Intro to VBA FSO CopyFile

The FSO CopyFile method is a quick VBA way to copy a file from one location to another. Use the VBA
CopyFile FileSystemObject (FSO) to copy a file to another folder. The FSO is part of Windows Script Host
which provides scripting abilities like batch files.

If you haven’t already done so, check out our Introduction to the VBA FileSystemObject for a
general introduction to the FSO and all its functions.

 Intro to VBA FSO CopyFile

 Basic setup - FSO CopyFile
o VBA Copy a File Macro
 FSO CopyFile Safeguards
o Advanced FSO CopyFile Macro
o CopyFile FSO Error Handling
 CopyFile VBA Ideas
 Final Thoughts

Even though copying a file sounds easy enough, there are surprisingly many potential pitfalls associated
with it. For this reason, it should be emphasized right from the outset that you should always incorporate
error handling into your code when you’re accessing a computer’s file system.

In this tutorial we’ll first present the basic setup for copying a file with the FSO CopyFilefunction and then
we’ll show you exactly how to invoke this function. After this, to help you avoid the potential pitfalls, we’ll
also present a more sophisticated procedure which includes error handling. This will ensure that you don’t
make mistakes when you’re handling your own files.

With this in mind, let’s start with the basic setup!

Basic setup - VBA FSO CopyFile

Note, before you run the code below, you must first make sure that “Microsoft Scripting Runtime” is ticked
under Options > Tools > References… in the Visual Basic Editor.

Next, insert the code below into a standard code module:

VBA Copy a File Macro

Sub CopyFileWithFSOBasic(SourceFilePath As String, DestPath As String, OverWrite As Boolean)
' (1) copies one file from one folder to another folder with the VBA FileSystemObject
' (2) contains no error handling (safeguards) --> Not recommended!
' (3) requires a reference to the object library "Microsoft Scripting Runtime" under Options >
Tools > References in the VBE.

Dim FSO As Scripting.FileSystemObject

Set FSO = New Scripting.FileSystemObject

Call FSO.CopyFile(SourceFilePath, DestPath, OverWrite)

End Sub

CAUTION: The procedure above contains no safeguards (error handling) and it is not recommended to
use the functions of the FileSystemObject this way, unless you know exactly what you’re doing! Later in
this tutorial, we’ll show you an augmented CopyFileprocedure which incorporates error handling.

You invoke the procedure like this:

Sub FSOCopyFileDemo()
Call CopyFileWithFSOBasic("C:\MyFiles\Test.xlsm", "C:\MyBackup\", False)
End Sub

The first parameter, “C:\MyFiles\Test.xlsm” is the source file to be copied. Note, you must specify the full
path to the file, starting with the drive name.

The second parameter, “C:\MyBackup", is the path to the destination folder. Notice the backslash \ at the
end of the path.

Without it, the procedure will copy the file to the preceding folder in the specified destination path, in this
case the root of the C-drive, but the copied file will not have any extension!
The third parameter, False is a Boolean type variable which specifies whether or not you want to overwrite
any existing file by the same name in the destination folder. If set to False, it means you don’t want to
overwrite. When set to True, it means you do. This is very nifty, if you regularly backup the same file to a
particular folder.
 If you set this parameter to False and a file by the same name already exists in the destination folder, a
run-time error will occur when you run the procedure, unless you incorporate error handling into your code.

One beauty of the FSO CopyFile function is that you can simultaneously copy a file and rename it in the
new destination. You can use this basic macro to copy a file from one location to another while renaming it
in the final destination folder by calling the CopyFile macro like this:

Call CopyFileWithFSOBasic("C:\MyFiles\Test.xlsm", "C:\MyBackup\NewFileName.xlsm", False)

In the next section, we’ll show you how to deal with all kinds of error handling contingencies!

FSO CopyFile Safeguards

It should be clear by now that you’re asking for trouble if you haphazardly try to use the FSO functions
without safeguards or error handling. To discourage you from doing so, here’s a quick rundown of the
problems you may encounter.

The following errors will throw an exception at run-time and cause the CopyFileWithFSOBasic  procedure to

halt:

 If you fail to specify the entire path to the source file correctly.

 If you attempt to copy the file to a destination folder that doesn’t already exist.
 If you attempt to copy a file by the same name as a file which already exists in the destination folder
without setting the Overwrite parameter to True.
 If you try to overwrite a file in the destination folder which is open in another program or by another
user on a shared network drive. In this case you’ll get a “Run-time error 70 permission denied” message,
regardless of whether the Overwrite parameter was set to True or False.

Moreover, a forgotten backslash \ at the end of the destination path will create a file with no extension in
the previous component of the destination path. This is not a run-time error, but it’s also not exactly the
result you expected! In many ways, this is worse than a run-time error because you may think the program
ran to completion, completely oblivious to the fact that it didn’t copy the file where you wanted it.

With this in mind, let’s introduce a new, more advanced, procedure which includes handling of all the
above-mentioned errors.

Advanced FSO CopyFile Macro

Sub CopyFileWithFSO(SourceFilePath As String, DestPath As String, OverWrite As Boolean)
' (1) copies one file from one folder to another folder with the VBA FileSystemObject
' (2) contains extensive error handling (safeguards)
' (3) requires a reference to the object library "Microsoft Scripting Runtime" under Options >
Tools > References...
in the Visual Basic Editor.

Dim blFileExists As Boolean, blSourceErr As Boolean

Dim strFileName As String, strSuccessMsg As String, strNewDestPath As String, strNewSourcePath
As String
Dim FSO As Scripting.FileSystemObject
Dim strErrMsg As String

Set FSO = New Scripting.FileSystemObject

With FSO

strNewDestPath = .BuildPath(.GetAbsolutePathName(DestPath), "\")

strFileName = .GetFileName(SourceFilePath)

'check if the source file exists

If Not .FileExists(SourceFilePath) Then

' check if the root drive was specified

If .DriveExists(Left(SourceFilePath, 2)) Then
blSourceErr = True

' the provided source path is incomplete

' build new path and ask the user if he accepts the suggestion
Else
strNewSourcePath = .BuildPath(.GetAbsolutePathName(SourceFilePath), "")
If Not MsgBox("The source path " & Chr(34) & SourceFilePath & Chr(34) & _
" is incomplete. Will you accept the following suggestion: " _
& Chr(34) & strNewSourcePath & Chr(34) & "?", vbYesNo, "Confirm new source
path") = vbYes Then _
blSourceErr = True
End If

' error
 If blSourceErr Then _
strErrMsg = "The source file," & Chr(34) & strFileName & Chr(34) & _
" does not exist, or the specified path to the file, " & Chr(34) & _
Replace(SourceFilePath, strFileName, "") & Chr(34) & " is incorrect."

' check if the destination folder already exists

ElseIf Not .FolderExists(strNewDestPath) Then

' prompt the user if the destination folder should be created

If MsgBox("The destination folder, " & Chr(34) & strNewDestPath & Chr(34) & ", does not
exist. Do you want to create it?", vbYesNo, _
"Create new folder?") = vbYes Then
.CreateFolder (strNewDestPath)
Else
strErrMsg = "The destination folder could not be created."
End If

' check if the file already exists in the destination folder

Else
blFileExists = .FileExists(strNewDestPath & strFileName)
If Not OverWrite Then
If blFileExists Then _
strErrMsg = "The file, " & Chr(34) & strFileName & Chr(34) & _
", already exists in the destination folder, " & Chr(34) & _
strNewDestPath & Chr(34) & "."
End If
End If

' attempt to copy file

If strErrMsg = vbNullString Then
On Error Resume Next
If strNewSourcePath = vbNullString Then strNewSourcePath = SourceFilePath
Call .CopyFile(strNewSourcePath, strNewDestPath, OverWrite)
If Err.Number <> 0 Then strErrMsg = "Run-time error " & Err.Number & Chr(10) &
Err.Description
On Error GoTo 0
End If
 ' succesful copy
If strErrMsg = vbNullString Then
strSuccessMsg = "The file" & Chr(34) & strFileName & Chr(34) & " was copied to " & _
Chr(34) & strNewDestPath & Chr(34) & "."
If blFileExists Then strSuccessMsg = strSuccessMsg & Chr(10) & _
"(Note, the existing file in the destination folder was overwritten)."
MsgBox strSuccessMsg, vbInformation, "File copied"

' error
Else
MsgBox strErrMsg, vbCritical, "Error!"
End If

End With

End Sub

When you execute the procedure above, you’ll either get a success message or an error message,
depending on whether or not you specified the parameters to the procedure correctly. One limitation of the
advanced  CopyFileWithFSO  macro is that you can’t rename the file when copying it, like you can with

the CopyFileWithFSOBasic macropresented at the top of this tutorial. That’s just a byproduct of the error
handling logic, but you can change it if you like!