Miscellaneous procedures and functions for manipulating files and filenames CompareFileNames - compares two file names to see whether they are equal Returns zero if files are equal, or the index of differences, or the difference in length if filenames are not equal First filename Second filename ResolveLinks - if True, searches through links to find the actual file for comparison Length of first filename Length of second filename Checks whether an absolute file name is given in TheFileName

Checks whether an absolute file name is given in TheFileName

Makes use of FilenameIsWinAbsolute on Windows systems, otherwise uses FilenameIsUnixAbsolute

Returns True if an absolute filename has been supplied The name of the file to be checked FilenameIsWinAbsolute - checks that the supplied name is an absolute file name for the Windows system

FilenameIsWinAbsolute - checks that the supplied name is an absolute file name for the Windows system

Looks, for instance, for Drive Letters and colon at the beginning of the string

Returns True if this is a true absolite Windows filename The name of the file for checking FilenameIsUnixAbsolute - checks that the supplied name is an absolute filename in Unix systems

FilenameIsUnixAbsolute - checks that the supplied name is an absolute filename in Unix systems

Checks that the name is non-empty and starts with a slash

Returns True if the supplied name is a correct Absolute file name for a Unix system The name of the file for checking CheckIfFileIsExecutable - creates Exception if file is not Executable

CheckIfFileIsExecutable - creates Exception if file is not Executable

Otherwise, there is no action

An exception is raised if the file is not executable AFileName - name of the file for checking CheckIfFileIsSymlink - raises an exception if file is not a Symbolic Link

CheckIfFileIsSymlink - raises an exception if file is not a Symbolic Link

Otherwise no action

An exception is raised with appropriate message if file does not exist or is not a correct symbolic link (eg dangling link, circular link, read access denied, or not a symbolic link) AFileName - name of file for checking FileIsReadable - checks whether supplied file name refers to a readable file

FileIsReadable - checks whether supplied file name refers to a readable file

Always true on Windows systems.

On Unix systems, checks permissions of file

Always true in Windows; in Unix systems, returns true if read permission exists for the file Name of the file for checking FileIsWritable - checks if the supplied file name refers to a file that is writable

FileIsWritable - checks if the supplied file name refers to a file that is writable

Checks file permissions in both Unix and Windows systems

Returns True if Write permission exists The name of the file for checking FileIsText - checks whether the supplied file name refers to a readable text file

FileIsText - checks whether the supplied file name refers to a readable text file

Searches the opening section of the file (first 1024 characters) for non-text characters such as ASCII 0 to 31 (except CR and LF, the new line characters)

If there is a file reading error, an Exception is raised and FileReadable returns False Returns True if the file is a text file The name of the file for checking Returns false if a file reading Exception is encountered FileIsExecutable - checks if AFileName refers to an executable file

FileIsExecutable - checks if AFileName refers to an executable file

On Windows systems, if the file exists it is regarded as executable.

On other systems (eg Unix etc), looks at file permissions to see whether execute flag is set

Returns True if file is executable (always true in Windows if file exists) Name of the file for checking FileIsSymLink - check if file name is a symbolic link

FileIsSymLink - check if file name is a symbolic link

On Windows systems, symbolic links are supported only on NT based Windows, the function returns false on Win9x and WinCE systems. On others, returns true if it is a symbolic link

Returns True if file name is a symbolic link (always false in Win9x and WinCE systems) Name of the file for checking FileIsHardLink - check if file name is a hard link

FileIsHardLink - check if file name is a hard link

On Windows systems, hard links are supported only on NT based Windows, the function returns false on Win9x and WinCE systems. On others, returns true if the hard link reference count is bigger than one

Returns True if file name is a hard link (always false in Win9x and WinCE systems) Name of the file for checking FileSize - finds the size of the named file Returns the size of the file, or -1 if not there The name of the file for checking GetFileDescription - finds the Unix-type file description for the given file

GetFileDescription - finds the Unix-type file description for the given file

No action in Windows systems (returns empty string)

Returns empty string (Windows) or Unix-type file description string in other systems The name of the file whose description is sought ReadAllLinks - tries to find the file that is referred to by the symbolic link in FileName

ReadAllLinks - tries to find the file that is referred to by the symbolic link in FileName

No function in Windows systems

On Unix-like systems, finds the linked file and returns its full path and filename, or (if ExceptionOnError has been set True) an Exception is raised with appropriate error message

If an error is encountered on trying to read the link, provided ExceptionOnError has been set True an Exception is raised with appropriate error message. Otherwise an error results in the return of an empty string. Returns the full path and filename of the target file; empty if the file is not found, or the original FileName on Windows systems The string containing the symbolic link If True, an Exception is raised on encountering a file error Checks if the given directory path exists Returns True if the given directory path exists Name of the directory path to be checked ForceDirectory - creates a directory if none exists Returns True if successfully created directory The name of the directory required DeleteDirectory - Delete the named directory (or only its contents if OnlyChilds is True) If there was an error, such as trying to removing . or .., or there were insufficient permissions, or the file did not exist, False is returned Returns True if the directory or its contents were correctly removed The name of the directory for processing If True, only the contents ('children') of the directory are removed ProgramDirectory - returns the directory in which the currently running program resides Returns the name of the directory in which the current program is found DirectoryIsWritable - checks if it is possible to write a file to the named directory

DirectoryIsWritable - checks if it is possible to write a file to the named directory

Tries to create a text file within the named directory, and write to it. Returns True if it works, and False if it doesn't. Also raises an Exception on failure

An Exception is raised on failure to create or write to the temporary file Returns True if successful in writing a temporary file to the named directory Name of the Directory for checking PascalFileExt - typically '.pas', '.pp' or '.p' ExtractFileNameOnly - removes all path delimiters and file extensions, leaving just the file name Returns the original file name with path delimiters and the extension removed The name of the file for processing ExtractFileNameWithoutExt - returns just the name of the file without an extension Returns the original file name if it had no extension, otherwise returns the file name with its extension removed The name of the file for checking CompareFileExt - see whether the nominated file has an extension that is the same as the supplied extension Returns zero if extension is present in file name, otherwise returns non-zero value The FileName whose extension is to be checked Ext - string defining the Extension to be checked CaseSensitive - if True, case of Ext must match case in FileName FilenameIsPascalUnit - checks that the supplied name is a correct Pascal unit name

FilenameIsPascalUnit - checks that the supplied name is a correct Pascal unit name

Looks at the file extension to see if it matches one of the standard Pascal extensions (currently .p, .pp, .pas)

Returns True if the supplied name is a correct Pascal Unit filename The name of the file for checking Appends the path delimeter to the path. AppendPathDelim checks if the last character in the path is the path delimeter. If it isn't the path delimeter, it is added, otherwise the unmodified path is returned. Returns a new path name including delimiter, if it was not already there, otherwise returns original pathname Path - name for checking Removes trailing path delimeter ChompPathDelim checks if the last character in the path is the path delimeter. If it is the path delimeter, it is removed, otherwise the unmodified path is returned. Returns new path name with delimiter removed if it was there, otherwise returns original path name Path name for checking TrimFilename - trim double path delimiters, heading and trailing spaces and special dirs . and .. Returns the original file name if no trimming was needed, otherwise returns the trimmed file name The name of the file for trimming CleanAndExpandFilename - trims irrelevant characters such as path delimiters from the name of the file Returns the original file name without redundant leading or trailing spaces, path delimiters etc The name of the file for processing CleanAndExpandDirectory - trims and cleans FileName and appends a directory delimiter to it Returns the cleaned file name with appended directory delimiter The name of the file for operation CreateAbsoluteSearchPath - concatenates BaseDirectory and SearchPath to form an absolute path to search for files

CreateAbsoluteSearchPath - concatenates BaseDirectory and SearchPath to form an absolute path to search for files

Adds appropriate path delimiters to the BaseDirectory string, then adds the search path, checking that each directory in the path is in fact an absolutely specified directory, then returns the fully formed absolute search path.

If BaseDirectory is empty, functions exits and returns with Result equal to SearchPath; if SearchPath is empty, function exits with empty Result The absolute path formed by concatenating BaseDirectory and SearchPath The search path (a relative path) The base directory from which to form the absolute path CreateRelativePath - given an absolute file path and aBaseDirectory, create a file path relative to the given base directory

CreateRelativePath - given an absolute path and a BaseDirectory, create a file path relative to the given base directory

The returned string includes the correct number of dots and double dots to signify relativity to the current directory (eg ../../or ..\..\ etc). The inverse operation is to create an absolute file path:

RelPath:=CreateRelativePath(AbsPath,BaseDir);
if FilenameIsAbsolute(RelPath) then
  NewAbsPath:=RelPath
else
  NewAbsPath:=AppendPathDelim(BaseDir)+RelPath;

If BaseDirectory is empty, functions exits and returns with Result equal to Filename; if Filename is empty, function exits with empty Result The file name expressed as path relative to the current directory The absolute FileName for which a relative path is to be created BaseDirectory of the absolute search path FileIsInPath - checks that FileName refers to a file that exists within the given Path Returns True if a file named Filename exists within the given Path The name of the file for checking The Path to be searched FileIsInDirectory - checks whether a file with FileName exists within the given Directory

FileIsInDirectory - checks whether a file with FileName exists within the given Directory

Returns True if the file is in the directory The name of the file to be checked The name of the directory to be searched for the file AllDirectoryEntriesMask - typically '*' on most systems File mask representing all files suitable for showing in a file filter. GetAllFilesMask returns a File Mask suitable for showing in a filter of a Open File Dialog. windows '*.*' is returned, on other operating systems just '*'. GetExeExt - find the correct extension for an executable file Returns '.exe' in Windows, nothing in other systems SearchFileInPath - searches for Filename in the given SearchPath using the supplied BasePath with the specified Delimiter and the options listed in Flags

Searches the whole path unless the sffDontSearchInBasePath flag is present

Returns the first file that matches the supplied criteria

If the file does not exist, an empty string is returned Returns fully specified file name of the first file that matches the supplied criteria, or empty string if file not found The name of the file for searching The BasePath to be used for the search The path for searching The directory Delimiter to be used in the search Flags specifying how to search: e.g. don't search in base path, case independent search SearchAllFilesInPath - searches for all files named Filename in the given SearchPath using the supplied BasePath with the specified Delimiter and the options listed in Flags

Searches the whole path unless the sffDontSearchInBasePath flag is present

Returns all files that match the supplied criteria

Returns fully specified file names of all files that match the supplied criteria, or empty string if file not found The name of the file for searching The BasePath to be used for the search The path for searching The directory Delimiter to be used in the search Flags specifying how to search: e.g. don't search in base path, case independent search FindDiskFilename - finds the file that best fits the supplied filename

FindDiskFilename - finds the file that best fits the supplied filename

Searches for the filename case on disk. The file must exist.

For example: If Filename='file' and there is only a 'File' then 'File' will be returned.

Returns the best fitting filename from the disk (taking case into consideration) The name of the file for checking FindDiskFileCaseInsensitive - searches for the given FileName in a case insensitive manner If it exists, returns the file name with path information otherwise returns an empty string The name of the file for processing FindDefaultExecutablePath - finds the default path to the named Executable file

FindDefaultExecutablePath - finds the default path to the named Executable file

On Windows systems, looks for the '.EXE' extension

In all systems, searches the 'PATH' environment variable to see if the file is in one of the default paths

Returns the filename of the Executable file with path information attached The name of the Executable file Class for getting info about found file or directory. Stops the searching process. If the current file is directory. Gets the current file name. Gets the current file info. Gets the current file path level relative to base search path. Gets the current file path. If the searching is in process. Class for searching files. Creates new file searcher object. Searches for files in specified path with passed options. Searches for files in specified path. When file is found the OnFileFound event is invoked, for directories OnDirectoryFound event. You can abort searching process by calling Stop method in this events. Base path for searching files. Mask which file should match. If search recursively sub directories. Is invoked when directory is found. Is invoked when file is found. Returns the list of found files in the specified path according to passed options. List of found files. Base path for searching files. Mask which file should match. If search recursively sub directories. ReadFileToString - returns a string with the contents of the named file

Opens the file and reads its contents into a Stream, then reads the stream to construct the Result string

If there is an error in reading the file, an exception is raised and an empty string is returned The contents of the file as a string, or an empty string if there is an error or the file is empty The name of the file for processing CopyFile - copies Source file to Destination file, optionally preserving the time stamp of the original file An exception is raised if the Copy process does not complete successfully or correctly Returns True if successful, False if there was an error The source filename for the Copy The destination filename for the Copy If True, the time stamp of the original file is preserved in the copied file GetTempFilename - finds a suitable name for a temporary file

GetTempFilename - finds a suitable name for a temporary file

Uses Prefix plus an integer to generate a file with extension '.tmp' in the specified Directory; if it already exists, increments the integer until it finds a name that is not already used

Returns the temporary file name that has been created The Directory in which the temprary file is to be placed The Prefix to which an integer will be attached to generate a temporary filename