Getting files recursively: skip files/directories that cannot be read?

Question

I want to get all of the files in a directory in an array (including the files in subfolders)

string[] filePaths = Directory.GetFiles(@\"c:\\\",SearchOption.         


        

Answer 1

try this :

DirectoryInfo directory = new DirectoryInfo(@"c:\");
        DirectoryInfo[] folders = directory.GetDirectories("*", SearchOption.AllDirectories);

        List<string> files = new List<string>();
        foreach (DirectoryInfo info in folders)
        {
            foreach (FileInfo file in info.GetFiles())
            {
                files.Add(file.Name);
            }
        }

Answer 2

or try this one :

        DirectoryInfo dirs = new DirectoryInfo(@"c:\");
        List<string> filenames = (from i in dirs.GetFiles("*", SearchOption.AllDirectories)
                                  select i.Name).ToList();

or file names without extension :

        DirectoryInfo dirs = new DirectoryInfo@"c:\");
        List<string> filenames = (from i in dirs.GetFiles("*", SearchOption.AllDirectories)
                                  select System.IO.Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(i.Name)).ToList();

Answer 3

You'd probably have to do a bit more typing yourself then, and write a directory walker like this one:

    public static string[] FindAllFiles(string rootDir) {
        var pathsToSearch = new Queue<string>();
        var foundFiles = new List<string>();

        pathsToSearch.Enqueue(rootDir);

        while (pathsToSearch.Count > 0) {
            var dir = pathsToSearch.Dequeue();

            try {
                var files = Directory.GetFiles(dir);
                foreach (var file in Directory.GetFiles(dir)) {
                    foundFiles.Add(file);
                }

                foreach (var subDir in Directory.GetDirectories(dir)) {
                    pathsToSearch.Enqueue(subDir);
                }

            } catch (Exception /* TODO: catch correct exception */) {
                // Swallow.  Gulp!
            }
        }

        return foundFiles.ToArray();
    }

Answer 4

Directory.GetFiles can't skip directory symbol links which often cause loops and then exceptions.

So based on @iks's answer and Check if a file is real or a symbolic link, here is a version that deliver the result on the go like Directory.EnumerateFiles does:

    public static IEnumerable<string> FindAllFiles(string rootDir)
    {
        var pathsToSearch = new Queue<string>();


        pathsToSearch.Enqueue(rootDir);

        while (pathsToSearch.Count > 0)
        {
            var dir = pathsToSearch.Dequeue();
            var foundFiles = new List<string>();
            try
            {
                foreach (var file in Directory.GetFiles(dir))
                    foundFiles.Add(file);

                foreach (var subDir in Directory.GetDirectories(dir))
                {
                    //comment this if want to follow symbolic link
                    //or follow them conditionally
                    if (IsSymbolic(subDir)) continue;
                    pathsToSearch.Enqueue(subDir);
                }
            }
            catch (Exception) {//deal with exceptions here
            }
            foreach (var file in foundFiles) yield return file;
        } 


    }

    static private bool IsSymbolic(string path)
    {
        FileInfo pathInfo = new FileInfo(path);
        return pathInfo.Attributes.HasFlag(System.IO.FileAttributes.ReparsePoint);
    }

    static public void test()
    {
        string root = @"D:\root";
        foreach (var fn in FindAllFiles(root)
            .Where(x=>
            true    //filter condition here
            ))
        {
            Debug.WriteLine(fn);
        }
    }