How to use FileExists in a query

Question

I have a database that displays the location of files and
when I run a query, I want to be able to verify that the file
exists at that location. So in my query I'm using the FileExists
function and it is always returning No, even though the files does
exists on the server.
Here is the code I'm using:
<cfquery name="qLookup" name="Test">
SELECT StockNo, SaleDate, FName, LName, VinNo, physical,
URL, '#FileExists("physical")#' AS vTest
FROM qLookup
</cfquery>
physical field is the physical path to the file ex
(C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\Deals\2007\1\Mike.pdf).
If I substitute the string
"C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\Deals\2007\1\Mike.pdf" instead of the database
field physical, it will evaluate to true.
It is apparantly reading physical as a string and not a
database field.
How can I get this code to work?
Any help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

FileExists(ExpandPath(yourfile))
examples
FileExists(ExpandPath( "*.*"))
FileExists(ExpandPath( "/"))
FileExists(ExpandPath( "\"))
FileExists(ExpandPath( "/mycfpage.cfm"))
FileExists(ExpandPath( "mycfpage.cfm"))
FileExists(ExpandPath( "myDir/mycfpage.cfm"))
ExpandPath( "/myDir/mycfpage.cfm"))
ExpandPath( "../../mycfpage.cfm"))
so if your code file exists in wwwroot deals it you will have
to do this:
<cfset pysical = "\2007\1\Mike.pdf">
#FileExists(ExpandPath(physical)#
Here is an example I modified for testing
<cfset thisPath = ExpandPath("/cftest/")>
<cfset yourfile = "doc.txt">
<cfset thisDirectory = GetDirectoryFromPath(thisPath)>
<cfoutput>
The current directory is:
#GetDirectoryFromPath("#thisPath##yourfile#")#
<cfif FileExists(ExpandPath(yourfile))>
<p>Your file exists in this directory. You entered
the correct file name,
#GetFileFromPath("#thisPath##yourfile#")#
</p>
<cfelse>
error
</cfif>
</cfoutput>
i hope this helps