Microsoft KB Archive/207703

= ACC2000: FileCopy Statement May Not Copy Open Files =

Article ID: 207703

Article Last Modified on 6/23/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Access 2000 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q207703



Advanced: Requires expert coding, interoperability, and multiuser skills.

This article applies to a Microsoft Access database (.mdb) and to a Microsoft Access project (.adp).



SYMPTOMS
When you programmatically copy a file with the FileCopy statement in Visual Basic for Applications, you may receive the following error message:

Run-time error '70'

Permission denied



CAUSE
The file is currently open, which prevents the FileCopy statement from copying the file.



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. Instead of using the FileCopy statement, use one of the following methods to programmatically copy the file.

WARNING: The following functions enable you to copy an open file. If the source file is changed while the copy operation is in process, the destination file may be incomplete or may become corrupted.

Method 1 - Calling the CopyFile function from the Windows API
One method to programmatically copy a file is to call the CopyFile function from the Microsoft Windows API. To call the CopyFile function from the Microsoft Windows API, follow these steps:  Complete steps 1 through 4 from the "Steps to Reproduce Behavior" section later in this article.  Create a module and type the following lines in the Declarations section: Option Explicit

Declare Function apiCopyFile Lib "kernel32" Alias "CopyFileA" _ (ByVal lpExistingFileName As String, _ ByVal lpNewFileName As String, _ ByVal bFailIfExists As Long) As Long   Type the following procedure: Sub CopyFile(SourceFile As String, DestFile As String) '--- ' PURPOSE: Copy a file on disk from one location to another. ' ACCEPTS: The name of the source file and destination file. ' RETURNS: Nothing '--- Dim Result As Long If Dir(SourceFile) = "" Then MsgBox Chr(34) & SourceFile & Chr(34) & _ " is not valid file name." Else Result = apiCopyFile(SourceFile, DestFile, False) End If End Sub   To test this procedure, type the following line in the Immediate window, and then press ENTER: CopyFile "", "C:\Northwind.mdb" Note that Northwind.mdb is copied to the root folder of drive C, even though it is currently open in another instance of Microsoft Access. 

Method 2 - Calling the MS-DOS Copy Command
Another method to programmatically copy a file is to call the MS-DOS Copy command from a Shell function in Visual Basic for Applications. To call the MS-DOS Copy command, follow these steps:  Complete steps 1 through 4 from the "Steps to Reproduce Behavior" section later in this article.</li>  Create a module and type the following line in the Declarations section if it is not already there: Option Explicit </li>  If you are using Microsoft Windows 95 or later, type the following procedure: Sub CopyFile(SourceFile As String, DestFile As String) '--- ' PURPOSE: Copy a file on disk from one location to another. ' ACCEPTS: The name of the source file and destination file. ' RETURNS: Nothing '---  Dim CopyString As String If Dir(SourceFile) = "" Then MsgBox Chr(34) & SourceFile & Chr(34) & _ " is not a valid file name." Else SourceFile = Chr(34) & SourceFile & Chr(34) DestFile = Chr(34) & DestFile & Chr(34) CopyString = "COMMAND.COM /C COPY " & SourceFile & _ " " & DestFile Call Shell(CopyString, 0) End If End Sub If you are using Microsoft Windows NT, use the same procedure, but change the line:

CopyString = "COMMAND.COM /C COPY " & SourceFile &

to:

CopyString = "CMD.EXE /C COPY " & SourceFile &

</li>  To test this procedure, type the following line in the Immediate window, and then press ENTER: CopyFile "<path to Northwind.mdb>", "C:\Northwind.mdb" Note that Northwind.mdb is copied to the root folder of drive C, even though it is currently open in another instance of Microsoft Access. </li></ol>

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Steps to Reproduce Behavior
 Start Microsoft Access.</li> Open the sample database Northwind.mdb.</li> Start a new instance of Microsoft Access.</li> Create a new blank database.</li>  Create a module and type the following line in the Declarations section if it is not already there: Option Explicit </li>  Type the following procedure: Sub CopyFile(SourceFile As String, DestFile As String) FileCopy SourceFile, DestFile End Function </li>  To test this procedure, type the following line in the Immediate window, and then press ENTER: CopyFile "<path to Northwind.mdb>", "C:\Northwind.mdb" Note that you receive the error message mentioned in the "Symptoms" section. </li></ol>

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