FreeFile Function

Note: The function, method, object, or property described in this topic is disabled if the Microsoft Jet Expression Service is running in sandbox mode, which prevents the evaluation of potentially unsafe expressions. For more information on sandbox mode, search for "sandbox mode" in Help.

Returns an Integer representing the next file number available for use by the Open statement.

Syntax

FreeFile[(rangenumber)]

The optional rangenumber argument is a Variant that specifies the range from which the next free file number is to be returned. Specify a 0 (default) to return a file number in the range 1 – 255, inclusive. Specify a 1 to return a file number in the range 256 – 511.

Remarks

Use FreeFile to supply a file number that is not already in use.

Example

Note: Examples that follow demonstrate the use of this function in a Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) module. For more information about working with VBA, select Developer Reference in the drop-down list next to Search and enter one or more terms in the search box.

This example uses the FreeFile function to return the next available file number. Five files are opened for output within the loop, and some sample data is written to each.

Dim MyIndex, FileNumber
For MyIndex = 1 To 5    ' Loop 5 times.
    ' Get unused file number.
    FileNumber = FreeFile
    ' Create file name.
    Open "TEST" & MyIndex For Output As #FileNumber
    ' Output text.
    Write #FileNumber, "This is a sample."
    ' Close file.
    Close #FileNumber
Next MyIndex