PathCombine

Joins two path parts with one backslash.

Syntax: object.PathCombine ( strPath1, strPath2 ) As String

object
required An object expression that evaluates to a cDialog.
strPath1
required A String, the folder or the first part of the path.
strPath2
required A String, the file name or the rest of the path.

Remarks

PathCombine returns strPath1 and strPath2 with exactly one backslash between them, so it does not matter whether strPath1 ends with a backslash or strPath2 starts with one. The method follows these steps, in order:

  1. An empty strPath1 returns strPath2 as it is, and an empty strPath2 returns strPath1 as it is. Two empty strings give an empty string.
  2. A strPath2 that is already absolute is returned alone, and strPath1 is dropped. It is absolute when it starts with a drive letter, a colon and a backslash (D:\b), or with two backslashes (\\server\share).
  3. One trailing backslash of strPath1 and one leading backslash of strPath2 are removed.
  4. The two parts are joined with a backslash.
strPath1 strPath2 Result
C:\a b C:\a\b
C:\a\ \b C:\a\b
C: b C:\b
C:\a D:\b D:\b
C:\a \\srv\x \\srv\x
C:\a D:b C:\a\D:b
C:\a ..\b C:\a\..\b
C:\a\\ b C:\a\\b

The method works on text only. It does not check that a folder or a file exists, and it does not resolve .. or .. A forward slash is an ordinary character: a/ and b give a/\b, and http://x/y after C:\a gives C:\a\http://x/y. Only one backslash is removed from each side, so a doubled backslash stays. A strPath2 with a drive letter but no backslash after the colon (D:b) is not absolute and is joined like any other name. cDialogEx has the same method.

Example 

Dim dlg As New cDialog
Debug.Print dlg.PathCombine("C:\Reports", "summary.txt")    ' C:\Reports\summary.txt
Debug.Print dlg.PathCombine("C:\Reports\", "\summary.txt")  ' C:\Reports\summary.txt
Debug.Print dlg.PathCombine("C:\Reports", "D:\other.txt")   ' D:\other.txt
Debug.Print dlg.PathCombine("", "summary.txt")              ' summary.txt
Debug.Print dlg.PathCombine("C:\Reports", "")               ' C:\Reports

See Also