Create a folder and sub folder in Excel VBA

Question

I have a pull down menu of companies that is populated by a list on another sheet. Three columns, Company, Job #, and Part Number.

When a job is created I need a folder for said company and a sub-folder for said Part Number.

If you go down the path it would look like:

C:\Images\Company Name\Part Number\

If either company name or Part number exists don't create, or overwrite the old one. Just go to next step. So if both folders exist nothing happens, if one or both don't exist create as required.

Another question is there a way to make it so it works on Macs and PCs the same?

Answer 1

One sub and two functions. The sub builds your path and use the functions to check if the path exists and create if not. If the full path exists already, it will just pass on by. This will work on PC, but you will have to check what needs to be modified to work on Mac as well.

'requires reference to Microsoft Scripting Runtime
Sub MakeFolder()

Dim strComp As String, strPart As String, strPath As String

strComp = Range("A1") ' assumes company name in A1
strPart = CleanName(Range("C1")) ' assumes part in C1
strPath = "C:\Images\"

If Not FolderExists(strPath & strComp) Then 
'company doesn't exist, so create full path
    FolderCreate strPath & strComp & "\" & strPart
Else
'company does exist, but does part folder
    If Not FolderExists(strPath & strComp & "\" & strPart) Then
        FolderCreate strPath & strComp & "\" & strPart
    End If
End If

End Sub

Function FolderCreate(ByVal path As String) As Boolean

FolderCreate = True
Dim fso As New FileSystemObject

If Functions.FolderExists(path) Then
    Exit Function
Else
    On Error GoTo DeadInTheWater
    fso.CreateFolder path ' could there be any error with this, like if the path is really screwed up?
    Exit Function
End If

DeadInTheWater:
    MsgBox "A folder could not be created for the following path: " & path & ". Check the path name and try again."
    FolderCreate = False
    Exit Function

End Function

Function FolderExists(ByVal path As String) As Boolean

FolderExists = False
Dim fso As New FileSystemObject

If fso.FolderExists(path) Then FolderExists = True

End Function

Function CleanName(strName as String) as String
'will clean part # name so it can be made into valid folder name
'may need to add more lines to get rid of other characters

    CleanName = Replace(strName, "/","")
    CleanName = Replace(CleanName, "*","")
    etc...

End Function

Answer 2

I found a much better way of doing the same, less code, much more efficient. Note that the """" is to quote the path in case it contains blanks in a folder name. Command line mkdir creates any intermediary folder if necessary to make the whole path exist.

If Dir(YourPath, vbDirectory) = "" Then
    Shell ("cmd /c mkdir """ & YourPath & """")
End If

Answer 3

Never tried with non Windows systems, but here's the one I have in my library, pretty easy to use. No special library reference required.

Function CreateFolder(ByVal sPath As String) As Boolean
'by Patrick Honorez - www.idevlop.com
'create full sPath at once, if required
'returns False if folder does not exist and could NOT be created, True otherwise
'sample usage: If CreateFolder("C:\toto\test\test") Then debug.print "OK"
'updated 20130422 to handle UNC paths correctly ("\\MyServer\MyShare\MyFolder")

    Dim fs As Object 
    Dim FolderArray
    Dim Folder As String, i As Integer, sShare As String

    If Right(sPath, 1) = "\" Then sPath = Left(sPath, Len(sPath) - 1)
    Set fs = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
    'UNC path ? change 3 "\" into 3 "@"
    If sPath Like "\\*\*" Then
        sPath = Replace(sPath, "\", "@", 1, 3)
    End If
    'now split
    FolderArray = Split(sPath, "\")
    'then set back the @ into \ in item 0 of array
    FolderArray(0) = Replace(FolderArray(0), "@", "\", 1, 3)
    On Error GoTo hell
    'start from root to end, creating what needs to be
    For i = 0 To UBound(FolderArray) Step 1
        Folder = Folder & FolderArray(i) & "\"
        If Not fs.FolderExists(Folder) Then
            fs.CreateFolder (Folder)
        End If
    Next
    CreateFolder = True
hell:
End Function

Answer 4

I know this has been answered and there were many good answers already, but for people who come here and look for a solution I could post what I have settled with eventually.

The following code handles both paths to a drive (like "C:\Users...") and to a server address (style: "\Server\Path.."), it takes a path as an argument and automatically strips any file names from it (use "\" at the end if it's already a directory path) and it returns false if for whatever reason the folder could not be created. Oh yes, it also creates sub-sub-sub-directories, if this was requested.

Public Function CreatePathTo(path As String) As Boolean

Dim sect() As String    ' path sections
Dim reserve As Integer  ' number of path sections that should be left untouched
Dim cPath As String     ' temp path
Dim pos As Integer      ' position in path
Dim lastDir As Integer  ' the last valid path length
Dim i As Integer        ' loop var

' unless it all works fine, assume it didn't work:
CreatePathTo = False

' trim any file name and the trailing path separator at the end:
path = Left(path, InStrRev(path, Application.PathSeparator) - 1)

' split the path into directory names
sect = Split(path, "\")

' what kind of path is it?
If (UBound(sect) < 2) Then ' illegal path
    Exit Function
ElseIf (InStr(sect(0), ":") = 2) Then
    reserve = 0 ' only drive name is reserved
ElseIf (sect(0) = vbNullString) And (sect(1) = vbNullString) Then
    reserve = 2 ' server-path - reserve "\\Server\"
Else ' unknown type
    Exit Function
End If

' check backwards from where the path is missing:
lastDir = -1
For pos = UBound(sect) To reserve Step -1

    ' build the path:
    cPath = vbNullString
    For i = 0 To pos
        cPath = cPath & sect(i) & Application.PathSeparator
    Next ' i

    ' check if this path exists:
    If (Dir(cPath, vbDirectory) <> vbNullString) Then
        lastDir = pos
        Exit For
    End If

Next ' pos

' create subdirectories from that point onwards:
On Error GoTo Error01
For pos = lastDir + 1 To UBound(sect)

    ' build the path:
    cPath = vbNullString
    For i = 0 To pos
        cPath = cPath & sect(i) & Application.PathSeparator
    Next ' i

    ' create the directory:
    MkDir cPath

Next ' pos

CreatePathTo = True
Exit Function

Error01:

End Function

I hope someone may find this useful. Enjoy! :-)

Answer 5

Sub FolderCreate()
    MkDir "C:\Test"
End Sub

Answer 6

Function MkDir(ByVal strDir As String)
    Dim fso: Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
    If Not fso.FolderExists(strDir) Then
        ' create parent folder if not exist (recursive)
        MkDir (fso.GetParentFolderName(strDir))
        ' doesn't exist, so create the folder
        fso.CreateFolder strDir
    End If
End Function

Answer 7

This works like a charm in AutoCad VBA and I grabbed it from an excel forum. I don't know why you all make it so complicated?

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Question: I'm not sure if a particular directory exists already. If it doesn't exist, I'd like to create it using VBA code. How can I do this?

Answer: You can test to see if a directory exists using the VBA code below:

(Quotes below are omitted to avoid confusion of programming code)

---

If Len(Dir("c:\TOTN\Excel\Examples", vbDirectory)) = 0 Then

   MkDir "c:\TOTN\Excel\Examples"

End If

---

http://www.techonthenet.com/excel/formulas/mkdir.php

Answer 8

There are some good answers on here, so I will just add some process improvements. A better way of determining if the folder exists (does not use FileSystemObjects, which not all computers are allowed to use):

Function FolderExists(FolderPath As String) As Boolean
     FolderExists = True
     On Error Resume Next
     ChDir FolderPath
     If Err <> 0 Then FolderExists = False
     On Error GoTo 0
End Function

Likewise,

Function FileExists(FileName As String) As Boolean
     If Dir(FileName) <> "" Then FileExists = True Else FileExists = False
EndFunction

Answer 9

For those looking for a cross-platform way that works on both Windows and Mac, the following works:

Sub CreateDir(strPath As String)
    Dim elm As Variant
    Dim strCheckPath As String

    strCheckPath = ""
    For Each elm In Split(strPath, Application.PathSeparator)
        strCheckPath = strCheckPath & elm & Application.PathSeparator
        If (Len(strCheckPath) > 1 And Not FolderExists(strCheckPath)) Then
            MkDir strCheckPath
        End If
    Next
End Sub

Function FolderExists(FolderPath As String) As Boolean
     FolderExists = True
     On Error Resume Next
     ChDir FolderPath
     If Err <> 0 Then FolderExists = False
     On Error GoTo 0
End Function

Answer 10

All other answers are unnecessarily compicated! You can create all folder tree recursively with 2 lines of code, check this:

Public Sub MkDir_recursive(ByVal folder As String)
    'Dim fso As Object : Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
    Dim fso As New FileSystemObject 'If this throws an error, use above declaration instead
    ' Create parent folder if necessary (recursive)
    If Not fso.FolderExists(fso.GetParentFolderName(folder)) Then MkDir_recursive fso.GetParentFolderName(folder)
    If Not fso.FolderExists(folder) Then fso.CreateFolder folder 'All subfolders exist when we get here.
End Sub

The sub checks if parent folder does not exist, and in this case it calls the same sub with parent folder, which does the same on and on. This goes on until the folder exists or it reaches the root folder (which will always exist). When

Note: also works with UNC folders (like \\server\myshare\folder)

---

I don´t have access to any MAC, but you can use the same concept, it is very simple.

Answer 11

Another simple version working on PC:

Sub CreateDir(strPath As String)
    Dim elm As Variant
    Dim strCheckPath As String

    strCheckPath = ""
    For Each elm In Split(strPath, "\")
        strCheckPath = strCheckPath & elm & "\"
        If Len(Dir(strCheckPath, vbDirectory)) = 0 Then MkDir strCheckPath
    Next
End Sub

Answer 12

Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
    Dim fso As Object
    Dim fldrname As String
    Dim fldrpath As String

    Set fso = CreateObject("scripting.filesystemobject")
    fldrname = Format(Now(), "dd-mm-yyyy")
    fldrpath = "C:\Temp\" & fldrname
    If Not fso.FolderExists(fldrpath) Then
        fso.createfolder (fldrpath)
    End If
End Sub

Answer 13

Here's short sub without error handling that creates subdirectories:

Public Function CreateSubDirs(ByVal vstrPath As String)
   Dim marrPath() As String
   Dim mint As Integer

   marrPath = Split(vstrPath, "\")
   vstrPath = marrPath(0) & "\"

   For mint = 1 To UBound(marrPath) 'walk down directory tree until not exists
      If (Dir(vstrPath, vbDirectory) = "") Then Exit For
      vstrPath = vstrPath & marrPath(mint) & "\"
   Next mint

   MkDir vstrPath

   For mint = mint To UBound(marrPath) 'create directories
      vstrPath = vstrPath & marrPath(mint) & "\"
      MkDir vstrPath
   Next mint
End Function

Answer 14

This is a recursive version that works with letter drives as well as UNC. I used the error catching to implement it but if anyone can do one without, I would be interested to see it. This approach works from the branches to the root so it will be somewhat usable when you don't have permissions in the root and lower parts of the directory tree.

' Reverse create directory path. This will create the directory tree from the top    down to the root.
' Useful when working on network drives where you may not have access to the directories close to the root
Sub RevCreateDir(strCheckPath As String)
    On Error GoTo goUpOneDir:
    If Len(Dir(strCheckPath, vbDirectory)) = 0 And Len(strCheckPath) > 2 Then
        MkDir strCheckPath
    End If
    Exit Sub
' Only go up the tree if error code Path not found (76).
goUpOneDir:
    If Err.Number = 76 Then
        Call RevCreateDir(Left(strCheckPath, InStrRev(strCheckPath, "\") - 1))
        Call RevCreateDir(strCheckPath)
    End If
End Sub

Answer 15

Sub MakeAllPath(ByVal PS$)
    Dim PP$
    If PS <> "" Then
        ' chop any end  name
        PP = Left(PS, InStrRev(PS, "\") - 1)
        ' if not there so build it
        If Dir(PP, vbDirectory) = "" Then
            MakeAllPath Left(PP, InStrRev(PS, "\") - 1)
            ' if not back to drive then  build on what is there
            If Right(PP, 1) <> ":" Then MkDir PP
        End If
    End If
End Sub


'Martins loop version above is better than MY recursive version
'so improve to below

Sub MakeAllDir(PathS$)            

  ' format "K:\firstfold\secf\fold3"

  If Dir(PathS) = vbNullString Then     

 ' else do not bother

   Dim LI&, MYPath$, BuildPath$, PathStrArray$()

   PathStrArray = Split(PathS, "\")

      BuildPath = PathStrArray(0) & "\"    '

      If Dir(BuildPath) = vbNullString Then 

' trap problem of no drive :\  path given

         If vbYes = MsgBox(PathStrArray(0) & "< not there for >" & PathS & " try to append to " & CurDir, vbYesNo) Then
            BuildPath = CurDir & "\"
         Else
            Exit Sub
         End If
      End If
      '
      ' loop through required folders
      '
      For LI = 1 To UBound(PathStrArray)
         BuildPath = BuildPath & PathStrArray(LI) & "\"
         If Dir(BuildPath, vbDirectory) = vbNullString Then MkDir BuildPath
      Next LI
   End If 

 ' was already there

End Sub

' use like
'MakeAllDir "K:\bil\joan\Johno"

'MakeAllDir "K:\bil\joan\Fredso"

'MakeAllDir "K:\bil\tom\wattom"

'MakeAllDir "K:\bil\herb\watherb"

'MakeAllDir "K:\bil\herb\Jim"

'MakeAllDir "bil\joan\wat" ' default drive