VBScript GetBaseName Method

last modified April 9, 2025

The GetBaseName method in VBScript is part of the FileSystemObject. It extracts the base name from a file path, removing both the directory path and file extension. This method is useful for working with filenames without their full paths or extensions.

GetBaseName handles both files and directories, returning the last component of the path. It doesn’t verify if the path exists. This tutorial covers GetBaseName with practical examples to demonstrate its usage.

GetBaseName Method Overview

The GetBaseName method takes a file path as its parameter. It returns a string containing the file or directory name without extension. The method is available through the FileSystemObject in VBScript.

Key features include automatic path parsing and extension removal. It works with both absolute and relative paths. GetBaseName is often used with other FileSystemObject methods. Understanding this method helps in file processing scripts.

Basic File Name Extraction

This example demonstrates the simplest use of GetBaseName to extract a filename from a path. It shows how the method removes both the directory path and file extension. The result is just the base filename.

basic_getbasename.vbs

Set fso = CreateObject(“Scripting.FileSystemObject”) baseName = fso.GetBaseName(“C:\Documents\report.docx”) WScript.Echo baseName ’ Output: report

Set fso = Nothing

The script creates a FileSystemObject and calls GetBaseName. The path “C:\Documents\report.docx” is processed to return “report”. Both the directory path and .docx extension are removed.

Handling Files Without Extensions

GetBaseName correctly handles files that don’t have extensions. This example shows the method’s behavior with extensionless files. The entire filename is returned when no extension exists.

no_extension.vbs

Set fso = CreateObject(“Scripting.FileSystemObject”) baseName1 = fso.GetBaseName(“C:\Temp\README”) baseName2 = fso.GetBaseName(“D:\Projects\Makefile”)

WScript.Echo baseName1 ’ Output: README WScript.Echo baseName2 ’ Output: Makefile

Set fso = Nothing

Both examples return the complete filename since no extension is present. GetBaseName doesn’t modify names without extensions. This behavior is consistent with files that do have extensions.

Working with Directory Paths

GetBaseName can extract the last component from directory paths. This example shows how it works with folder structures. The method returns the final directory name in the path.

directory_path.vbs

Set fso = CreateObject(“Scripting.FileSystemObject”) dirName = fso.GetBaseName(“C:\Users\Public\Documents\Projects”)

WScript.Echo dirName ’ Output: Projects

Set fso = Nothing

The script processes a directory path and returns just “Projects”. This demonstrates GetBaseName’s ability to work with both files and directories. The method treats the last path component the same way in both cases.

Multiple Extensions Handling

This example shows how GetBaseName handles files with multiple dots in their names. The method only removes the last extension, preserving other dots in the filename. This is important for complex file naming schemes.

multiple_extensions.vbs

Set fso = CreateObject(“Scripting.FileSystemObject”) baseName1 = fso.GetBaseName(“archive.tar.gz”) baseName2 = fso.GetBaseName(“project.backup.zip”)

WScript.Echo baseName1 ’ Output: archive.tar WScript.Echo baseName2 ’ Output: project.backup

Set fso = Nothing

The method removes only the last extension (.gz and .zip) from each filename. Intermediate dots remain part of the returned base name. This behavior is consistent with standard file extension conventions.

Combining with Other FileSystemObject Methods

This example demonstrates using GetBaseName with other FileSystemObject methods. It shows a practical file processing scenario where multiple path operations are combined.

combined_methods.vbs

Set fso = CreateObject(“Scripting.FileSystemObject”) filePath = “C:\Data\Reports\Q1_2025.xlsx”

’ Get just the filename with extension fileName = fso.GetFileName(filePath)

’ Get just the base name without extension baseName = fso.GetBaseName(filePath)

WScript.Echo “Full path: " & filePath WScript.Echo “Filename: " & fileName WScript.Echo “Base name: " & baseName

Set fso = Nothing

The script shows how to extract different parts of a file path. GetFileName gets the full filename, while GetBaseName removes the extension. This combination is powerful for file processing tasks.

Source

FileSystemObject Documentation

In this article, we have explored the GetBaseName method in VBScript, covering its usage and practical applications. From simple filename extraction to complex path processing, these examples demonstrate reliable file name handling. With this knowledge, you can enhance your file processing scripts with precise filename control.

Author

My name is Jan Bodnar and I am a passionate programmer with many years of programming experience. I have been writing programming articles since 2007. So far, I have written over 1400 articles and 8 e-books. I have over eight years of experience in teaching programming.

List all VBScript tutorials.