Putting a file name in an item(not by hand)

Question

Hi,
Sorry. Should have explained myself better.
I have a file c:\????????. The file name will change every day. I want to input this file into an item in a form(not by hand).
What and how is the best way to do this?
Thanks in advanced
Kevin

Answer 1

kevin..
not sure if there is a PATTERN to your file name..
like: schedule180.dat
next day
schedule181.dat
next day
schedule182.dat, etc
anyway
Use the HOST cmd to read the file names into text file, then use the TEXT_IO
to read text file.
here is some old code, maybe you can use some of it..
i am check on file size and times..you could use it to read a FILE NAME
PROCEDURE READ_DIR IS
-- routine to check
-- the file size and file date
dirfile     text_io.file_type;
linebuf     varchar2(400)     ;
cmd           varchar2(80)      := 'dir X:\*.DAT > X:\LAST_CHECK.TXT';
ct           number(10)     :=0;
type var1 is record
fname           varchar2(100),
fdate          varchar2(100),
fsize           varchar2(100),
ftime          varchar2(100)
type var2 is table of var1 index by BINARY_INTEGER ;
fileinfo var2;
TMP1      VARCHAR2(100):=NULL;
MYTODAY      VARCHAR2(100);
myinfo1      varchar2(1000);
myinfo2      varchar2(1000);
MYFLAG     BOOLEAN:=FALSE;
CALL_CT NUMBER(10):=0;
BEGIN
MYTODAY:=to_char(sysdate,'MM/DD/RR');
BEGIN
-- This routine will
-- create a text file
-- of all the files in the X:\xxx\ subdirectory.
-- read in the file
-- check the date and size
-- if the date is not equal to today's date
-- then the stars feed is not work
HOST(cmd,no_screen);
dirfile := TEXT_IO.FOPEN('X:\LAST_CHECK.TXT','R');
LOOP
     TEXT_IO.GET_LINE(dirfile,linebuf);
     IF LINEBUF IS NOT NULL THEN
          -- put everything in upper case
          linebuf:=UPPER(ltrim(rtrim(linebuf)));
          --check on key words in the dir file.
          --if found..skip over
          --IF INSTR(LINEBUF,'VOLUME',1,400)>0 OR INSTR(LINEBUF,'DIRECTORY',1,400)>0 OR instr(linebuf,'<DIR>',1,400)>0 then
               TMP1:=LTRIM(RTRIM(SUBSTR(LINEBUF,40,400)));
               IF TMP1='SIMSCHED.DAT' THEN
                    ct:=ct+1;
                    fileinfo(ct).fname           :=null;
                    fileinfo(ct).fdate           :=null;
                    fileinfo(ct).fsize           :=null;
                    fileinfo(ct).fname:='SIMSCHED.DAT';
                    fileinfo(ct).fdate:=LTRIM(RTRIM(SUBSTR(LINEBUF,1,9)));
                    fileinfo(ct).ftime:=LTRIM(RTRIM(SUBSTR(LINEBUF,11,6)));
                    fileinfo(ct).fsize:=replace(LTRIM(RTRIM(substr(linebuf,26,13))),',','');
               END IF;
               IF TMP1='MINTSIMSCHED.DAT' THEN
                    ct:=ct+1;
                    fileinfo(ct).fname           :=null;
                    fileinfo(ct).fdate           :=null;
                    fileinfo(ct).fsize           :=null;
                    fileinfo(ct).fname:='MINTSIMSCHED.DAT';
                    fileinfo(ct).fdate:=LTRIM(RTRIM(SUBSTR(LINEBUF,1,9)));
                    fileinfo(ct).ftime:=LTRIM(RTRIM(SUBSTR(LINEBUF,11,6)));
                    fileinfo(ct).fsize:=replace(LTRIM(RTRIM(substr(linebuf,26,13))),',','');
               END IF;
END IF;
END LOOP;
EXCEPTION
WHEN no_data_found THEN
TEXT_IO.FCLOSE(dirfile);
END;
IF CT =0 then
IF USER='ADMIN' THEN
     DISPLAY_FORM_ALERT('','COULD NOT READ DIR..IN THE PROCEDURE ..READ_DIR');
END IF;
END IF;
-- CHECK FILE SIZE
IF (TO_NUMBER(fileinfo(1).fsize)=0 or TO_NUMBER(fileinfo(2).fsize)=0) and TO_NUMBER(TO_CHAR(SYSDATE,'HH24')) not in (23,0,1,2,3,4,5) then
     -- need to create a counter
     -- to keep track of how
     -- many times it has send out
     -- a call to me, cindy, etc
     -- stop the calling, email after 2 times
     CALL_CT:=TO_NUMBER(:GLOBAL.READ_DIR);
     CALL_CT:=CALL_CT+1;
     IF CALL_CT<=2 THEN
          :GLOBAL.READ_DIR:=TO_CHAR(CALL_CT);
          myinfo1:='Alert! Simsched file 0 bytes';
          myinfo2:='File '||fileinfo(1).fname||' is at '||fileinfo(1).fsize||' size. And File '||fileinfo(2).fname||' is at '||fileinfo(2).fsize||' bytes. If one is at 0, then feed problem. Please check ASAP!';
          -- SEND A TEXT MSG TO ADMIN CELL PHONE
          -- THIS IS BAD NEWS..
          READ_DIR_CALL(MYINFO1,MYINFO2);
     END IF;
END IF;
-- CHECK DATE
-- let make sure it is not check inbetween 11 (23hr)pm and 0 in the morning.
-- maint. time ..
IF TO_NUMBER(TO_CHAR(SYSDATE,'HH24')) not in (23,0,1,2,3,4,5) then
     -- if the dates are equal to today...
     IF fileinfo(1).fDATE != MYTODAY or fileinfo(2).fdate != MYTODAY then
     -- need to create a counter
     -- to keep track of how
     -- many times it has send out
     -- a call to me, cindy, etc
     -- stop the calling, email after 2 times
     CALL_CT:=TO_NUMBER(:GLOBAL.READ_DIR);
     CALL_CT:=CALL_CT+1;
          IF CALL_CT<=2 THEN
               :GLOBAL.READ_DIR:=TO_CHAR(CALL_CT);
               myinfo1:='Alert! dates IS WRONG!';
               myinfo2:='Today:'||mytoday||'.'||fileinfo(1).fname||' has a date of '||fileinfo(1).fdate||' and '||fileinfo(2).fname||' has date of '||fileinfo(2).fdate||' date. Need to be equal to today';
               READ_DIR_CALL(MYINFO1,MYINFO2);
          END IF;
     END IF;
END IF;
END;