($Label_sze, $size)
    EndIf
EndIf

 

Edited November 9, 2016 by TheSaint

[j0kky]

Have you tried to FileFlush before getting the size?

[Jfish]

Another thought, could you use a command line function with StdoutRead and bypass any refreshing of explorer?

[TheSaint]

23 minutes ago, j0kky said:

Have you tried to FileFlush before getting the size?

FileFlush. Up until now, I never heard of that command. Doesn't sound suitable either, as it requires FileOpen ... plus it doesn't exist in v3.3.0.0. of AutoIt, which I am using ... and I am not about to update a whole script for it in any case, unless it is known definitely to work ... and no other solution exists.

25 minutes ago, Jfish said:

Another thought, could you use a command line function with StdoutRead and bypass any refreshing of explorer?

How? What? Where? No idea springs to mind.

Thanks guys, but they sound like experiments and not something that is known to work, and I was hoping for something from someone who has already solved this very common issue ... it can happen with both file move & copy too.

[Jfish]

22 minutes ago, TheSaint said:

How? What? Where? No idea springs to mind.

I tested this which I got from Stackoverflow to get the file size:

forfiles /p C:\Temp /m file1.txt /c "cmd /c echo @fsize"

replace c:\temp with your path and file1,txt with your file and it will echo the filesize.  

Edited November 9, 2016 by Jfish

[TheSaint]

@Jfish - Thanks for that, will give it a try. I have used forfiles before, but had forgotten about it.

Just for those wanting a little Valik nostalgia trip, of him in full flight ... and for those who never had the pleasure, but heard the rumors.

Gonna see if I can use the code from there as well.

[Jfish]

@TheSaint funny thread.  One of my favorite passages: 

Quote

After seeing this line of code... please kill yourself.

 

[TheSaint]

A funny one indeed, of classic proportions.

It was certainly never dull for long with him around.

[j0kky]

8 hours ago, TheSaint said:

FileFlush. Up until now, I never heard of that command. Doesn't sound suitable either, as it requires FileOpen ... plus it doesn't exist in v3.3.0.0. of AutoIt, which I am using ... and I am not about to update a whole script for it in any case, unless it is known definitely to work ... and no other solution exists.

Yep, Fileflush is supported from the next version of AutoIt, 3.3.2.0.

Anyhow, if you don't try other solutions, this script does exatly what you want:

Local $hHandle = FileOpen("C:\a.txt"), $tTimer = TimerInit()
Do
    ConsoleWrite(FileGetSize("C:\a.txt") & @CRLF)
    Sleep(1000)
    FileFlush($hHandle)
Until TimerDiff($tTimer) > 20000
FileClose($hHandle)

 

Edited November 9, 2016 by j0kky

[TheSaint]

@j0kky - Thanks, will keep it in mind. May even write a little exe to use it with my older script.

[j0kky]

51 minutes ago, TheSaint said:

@j0kky - Thanks, will keep it in mind. May even write a little exe to use it with my older script.

On second thoughts, to be compatible with your version, FileFlush can be easily replaced with FlushFileBuffers API:

Local $hHandle = FileOpen("C:\a.txt"), $tTimer = TimerInit()
Do
    ConsoleWrite(FileGetSize("C:\a.txt") & @CRLF)
    Sleep(1000)
    DllCall("Kernel32.dll", "BOOLEAN", "FlushFileBuffers", "HANDLE", $hHandle)
Until TimerDiff($tTimer) > 20000
FileClose($hHandle)

 

Edited November 9, 2016 by j0kky

[TheSaint]

Once again thanks.

Will try that shortly.

[TheSaint]

@j0kky - once more I thank you.

My first little test run worked beautifully. And on repeated use.

Local $handle

If FileExists($vidfle) Then
    $handle = FileOpen($vidfle, 0)
    ;$size = FileGetSize($vidfle)
    DllCall("Kernel32.dll", "BOOLEAN", "FlushFileBuffers", "HANDLE", $handle)
    $size = FileGetSize($vidfle)
    ;DllCall("Kernel32.dll", "BOOLEAN", "FlushFileBuffers", "HANDLE", $handle)
    ;$size = FileGetSize($vidfle)
    FileClose($handle)
    ;
    If $size <> 0 Then
        $size = $size / 1048576
        If $size > 999 Then
            $size = Round($size / 1024, 2) & " Gb"
        Else
            $size = Round($size) & " Mb"
        EndIf
        GUICtrlSetData($Label_sze, $size)
    EndIf
EndIf

Because of timing constraints, I could not use the Call in a loop or with any significant delay (part of a STD_READ loop writing to my own version of a Console).

I will now fine tune to see what I can get away with.

It's all a bit convoluted, because I code on my WinXP machine, then test and use on my Win 7 Netbook, and the Win XP Laptop just decided to freeze on me during a SciTE save ... it does that once in a while ... getting a bit old in the tooth. So here I am while it takes its sweet time restarting.

EDIT

Was able to do away with second DLL call and first FileGetSize.

Edited November 9, 2016 by TheSaint

[TheSaint]

JFYI - Here's a screenshot of my Console in action, where the 80 Mb is the growing size, being reported using the code from the previous post.

NOTE - The 541 Mb total, is just an estimation based on averaging the size of the first five fragments of the download, times total number of fragments.

[Tony4219]

Thanks to TheSaint and Jokky  !!!

For the last 2-3 days I have been running around in coding circles. I too, wanted to monitor download progress by checking file size repeatedly. I too, noticed that WinExplorer does not refresh itself, so that didn't work. What I did notice was that if I manually checked the file's Properties, I could see the correct, current size. But even then, WinExplorer did not refresh itself even tho I had righclicked the actual file inside the WinExplorer window!

Wasted LOTS of time trying to find a way to make WinExplorer refresh itself and trying to check file Properties.

Luckily I found this 7 year old discussion of FileBuffers needing refreshing. But you need Handle to the actual file to do that.

Again, thanks for showing me how to do both.

Tony4219

[Nine]

Sorry to break the fun here, but the API FlushFileBuffers cannot use AutoIt file handle.  It requires Windows file handle.  So the statement is useless and erroneous...

[rudi]

This thread is from 2016 ... 

[Nine]

I know, but it is still wrong, whatever date creation it was...I think it is important to tell searchers like Tony.

[rudi]

@Nine that's right, iirc usually you (also) pointed out "This is an old (dead) thread, pls do not jump in to very old threads, open a new one" ?