How to Rename a File or Folder (Directory) from VBA, Visual Basic 6, Microsoft Office/Access/Excel

The Name statement moves the file to the new directory or folder and renames the file, if necessary. Here's the syntax:

Name OldPathName As NewPathName

Name can move a file across drives, but it can only rename an existing directory or folder when both OldPathName and NewPathName are located on the same drive. Name cannot create a new file, directory, or folder.

If OldPathName and NewPathName have different paths, and the same file name, the Name statement moves the file to the new location and leaves the file name unchanged.

Using Name, you can move a file from one directory or folder to another, but you cannot move a directory or folder.

Using Name on an open file produces an error. You must close an open file before renaming it. Name arguments cannot include multiple-character (*) and single-character (?) wildcards.

Our example below only provides support for files or simple folder renaming (e.g. the path folder does not exist). Renaming a directory to a name that already exists is more complicated and may be included in a future tip.

Public Function TestNameStatement()
  Dim fOK As Boolean
 
  ' Folders must exist for Source, but do not need to exist for destination
  fOK = RenameFileOrDir("C:\TestFolder\test.txt", "C:\TestFolder\test_NEWNAME.txt")
  fOK = RenameFileOrDir("C:\TestFolder\test.txt", "D:\TestFolder\test_NEWNAME.txt")
  
  ' Folder must exist for source
  fOK = RenameFileOrDir("C:\TestFolder", "C:\TestFolder_NEWNAME")
 
  ' Folders only will fail across drives
  fOK = RenameFileOrDir("C:\TestFolder", "D:\TestFolder")  
End Function

Public Function RenameFileOrDir(ByVal strSource As String, ByVal strTarget As String, _
  Optional fOverwriteTarget As Boolean = False) As Boolean
 
  On Error GoTo PROC_ERR
 
  Dim fRenameOK As Boolean
  Dim fRemoveTarget As Boolean
  Dim strFirstDrive As String
  Dim strSecondDrive As String
  Dim fOK As Boolean
 
  If Not ((Len(strSource) = 0) Or (Len(strTarget) = 0) Or (Not (FileOrDirExists(strSource)))) Then
 
    ' Check if the target exists
    If FileOrDirExists(strTarget) Then
 
      If fOverwriteTarget Then
        fRemoveTarget = True
      Else
        If MsgBox("Do you wish to overwrite the target file?", vbExclamation + vbYesNo, "Overwrite confirmation") = vbYes Then
          fRemoveTarget = True
        End If
      End If
 
      If fRemoveTarget Then
        ' Check that it's not a directory
        If ((GetAttr(strTarget) And vbDirectory)) <> vbDirectory Then
          Kill strTarget
          fRenameOK = True
        Else
          MsgBox "Cannot overwrite a directory", vbOKOnly, "Cannot perform operation"
        End If
      End If      
    Else
      ' The target does not exist
      ' Check if source is a directory
      If ((GetAttr(strSource) And vbDirectory) = vbDirectory) Then          
        ' Source is a directory, see if drives are the same
        strFirstDrive = Left(strSource, InStr(strSource, ":\"))
        strSecondDrive = Left(strTarget, InStr(strTarget, ":\"))
        If strFirstDrive = strSecondDrive Then
          fRenameOK = True
        Else
          MsgBox "Cannot rename directories across drives", vbOKOnly, "Cannot perform operation"
        End If      
      Else
        ' It's a file, ok to proceed
        fRenameOK = True
      End If
    End If
 
    If fRenameOK Then
      Name strSource As strTarget
      fOK = True
    End If
  End If
 
  RenameFileOrDir = fOK
 
PROC_EXIT:
  Exit Function
 
PROC_ERR:
  MsgBox "Error: " & Err.Number & ". " & Err.Description, , "RenameFileOrDir"
  Resume PROC_EXIT 
End Function

Public Function FileOrDirExists(strDest As String) As Boolean
  Dim intLen As Integer
  Dim fReturn As Boolean

  fReturn = False

  If strDest <> vbNullString Then
    On Error Resume Next
    intLen = Len(Dir$(strDest, vbDirectory + vbNormal))
    On Error GoTo PROC_ERR
    fReturn = (Not Err And intLen > 0)
  End If

PROC_EXIT:
  FileOrDirExists= fReturn
  Exit Function

PROC_ERR:
  MsgBox "Error: " & Err.Number & ". " & Err.Description, , "FileOrDirExists"
  Resume PROC_EXIT
End Function

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