Microsoft KB Archive/200837

= OFF97: Dir Function Example in Visual Basic Help File Gives Run-Time Error '5' on NT System =

Article ID: 200837

Article Last Modified on 9/12/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Office 97 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q200837



SYMPTOMS
When you open the Visual Basic Help file example for Dir function on a computer running Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, you will receive the following error message:

Run - Time error '5' Invalid procedure call or argument.



CAUSE
This example macro uses the GetAttr function to verify that the selected item is a folder. The Visual Basic function fails on Pagefile.sys, which is the Windows NT virtual memory paging file.

If (GetAttr(MyPath & MyName) And vbDirectory) = vbDirectory



RESOLUTION
Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific requirements. For more information about running sample code, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: 173707

TITLE : OFF97: How to Run Sample Code from Knowledge Base Articles

The Pagefile.sys file on a Windows NT 4.0 computer is being read as a folder when it is encountered, but when the file is checked by the GetAttr function it fails the value check. To work around this error message, ignore the Pagefile.sys file by adding a reference to it in the first If statement in the macro example. The following code is a copy of the example with the reference added. 'Display the names in C:\ that represent directories. MyPath = "c:\"  'Set the path. MyName = Dir(MyPath, vbDirectory)  ' Retrieve the first entry. Do While MyName <> ""  ' Start the loop.

'Ignore the current directory and the encompassing directory. If MyName<>"." And MyName<>".." And MyName<>"Pagefile.sys"  Then

'Use bitwise comparison to make sure MyName is a directory. If(GetAttr(MyPath & MyName) And vbDirectory) = vbDirectory Then

'Display entry only if it represents a directory. Debug.Print MyName End If     End If    MyName = Dir 'Get next entry. Loop



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

