## BUG: VBApp FileCopy Updates Destination File's Date & Time Stamp

Q113958

The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications
- Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 5.0
- Microsoft Project for Windows, version 4.0

## SYMPTOMS

The FileCopy statement in Visual Basic, Applications Edition does not maintain the Date and Time stamp of the source file when the destination file is copied. Unlike the MS-DOS Copy command and the FileCopy statement in Visual Basic version 3.0, the time stamp of the destination file shows the actual time the copy occurs.

## WORKAROUND

Because the time stamp placed on the file is based on the current time, setting the system time to the time stamp of the source file prior to copying the file establishes the same time stamp on the destination file. Below is a sample piece of code to copy a file that maintains the same time stamp:

    Sub TestFileCopy()
       Dim datOriginalDateTime As Date
       Dim datSourceTimeStamp As Date

       Const cSourceFile = "C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT"
       Const cDestFile = "C:\AUTOEXEC.OLD"

       ' Obtain Date/Time Stamp of the Source file:
       datSourceTimeStamp = FileDateTime(cSourceFile)

       ' Store Current time in a temporary variable:
       datOriginalDateTime = Now()

       ' Set System time to that of the Source File:
       Date = datSourceTimeStamp
       Time = datSourceTimeStamp

       FileCopy cSourceFile, cDestFile

       ' Restore System time to correct time:
       Date = datOriginalDateTime
       Time = datOriginalDateTime
       MsgBox "Source Date = " & FileDateTime(cSourceFile) & Chr(13) & _
          Chr(10) & "Destination Date = " & FileDateTime(cDestFile)
    End Sub

## STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the products listed above. We are researching this bug and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

## MORE INFORMATION

### Steps to Reproduce Problem

1. Start Excel, or from the File menu, choose New (ALT, F, N) if Excel is already running.
2. Insert a New module. From the Insert Menu, choose Macro Module (ALT, I, M, M). Module1 is created by default.
3. Insert the following code into Module1:

        Sub TestFileCopy()
             Const cSourceFile = "C:\autoexec.bat"
             Const cDestFile = "C:\autoexec.old"
             FileCopy cSourceFile, cDestFile
             MsgBox "Source Date = " & FileDateTime(cSourceFile) & Chr(13) & _
                Chr(10) & "Destination Date = " & FileDateTime(cDestFile)
          End Sub

4. Run the macro. From the Tools Menu, choose Macro (ALT, T, M). From the Macro dialog, select the macro TestFileCopy. Then click the Run button.

The time stamps for the Source and Destination files differ. You would expect them to be the same. Now try the workaround routine, you will see the Source and Destination files are the same.

Additional query words: buglist1.00

Keywords :
Issue type : kbbug
Technology : kbExcelSearch kbZNotKeyword6 kbExcel500 kbProjectSearch kbVBASearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbProject400

Last Reviewed: January 17, 2001 © 2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.