How does one extract each folder name from a path?

Question

My path is \\\\server\\folderName1\\another name\\something\\another folder\\

How do I extract each folder name into a string if I don\'t know how many

Answer 1

I see your method Wolf5370 and raise you.

internal static List<DirectoryInfo> Split(this DirectoryInfo path)
{
    if(path == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("path");
    var ret = new List<DirectoryInfo>();
    if (path.Parent != null) ret.AddRange(Split(path.Parent));
    ret.Add(path);
    return ret;
}

On the path c:\folder1\folder2\folder3 this returns

c:\

c:\folder1

c:\folder1\folder2

c:\folder1\folder2\folder3

In that order

OR

internal static List<string> Split(this DirectoryInfo path)
{
    if(path == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("path");
    var ret = new List<string>();
    if (path.Parent != null) ret.AddRange(Split(path.Parent));
    ret.Add(path.Name);
    return ret;
}

will return

c:\

folder1

folder2

folder3

Answer 2

public static IEnumerable<string> Split(this DirectoryInfo path)
{
    if (path == null) 
        throw new ArgumentNullException("path");
    if (path.Parent != null)
        foreach(var d in Split(path.Parent))
            yield return d;
    yield return path.Name;
}

Answer 3

Inspired by the earlier answers, but simpler, and without recursion. Also, it does not care what the separation symbol is, as Dir.Parent covers this:

    /// <summary>
    /// Split a directory in its components.
    /// Input e.g: a/b/c/d.
    /// Output: d, c, b, a.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="Dir"></param>
    /// <returns></returns>
    public static IEnumerable<string> DirectorySplit(this DirectoryInfo Dir)
    {
        while (Dir != null)
        {
            yield return Dir.Name;
            Dir = Dir.Parent;
        }
    }

Either stick this in a static class to create a nice extension method, or just leave out the this (and static).

Usage example (as an extension method) to access the path parts by number:

    /// <summary>
    /// Return one part of the directory path.
    /// Path e.g.: a/b/c/d. PartNr=0 is a, Nr 2 = c.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="Dir"></param>
    /// <param name="PartNr"></param>
    /// <returns></returns>
    public static string DirectoryPart(this DirectoryInfo Dir, int PartNr)
    {
        string[] Parts = Dir.DirectorySplit().ToArray();
        int L = Parts.Length;
        return PartNr >= 0 && PartNr < L ? Parts[L - 1 - PartNr] : "";
    }

Both above methods are now in my personal library, hence the xml comments. Usage example:

    DirectoryInfo DI_Data = new DirectoryInfo(@"D:\Hunter\Data\2019\w38\abc\000.d");
    label_Year.Text = DI_Data.DirectoryPart(3); // --> 2019
    label_Entry.Text = DI_Data.DirectoryPart(6);// --> 000.d

Answer 4

I am adding to Matt Brunell's answer.

            string[] directories = myStringWithLotsOfFolders.Split(Path.DirectorySeparatorChar);

            string previousEntry = string.Empty;
            if (null != directories)
            {
                foreach (string direc in directories)
                {
                    string newEntry = previousEntry + Path.DirectorySeparatorChar + direc;
                    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(newEntry))
                    {
                        if (!newEntry.Equals(Convert.ToString(Path.DirectorySeparatorChar), StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
                        {
                            Console.WriteLine(newEntry);
                            previousEntry = newEntry;
                        }
                    }
                }
            }

This should give you:

"\server"

"\server\folderName1"

"\server\folderName1\another name"

"\server\folderName1\another name\something"

"\server\folderName1\another name\something\another folder\"

(or sort your resulting collection by the string.Length of each value.