Is there a way for DIR(path) in VBA to handle strings longer than 260?

Question

Given the following snippet:

Dim s As String: s = \"S:\\vic\\bla\\[..insert more here..]\\data.xml\"
Debug.Print Len(s)
Debug.Print Dir(s)

Answer 1

Since I couldn't post a reply to the comment that had the deepfileexists code, here is the code modified so that you can find network paths (since he replied he had a network location)

You need a function that calls system32 to do a direct path to a network drive. I got the code from here

heres the code, insert the private function at the top of the module or it wont work. it keeps the function tied specifically to that module, if you want to open it up to the whole workbook drop the private off.

Private Declare Function SetCurrentDirectoryA Lib "kernel32" _
    (ByVal lpPathName As String) As Long

then heres the function with the modified code to accept that for when there's a network drive starting with \

Function deepFileExists(longFileName As String)
' slowly make your way to the deepest folder...
' assuming "\" is used as separator
' you could add some code to replace "/" with "\"...


Dim pathFragment As String, currentDir As String
Dim slash As Integer, lastSlash As Integer

If Left(longFileName, 2) = "\\" Then
    slash = InStr(3, longFileName, "\")
    Else
    slash = InStr(1, longFileName, "\")
End If

lastSlash = 0

pathFragment = Mid(longFileName, 1, slash - 1)

currentDir = CurDir        ' save the current directory
If Not Left(pathFragment, 2) = "\\" Then
    ChDrive pathFragment       ' making sure we have the right drive
    ChDir pathFragment & "\"   ' be at the root of this drive's directory
    Else
        SetCurrentDirectoryA (pathFragment)
End If

lastSlash = slash
slash = InStr(slash + 1, longFileName, "\")

While (slash > 0)
    pathFragment = ".\" & Mid(longFileName, lastSlash + 1, slash - lastSlash)
    If Not Left(longFileName, 2) = "\\" Then
        ChDir pathFragment
    Else
        SetCurrentDirectoryA (pathFragment)
    End If
    'MsgBox "changing directory to " & pathFragment
    lastSlash = slash
    slash = InStr(slash + 1, longFileName, "\")
Wend

' now we can look for the file:
Dim a As String
Dim something As String
something = Mid(longFileName, lastSlash + 1)

a = Dir(something)
If Len(a) > 0 Then
    deepFileExists = True
Else
    deepFileExists = False
End If

End Function