Folder

Folder objects are created with the folder command. They contain references to folders that may or may not actually exist on disk. For example, when you execute the folder command to create a new folder, a valid folder object is created but nothing is actually stored on disk until you call the folder.create() function.

Example

The following example creates a "JohnSmith" folder object:

var curfolder : 4D.Folder
curfolder = folder("/PACKAGE/JohnSmith")

Pathnames

folder objects support several pathnames, including filesystems or posix syntax. Supported pathnames are detailed in the Pathnames page.

Functions and properties

.copyTo( destinationFolder : 4D.Folder { , newName : string } { , overwrite : integer } ) : 4D.Folder    copies the Folder object into the specified destinationFolder
.create() : boolean    creates a folder on disk according to the properties of the folder object
.createAlias( destinationFolder : 4D.Folder , aliasName : string ) : 4D.File    creates a symbolic link
.delete( { option : integer } )    deletes the folder
.exists : boolean    true if the folder exists on disk
.extension : string    returns the extension of the folder name (if any)
.file( path : string ) : 4D.File    a File object inside the Folder object and returns its reference
.files( { options : integer } ) : collection    a collection of File objects contained in the folder
.folder( path : string ) : 4D.Folder    creates a folder object inside the parent folder object and returns its reference
.folders( { options : integer } ) : collection    returns a collection of folder objects contained in the parent folder
.fullName : string    returns the full name of the folder, including its extension (if any)
.hidden : boolean     true if the folder is set as "hidden" at the system level
.isAlias : boolean    always false for a Folder object
.isFile : boolean    always false for a folder
.isFolder : boolean    always true for a folder
.isPackage : boolean    true if the folder is a package on macOS (and exists on disk)
.modificationDate : date     the date of the folder's last modification
.modificationTime : time    the time of the folder's last modification
.name : string     the name of the folder, without extension (if any)
.original : 4D.Folder    the same Folder object as the folder
.parent : 4D.Folder    the parent folder object of the folder
.path : string    the POSIX path of the folder
.moveTo( destinationFolder : 4D.Folder { , newName : string } ) : 4D.Folder    moves or renames the folder object (source folder) into the specified destinationFolder
.rename( newName : string ) : 4D.Folder    renames the folder with the name you passed in newName and returns the renamed folder object

4D.Folder.new()

4D.Folder.new ( path : string ) : 4D.Folder

Description

The 4D.Folder.new() function creates and returns a new object of the 4D.Folder type. It is identical to the folder command (shortcut).

It is recommended to use the folder shortcut command instead of 4D.Folder.new().

.copyTo()

.copyTo( destinationFolder : 4D.Folder { , newName : string } { , overwrite : integer } ) : 4D.Folder

Parameter	Type		Description
destinationFolder	4D.Folder	→	Destination folder
newName	string	→	Name for the copy
overwrite	integer	→	fk overwrite to replace existing elements
Result	4D.Folder	←	Copied file or folder

Description

The .copyTo() function copies the Folder object into the specified destinationFolder.

The destinationFolder must exist on disk, otherwise an error is generated.

By default, the folder is copied with the name of the original folder. If you want to rename the copy, pass the new name in the newName parameter. The new name must comply with naming rules (e.g., it must not contain characters such as ":", "/", etc.), otherwise an error is returned.

If a folder with the same name already exists in the destinationFolder, by default Qodly generates an error. You can pass the kOverwrite constant in the overwrite parameter to ignore and overwrite the existing file

Constant	Value	Comment
kOverwrite	4	Overwrite existing elements, if any

Returned value

The copied Folder object.

Example

You want to copy a Pictures folder from the resources folder to the data folder:

var userImages, copiedImages : 4D.Folder
userImages = folder("/SOURCES/Shared/Pictures/")
copiedImages = userImages.copyTo(folder("/DATA"),kOverwrite)

.create()

.create() : boolean

Parameter	Type		Description
Result	boolean	←	true if the folder was created successfully, false otherwise

Description

The .create() function creates a folder on disk according to the properties of the folder object.

If necessary, the function creates the folder hierachy as described in the path property. If the folder already exists on disk, the function does nothing (no error is thrown) and returns false.

Returned value

• true if the folder is created successfully,
• false if a folder with the same name already exists or if an error occured.

Example 1

Create an empty folder in the database folder:

var created : boolean
created = folder("/PACKAGE/SpecialPrefs").create()

Example 2

Creation of the "/Archives2019/January/" folder in the database folder:

var newFolder : 4D.Folder
var info : string
newFolder = folder("/PACKAGE/Archives2019/January")
if(newFolder.create())
 info = "The "+newFolder.name+" folder was created."
else
 info = "Impossible to create a "+newFolder.name+" folder."
end

.createAlias()

.createAlias( destinationFolder : 4D.Folder , aliasName : string ) : 4D.File

Parameter	Type		Description
destinationFolder	4D.Folder	→	Destination folder for the alias or shortcut
aliasName	string	→	Name of the symbolic link
Result	4D.File	←	Alias or shortcut reference

Description

The .createAlias() function creates a symbolic link to the folder with the specified aliasName name in the folder designated by the destinationFolder object.

Pass the name of the symbolic link to create in the aliasName parameter.

Returned object

A 4D.File object with the isAlias property set to true.

Example

You want to create a symbolic link to an archive folder in your database folder:

var myFolder : 4D.Folder
myFolder = folder("/PACKAGE/Documents/Archives/2019/January")
aliasFile = myFolder.createAlias(folder("/PACKAGE"),"Jan2019")

.delete()

.delete( { option : integer } )

Parameter	Type		Description
option	integer	→	folder deletion option

Description

The .delete() function deletes the folder.

By default, for security reasons, if you omit the option parameter, .delete( ) only allows empty folders to be deleted. If you want the command to be able to delete folders that are not empty, you must use the option parameter with one of the following constants:

Constant	Value	Comment
kDeleteOnlyIfEmpty	0	Deletes folder only when it is empty
kDeleteWithContents	1	Deletes folder along with everything it contains

When kDeleteOnlyIfEmpty is passed or if you omit the option parameter:

• The folder is only deleted if it is empty, otherwise, the command does nothing and an error -47 is generated.
• If the folder does not exist, the error -120 is generated.

When kDeleteWithContents is passed:

• The folder, along with all of its contents, is deleted. Warning: Even when this folder and/or its contents are locked or set to read-only, if the current user has suitable access rights, the folder (and contents) is still deleted.
• If this folder, or any of the files it contains, cannot be deleted, deletion is aborted as soon as the first inaccessible element is detected, and error -45 (The file is locked or the pathname is not correct) is returned. In this case, the folder may be only partially deleted. When deletion is aborted, you can use the lastErrors command to retrieve the name and path of the offending file.
• If the folder does not exist, the command does nothing and no error is returned.

.exists

.exists : boolean

Description

The .exists property returns true if the folder exists on disk, and false otherwise.

This property is read-only.

.extension

.extension : string

Description

The .extension property returns the extension of the folder name (if any). An extension always starts with ".". The property returns an empty string if the folder name does not have an extension.

This property is read-only.

.file()

.file( path : string ) : 4D.File

Parameter	Type		Description
path	string	→	Relative POSIX file pathname
Result	4D.File	←	File object (null if invalid path)

Description

The .file() function creates a File object inside the Folder object and returns its reference.

In path, pass a relative POSIX path to designate the file to return. The path will be evaluated from the parent folder as root.

Returned value

A File object or null if path is invalid.

Example

var myPDF : 4D.File
myPDF = folder("/DATA").file("Pictures/info.pdf")

.files()

.files( { options : integer } ) : collection

Parameter	Type		Description
options	integer	→	File list options
Result	collection	←	collection of children file objects

Description

The .files() function returns a collection of File objects contained in the folder.

Aliases or symbolic links are not resolved.

By default, if you omit the options parameter, only the files at the first level of the folder are returned in the collection, as well as invisible files or folders. You can modify this by passing, in the options parameter, one or more of the following constants:

Constant	Value	Comment
kRecursive	1	The collection contains files of the specified folder and its subfolders
kIgnoreInvisible	8	Invisible files are not listed

Returned value

Collection of file objects.

Example 1

You want to know if there are invisible files in the project folder:

 var all, noInvisible : collection
 var info : string
 all = folder("/PACKAGE").files()
 noInvisible = folder("/PACKAGE").files(kIgnoreInvisible)
 if(all.length != noInvisible.length)
    info = "Project folder contains hidden files."
 end

Example 2

You want to get all files that are not invisible in the Resources folder:

 var recursive : collection
 recursive = folder("/RESOURCES").files(kRecursive+kIgnoreInvisible)

.folder()

.folder( path : string ) : 4D.Folder

Parameter	Type		Description
path	string	→	Relative POSIX file pathname
Result	4D.Folder	←	Created folder object (null if invalid path)

Description

The .folder() function creates a folder object inside the parent folder object and returns its reference.

In path, pass a relative POSIX path to designate the folder to return. The path will be evaluated from the parent folder as root.

Returned value

A folder object or null if path is invalid.

Example

 var mypicts : 4D.Folder
 mypicts = folder("/RESOURCES").folder("Pictures")

.folders()

.folders( { options : integer } ) : collection

Parameter	Type		Description
options	integer	→	Folder list options
Result	collection	←	Collection of children folder objects

Description

The .folders() function returns a collection of folder objects contained in the parent folder.

By default, if you omit the options parameter, only the folders at the first level of the folder are returned in the collection. You can modify this by passing, in the options parameter, one or more of the following constants:

Constant	Value	Comment
kRecursive	1	The collection contains folders of the specified folder and its subfolders
kIgnoreInvisible	8	Invisible folders are not listed

Returned value

collection of folder objects.

Example

You want the collection of all folders and subfolders of the database folder:

 var allFolders : collection
 allFolders = folder("/PACKAGE").folders(kRecursive)

.fullName

.fullName : string

Description

The .fullName property returns the full name of the folder, including its extension (if any).

This property is read-only.

.hidden

.hidden : boolean

Description

The .hidden property returns true if the folder is set as "hidden" at the system level, and false otherwise.

This property is read-only.

.isAlias

.isAlias : boolean

Description

The .isAlias property returns always false for a Folder object.

This property is read-only.

.isFile

.isFile : boolean

Description

The .isFile property returns always false for a folder.

This property is read-only.

.isFolder

.isFolder : boolean

Description

The .isFolder property returns always true for a folder.

This property is read-only.

.isPackage

.isPackage : boolean

Description

The .isPackage property returns true if the folder is a package on macOS (and exists on disk). Otherwise, it returns false.

On Windows, .isPackage always returns false.

This property is read-only.

.modificationDate

.modificationDate : date

Description

The .modificationDate property returns the date of the folder's last modification.

This property is read-only.

.modificationTime

.modificationTime : time

Description

The .modificationTime property returns the time of the folder's last modification (expressed as a number of seconds beginning at 00:00).

This property is read-only.

.moveTo()

.moveTo( destinationFolder : 4D.Folder { , newName : string } ) : 4D.Folder

Parameter	Type		Description
destinationFolder	4D.Folder	→	Destination folder
newName	string	→	Full name for the moved folder
Result	4D.Folder	←	Moved folder

Description

The .moveTo() function moves or renames the folder object (source folder) into the specified destinationFolder.

The destinationFolder must exist on disk, otherwise an error is generated.

By default, the folder retains its name when moved. If you want to rename the moved folder, pass the new full name in the newName parameter. The new name must comply with naming rules (e.g., it must not contain characters such as ":", "/", etc.), otherwise an error is returned.

Returned object

The moved folder object.

Example

You want to move and rename a folder:

 var tomove, tomove2 : 4D.Folder
 tomove = folder("/SOURCES/Shared/Pictures")
 tomove2 = tomove.moveTo(folder("/SOURCES/Shared/Archives"),"Pic_Archives")

.name

.name : string

Description

The .name property returns the name of the folder, without extension (if any).

This property is read-only.

.original

.original : 4D.Folder

Description

The .original property returns the same Folder object as the folder.

This property is read-only.

This property is available on folders to allow generic code to process folders or files.

.parent

.parent : 4D.Folder

Description

The .parent property returns the parent folder object of the folder. If the path represents a system path (e.g., "/DATA/"), the system path is returned.

If the folder does not have a parent (root), the null value is returned.

This property is read-only.

.path

.path : string

Description

The .path property returns the POSIX path of the folder. If the path represents a filesystem (e.g., "/DATA/"), the filesystem is returned.

This property is read-only.

.rename()

.rename( newName : string ) : 4D.Folder

Parameter	Type		Description
newName	string	→	New full name for the folder
Result	4D.Folder	←	Renamed folder

Description

The .rename() function renames the folder with the name you passed in newName and returns the renamed folder object.

The newName parameter must comply with naming rules (e.g., it must not contain characters such as ":", "/", etc.), otherwise an error is returned. If a file with the same name already exists, an error is returned.

Returned object

The renamed folder object.

Example

 var toRename : 4D.Folder
 toRename = folder("/SOURCES/Shared/Pictures").rename("Images")