The sub below uses a command button that refers to a textbox
Me.txtFirstLetter. The user enters the first letter of a patients last name
and all the files with names of patients whose last name begin with this
letter are to appear in the listbox Me.lstFileList

Private Sub cmdBuildList_Click
     Dim varFile As Variant
    Me.lstFileList.Clear
    With Application.FileSearch
        .NewSearch
        .LookIn = Application.ActiveDocument.Path
        .FileType = msoFileTypeAllFiles
        .SearchSubFolders = False
        .Execute
    End With

'GetName Function takes the file name and parses it so that the
    'new name looks like "LastName,FirstName"

    For Each varFile In _
        Application.FileSearch.FoundFiles
        If Left(GetName(CStr(varFile)), 1) = Me.txtFirstLetter Then
            Me.lstFileList.AddItem Mid(varFile, _
            Len(Application.ActiveDocument.Path) + 2)
        End If
    Next varFile

End Sub

Is there an easier way to do this?
thanks in advance, Barth

This would be my strategy on this one:
Presuming Word 97
Populate the listbox with names (I see the function is working ;-))
and sort the listbox using the WordBasic.SortArray method.
Teach users to type in the first lettre in the listbox
and the listbox itself will do the work for you.

If Word2K, different ballgame:
AFAIK, will not support Wordbasic.
If you're interested in a sort array function that
euquals the WordBasic.SortArray method, repost.

Success,
Perry

Try replacing

     For Each varFile In _
         Application.FileSearch.FoundFiles
         If Left(GetName(CStr(varFile)), 1) = Me.txtFirstLetter Then
             Me.lstFileList.AddItem Mid(varFile, _
             Len(Application.ActiveDocument.Path) + 2)
         End If
     Next varFile

with:

    For Each varFile In _
        Application.FileSearch.FoundFiles
        If Left(Mid(varFile, Len(Application.ActiveDocument.Path) + 2) =
Me.textFirstLetter Then
             Me.lstFileList.AddItem Mid(varFile,
Len(Application.ActiveDocument.Path) + 2)
        End If
    Next varFile

Please post any follow-up or new questions to the Newsgroups so that others
may benefit therefrom or contribute thereto.

Hope this helps,
Doug Robbins - Word MVP

Hope this helps,
regards,
Astrid

For direct access to all Microsoft newsgroups:

You *are* right !!
I don't use calls to the WordBasic object (anymore) ... eventhough
there are instances where properties/methods come in handy.

Perry