Append auto incrementing number to the file name if file already exists.

[moderator1983]

On downloading a file from internet and if the file already exists (file with the same name), it automatically appends an auto-incrementing number to the file name, wouldn't be it nice to have the similar feature (may be optional) with Open/Create/Replace File Function.

Consider the scenario, you've enabled this option ('append number if file already exists' as shown in above figure) while using Open/Create/Replace File Function and operation input is 'create' and name of the file is MyFile.txt, which already exists then this fuction should create a new file with name MyFile (1).txt (or may be MyFile (2).txt if MyFile (1).txt also exists and so on).

[moderator1983]

Illustration:

[crossrulz]

Absolutely!  I have had to program this up so many times and it would be so nice if that primitive could just do it for me.

Another option would be to edit the operation enum instead of the extra input.

[AristosQueue (NI)]

I think this is a bad thing to put on the primitive. But shipping another VI that did this seems reasonable.

The problem with putting it on the primitive is that any numbering scheme we picked would not meet someone's needs. You want a simple integer. Someone else may want a timedate stamp. Someone else may want a number at the start of the filename. And so on.

Providing a VI that did this that satisified some folks but that others could use as a "Save As" to make their own seems like a much much better approach.

[AristosQueue (NI)]

Another pretty big reason not to put this on the primitive -- it doesn't make any sense when opening a file for Read. Adding this to the prim direct would inject a new error case into a primitive. And the whole "create/replace" enum is also meaningless for this operation.

[Intaris]

Agreed, an extra VI but NOT a modification of the primitive.

[crossrulz]

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AristosQueue wrote:

And the whole "create/replace" enum is also meaningless for this operation.

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That's why I suggested editing the enum to add the option to the enum instead of another input.

[AristosQueue (NI)]

> That's why I suggested editing the enum to add the option to the enum instead of another input.

I saw that later. 🙂

[AristosQueue (NI)]

I posted a VI to solve this and have added this to the list of VIs to be considered for a future LabVIEW release.

http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW/A-helpful-VI-to-create-a-new-file-without-colliding-with/m-p/2818966...

[Shinton]

I like this idea and agree with crossruiz's implementation of an additional enum item.  It makes more sense that way, as already noted, and the VI's input parameters are already getting a little too numerous so adding more would also add to the mess.

[Darren]

Available in LabVIEW 2015 and later with the 'Create File with Incrementing Suffix' VI.