Name

Renames a disk file, directory, or folder.

Syntax:

Name oldpathname As newpathname

oldpathname
String expression that specifies the existing file name and location; may include directory or folder, and drive.
newpathname
String expression that specifies the new file name and location; may include directory or folder, and drive. The file name specified by newpathname can’t already exist.

The Name statement renames a file and moves it to a different directory or folder, if necessary. Name can move a file across drives, but it can only rename an existing directory or folder when both newpathname and oldpathname are located on the same drive. Name cannot create a new file, directory, or folder.

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

Example

This example uses the Name statement to rename a file. For purposes of this example, assume that the directories or folders that are specified already exist.

Dim oldName, newName
oldName = "OLDFILE": newName = "NEWFILE" ' Define file names.
Name oldName As newName ' Rename file.

oldName = "C:\MYDIR\OLDFILE": newName = "C:\YOURDIR\NEWFILE"
Name oldName As newName ' Move and rename file.

See Also