I want to have my vb6 program watch directories for new files, changed
files, etc. I've found several examples for watching local directories
with the microsoft windows api, but none of them work on a drive
across the network (I don't want to install the software ont he
network file server.)

I can do this with the file system object, but that requires me to
reparse the directories - causing network performance problems. Is
there an api way to watch directories remotely?

Brad Jensen

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Request for Question Clarification by joseleon-ga on 25 Oct 2003 01:21 PDT

Hello, bradjensen:
  Althought my answer is that it's not possible to do that, it's
useful to you? I mean, can I answer this question? Because I'm 100%
you cannot do that.

Regards.

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Clarification of Question by bradjensen-ga on 05 Nov 2003 13:51 PST

I'm willing ato accept no as an  answer, but can't figure out how to
do that with the web interface - so just enter your answer of no then
I will accept it.

Brad

Hello, bradjensen:
  Thanks for allowing me to answer this question even if the answer is
"no, you cannot do that", most customers doesn't like this kind of
answers.

As I said in my comments, there is no API to monitor file changes
across the network, it exists only to do it on the local filesystem,
this is a limitation of the OS, that is, it doesn't include this
feature by default. It would be a great feature for developers, but it
doesn't exists because even the File Explorer doesn't automatically
refreshes changes on network drives. The File Explorer uses some
"tricks" to get updated, for example, when the user makes the window
active, or using a timer to refresh the contents, but it's not get
notified about changes, it "refresh" the full directory contents. So
you have to think in a tricky way or a workaround to make this work,
if you tell me more about your app, I will try to help you.

You say you don't want to install anything on the clients, but this is
the only "straight" solution possible right now, you install a custom
software on each client monitoring file system changes and then,
broadcast that info to the network. Then, if there is a client
listening, it will get notified about those changes.

Thanks again for let me answer this question even the answer is no and
don't hesitate to request for any clarification.

Regards.

Hello, bradjensen:
  As far as I know, there is no way to monitor directories for new
files across the network without install a custom software on the
server. There is no API for that because as you can see, even the
Windows File Explorer needs to be refreshed to show changes. I tell
you this from my experience, but you can wait to see if another
researcher comes with a solution.

Regards.

Thanks for the comment. I'm wondering when explorer is refreshed, what
it does. Sometimes it automatically refreshes.

Meanwhile I am reading the directories with the filesystem object, not
elegant.

Brad

Hello, bradjensen:
  Of course, you can set a timer and refresh the file list "manually",
but I think you are looking the inverse process, that is, some kind of
"event" that informs you a new file is in the directory, so you don't
have to "poll" looking for changes. You can do it on the local file
system, but not over the network.

Regards.