How to get the MD5 hex hash for a file using VBA?

aF. picture aF. · May 13, 2010 · Viewed 30.7k times · Source

How can I get the MD5 hex hash for a file using VBA?

I need a version that works for a file.

Something as simple as this Python code:

import hashlib

def md5_for_file(fileLocation, block_size=2**20):
    f = open(fileLocation)
    md5 = hashlib.md5()
    while True:
        data = f.read(block_size)
        if not data:
            break
        md5.update(data)
    f.close()
    return md5.hexdigest()

But in VBA.

Answer

HK1 picture HK1 · Jul 25, 2013

An older question that could use a better answer. These functions are specifically for hashing files, not for hashing passwords. As a bonus, I'm including a function for SHA1. If you get rid of the type declarations these functions work in VBScript too except that the GetFileBytes function needs to be changed to use FileSystemObject (or possibly ADO Stream) as the Free File doesn't exist in VBScript.

Private Sub TestMD5()
    Debug.Print FileToMD5Hex("C:\test.txt")
    Debug.Print FileToSHA1Hex("C:\test.txt")
End Sub

Public Function FileToMD5Hex(sFileName As String) As String
    Dim enc
    Dim bytes
    Dim outstr As String
    Dim pos As Integer
    Set enc = CreateObject("System.Security.Cryptography.MD5CryptoServiceProvider")
    'Convert the string to a byte array and hash it
    bytes = GetFileBytes(sFileName)
    bytes = enc.ComputeHash_2((bytes))
    'Convert the byte array to a hex string
    For pos = 1 To LenB(bytes)
        outstr = outstr & LCase(Right("0" & Hex(AscB(MidB(bytes, pos, 1))), 2))
    Next
    FileToMD5Hex = outstr
    Set enc = Nothing
End Function

Public Function FileToSHA1Hex(sFileName As String) As String
    Dim enc
    Dim bytes
    Dim outstr As String
    Dim pos As Integer
    Set enc = CreateObject("System.Security.Cryptography.SHA1CryptoServiceProvider")
    'Convert the string to a byte array and hash it
    bytes = GetFileBytes(sFileName)
    bytes = enc.ComputeHash_2((bytes))
    'Convert the byte array to a hex string
    For pos = 1 To LenB(bytes)
        outstr = outstr & LCase(Right("0" & Hex(AscB(MidB(bytes, pos, 1))), 2))
    Next
    FileToSHA1Hex = outstr 'Returns a 40 byte/character hex string
    Set enc = Nothing
End Function

Private Function GetFileBytes(ByVal path As String) As Byte()
    Dim lngFileNum As Long
    Dim bytRtnVal() As Byte
    lngFileNum = FreeFile
    If LenB(Dir(path)) Then ''// Does file exist?
        Open path For Binary Access Read As lngFileNum
        ReDim bytRtnVal(LOF(lngFileNum) - 1&) As Byte
        Get lngFileNum, , bytRtnVal
        Close lngFileNum
    Else
        Err.Raise 53
    End If
    GetFileBytes = bytRtnVal
    Erase bytRtnVal
End Function