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Get user's "Download" folder with XBasic

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    Get user's "Download" folder with XBasic

    I could use some help... I've been trying, for over an hour, to find the answer to this question:

    How can I use XBasic to get to the user's download folder (e.g. c:\users\phil\downloads)? I am using code to "export a file" and I want to save it to the user's download folder (regardless of who's using the system), AND, prior to that, I want to delete the current file (if it exists, of course) with the same name.

    Here's what I'm trying (it doesn't work):

    function killfile as c (e as p)
    dim filename as c
    dim GetPath as c
    GetPath = "C:"+""+"[User]"+""+"Downloads"+""
    filename = GetPath+"myfile.txt"
    if (filename = "") then
    end
    end if
    if file.exists(filename) then
    file.remove(filename)
    end if
    end function

    If someone can give me some direction on this, I'd really appreciate it.

    Thanks,
    Phil

    #2
    Re: Get user's "Download" folder with XBasic

    Originally posted by psamuels56 View Post
    I could use some help... I've been trying, for over an hour, to find the answer to this question:

    How can I use XBasic to get to the user's download folder (e.g. c:\users\phil\downloads)? I am using code to "export a file" and I want to save it to the user's download folder (regardless of who's using the system), AND, prior to that, I want to delete the current file (if it exists, of course) with the same name.

    Here's what I'm trying (it doesn't work):

    function killfile as c (e as p)
    dim filename as c
    dim GetPath as c
    GetPath = "C:"+""+"[User]"+""+"Downloads"+""
    filename = GetPath+"myfile.txt"
    if (filename = "") then
    end
    end if
    if file.exists(filename) then
    file.remove(filename)
    end if
    end function

    If someone can give me some direction on this, I'd really appreciate it.

    Thanks,
    Phil
    Hello Phil,

    Is this a web application? Are you trying to access & delete a file on the client computer (as opposed to the server)?

    You cannot access the client computer via xbasic in a web application. xbasic runs server-side, so the computer you would be interacting with is the server - not the client. I believe the web browser will not give you access to the user's system to delete/save files. The best you can do here is to give the file a reasonable name and let the download file prompt handle the rest. There is no way I know of in javascript that would let you delete files on the client system.
    Last edited by Sarah Mitchell; 05-04-2016, 01:51 PM.
    Sarah Mitchell
    Director of Customer Success | [URL="https://www.alphasoftware.com"]Alpha Software Corporation[/URL]
    [B]Get in the know! [/B] Join us for our Weekly Webinars: [URL="https://www.alphasoftware.com/weekly-transform-tuesday-webinar"]TransForm Tuesday[/URL] and [URL="https://www.alphasoftware.com/weekly-alpha-anywhere-overview-webinar"]Wednesday's Alpha Anywhere Demo and Q&A[/URL]
    Connect with us: [URL="https://www.instagram.com/alpha_software_corp/"]Instagram[/URL] | [URL="https://twitter.com/AlphaSoftware"]Twitter[/URL] | [URL="https://www.facebook.com/AlphaSoftware/"]Facebook[/URL] | [URL="https://www.linkedin.com/company/alpha-software"]LinkedIn[/URL] | [URL="https://www.youtube.com/user/AlphaSoftwareInc"]YouTube[/URL]

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Get user's "Download" folder with XBasic

      Hi Sarah-

      That makes sense.

      Perhaps, I can accomplish what I want by saving the file to the server. Here's the process:
      1. I'm exporting an "Ascii" report with a UX Button (the report contains a list of a single field from a table that has phone numbers). The user never has to see or open the report, so I don't care where it's saved, as long as I can use the file in the next step.
      2. After the file is exported, I'm using an "FTP Put" command (you helped me with that earlier this week) to send the file to a company that auto-dials the phone numbers in the list to remind them about their upcoming appointment. The file just needs to be dropped into the FTP folder and their system automatically takes over (it's pretty cool)



      The export file works perfectly, as does the FTP Transfer. HOWEVER, I?m trying to completely automate the process, without user intervention. The two obstacles (which is why I wrote) are that browsers like ?Chrome? will just keep downloading files without overwriting the old file (e.g. it gives it a name like ?philsexport (1).txt?). Not only is that ?messy?, it makes it impossible for me to reference the filename in the ?FTP_Put? command.

      So? If I can save the file to the server (overwriting the old file) and be able to reference it in my FTP_Put command, I can accomplish exactly what I want.

      If you have any thoughts or suggestions, I?d appreciate hearing them. It?s really not a huge deal. If there are no options I?ll just have to add some training for the user(s) and they?ll have a couple of extra steps.

      Thanks so much for interacting with me and trying to help. I really appreciate it.

      Phil

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Get user's "Download" folder with XBasic

        Originally posted by psamuels56 View Post
        Hi Sarah-

        That makes sense.

        Perhaps, I can accomplish what I want by saving the file to the server. Here's the process:
        1. I'm exporting an "Ascii" report with a UX Button (the report contains a list of a single field from a table that has phone numbers). The user never has to see or open the report, so I don't care where it's saved, as long as I can use the file in the next step.
        2. After the file is exported, I'm using an "FTP Put" command (you helped me with that earlier this week) to send the file to a company that auto-dials the phone numbers in the list to remind them about their upcoming appointment. The file just needs to be dropped into the FTP folder and their system automatically takes over (it's pretty cool)



        The export file works perfectly, as does the FTP Transfer. HOWEVER, I?m trying to completely automate the process, without user intervention. The two obstacles (which is why I wrote) are that browsers like ?Chrome? will just keep downloading files without overwriting the old file (e.g. it gives it a name like ?philsexport (1).txt?). Not only is that ?messy?, it makes it impossible for me to reference the filename in the ?FTP_Put? command.

        So? If I can save the file to the server (overwriting the old file) and be able to reference it in my FTP_Put command, I can accomplish exactly what I want.

        If you have any thoughts or suggestions, I?d appreciate hearing them. It?s really not a huge deal. If there are no options I?ll just have to add some training for the user(s) and they?ll have a couple of extra steps.

        Thanks so much for interacting with me and trying to help. I really appreciate it.

        Phil
        The ftp_put_file function is xbasic, so everything you're describing here can be done server-side without requiring the user to download any files.

        You cannot overwrite files on the user's computer. Only the user can overwrite files on their computer. The download process through the web browser will generate a unique filename for a document if one already exists in the download folder. Furthermore, I don't think it's possible to save a file to the user's computer in the background without prompting them. If any files need to be downloaded to the user's computer, they will be prompted by the web browser.

        You can, however, save the file in the user's session folder on the server and ftp the file anywhere you need from the server. See session.saveDataAsFile() (and related): http://documentation.alphasoftware.c...e%20Method.xml
        Sarah Mitchell
        Director of Customer Success | [URL="https://www.alphasoftware.com"]Alpha Software Corporation[/URL]
        [B]Get in the know! [/B] Join us for our Weekly Webinars: [URL="https://www.alphasoftware.com/weekly-transform-tuesday-webinar"]TransForm Tuesday[/URL] and [URL="https://www.alphasoftware.com/weekly-alpha-anywhere-overview-webinar"]Wednesday's Alpha Anywhere Demo and Q&A[/URL]
        Connect with us: [URL="https://www.instagram.com/alpha_software_corp/"]Instagram[/URL] | [URL="https://twitter.com/AlphaSoftware"]Twitter[/URL] | [URL="https://www.facebook.com/AlphaSoftware/"]Facebook[/URL] | [URL="https://www.linkedin.com/company/alpha-software"]LinkedIn[/URL] | [URL="https://www.youtube.com/user/AlphaSoftwareInc"]YouTube[/URL]

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Get user's "Download" folder with XBasic

          Interesting. That might be exactly what I need:

          1. If I give it a file name, how would I access that "session" file name in my FTP_Put command?
          2. There are options (e.g. Bytes, Characters)... I don't understand what they are for/what they do? (There aren't any examples to look at)
          3. he "RemoveAfterFirstRetrieval" (.T.)... would that trigger after I sent the file via FTP-Put? or should I delete the file in a different manner?
          4. Finally, in my Action Javascript, where I enter the "filename" to save my file, what do I have to do use the "session.saveDataAsFile()" method? How do I enter that in the Action Javascript field?


          Thanks so much for your continued and excellent help.

          Have a good weekend.

          Phil

          Comment

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