Question

I have rows in excel with a file structure for example.

Row 1 c:\User\Folder100\13-25\File100.log
Row 2 c:\User\Folder200\11-16\File200.log
Row 3 c:\User\Folder300\21-20\File300.log
Row 4 c:\User\Folder400\13-25\File400.log
Row 5 c:\User\Folder400\9-10\File400.log
Row 6 c:\User\Folder500\8-16\File500.log
Row 7 c:\User\Folder600\8-16\File600.log
Row 8 c:\User\Folder700\11-16\File700.log
Row 9 c:\User\Folder700\9-40\File700.log

With the first rows there aren’t any problem because the file logs are different but with the rows (4 and 5) a There are the same log in two different folders “c:\User\Folder400\13-25\” and c:\User\Folder400\9-10\ I would like to keep just 13-25(eliminate Row 5) because has more recent time.

Also with the lines 8 and 9 I just want to keep row 8 (11-16)

Row 1 c:\User\Folder100\13-25\File100.log
Row 2 c:\User\Folder200\11-16\File200.log
Row 3 c:\User\Folder300\21-20\File300.log
Row 4 c:\User\Folder400\13-25\File400.log
Row 6 c:\User\Folder500\8-16\File500.log
Row 7 c:\User\Folder600\8-16\File600.log
Row 8 c:\User\Folder700\11-16\File700.log

(eliminated row 5 and 9)

Do you know any Idea how to made it in VBA¿?

Answer 1

This does not exactly serve the purpose, but serves to illustrate a way by which you could go about problems like this.

It takes into account the filename and the time string preceding it only. The folder can be added if necessary.

Main Module:

Option Explicit
Private dict As dictionary

'Prints the rows you need (time criterion applied) 
Private Sub FindDuplicates()
    Dim lastRow As Long, row As Long
    Dim x As Variant, v As Variant
    Dim fileName As String, timeString As String

    Set dict = CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")

    'Determine last row
    lastRow = Worksheets(1).Cells(Rows.Count, 1).End(xlUp).row

  'Iterate and store in dictionary  
  For row = 1 To lastRow
        x = Split(Cells(row, 1), Application.PathSeparator)
        fileName = x(UBound(x))
        timeString = x(UBound(x) - 1)
        AddDictEntry fileName, row, timeString
    Next row

    'Print results
    For Each v In dict.Keys
        Debug.Print "FileName: " & v & ", Recent Version: " & dict.Item(v)
    Next
End Sub

To add/remove dictionary entries:

Private Sub AddDictEntry(fileName As String, rowNo As Long, timeString As String)
    Dim timeParts As Variant, timeLong As Long

   'converts time string to long, for comparison
    timeParts = Split(timeString, "-")
    timeLong = CInt(timeParts(0)) * 100 + CInt(timeParts(1))

    'Adds entry to dictionary if time is more recent
    If (dict.Exists(fileName)) Then
        If CInt(dict.Item(fileName)) < timeLong Then
            dict(fileName) = timeLong
        End If
    Else
        dict.Add fileName, timeLong
    End If

End Sub

---

Input:

c:\User\Folder100\13-25\File100.log
c:\User\Folder200\11-16\File200.log
c:\User\Folder300\21-20\File300.log
c:\User\Folder400\13-25\File400.log
c:\User\Folder400\9-10\File400.log
c:\User\Folder300\22-20\File300.log

Output:

FileName: File100.log, Recent Version: 1325
FileName: File200.log, Recent Version: 1116
FileName: File300.log, Recent Version: 2220
FileName: File400.log, Recent Version: 1325