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

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().

.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 platformPath or path properties. 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.

.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")

.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")