How can recursively search directories with multiple wildcards?

Question

Using C# (.NET), how can I search a file system given a directory search mask like this: (?)

\\\\server\\Scanner\\images\\*Images\\*\\*_*

For e

Answer 1

Like this:

Top Level Directories:

  //get Top level
   string[] TopLevel = Directory.GetDirectories(path);

And then you will have to do a resursive function of this folders using wildcard pattern, for example:

 // Only get subdirectories that begin with the letter "p." 
            string pattern = "p*";
            string[] dirs = folder.GetDirectories(path, pattern);

I suggest you play with wildcards to get the array output and you will figure out which is the best way, if using resursive function or directly quering paths.

Answer 2

Edit: Ahh, new functionality with .NET 4 so you don't have to do a recursive function (Thanks Matthew Brubaker)

IEnumerable<String> matchingFilePaths2 = System.IO.Directory.EnumerateFiles(@"C:\some folder to start in", filePatternToMatchOn, System.IO.SearchOption.AllDirectories);

First Answer:

//get all files that have an underscore - searches all folders under the start folder
List<String> matchingFilePaths = new List<string>();
String filePatternToMatchOn = "*_*";
FileUtilities.GetAllFilesMatchingPattern(@"C:\some folder to start in", ref matchingFilePaths, filePatternToMatchOn);

...

public static void GetAllFilesMatchingPattern(String pathToGetFilesIn, ref List<String> fullFilePaths, String searchPattern)
{
    //get all files in current directory that match the pattern
    String[] filePathsInCurrentDir = Directory.GetFiles(pathToGetFilesIn, searchPattern);
    foreach (String fullPath in filePathsInCurrentDir)
    {
        fullFilePaths.Add(fullPath);
    }

    //call this method recursively for all directories
    String[] directories = Directory.GetDirectories(pathToGetFilesIn);
    foreach (String path in directories)
    {
        GetAllFilesMatchingPattern(path, ref fullFilePaths, searchPattern);
    }
}

Answer 3

    public static IEnumerable<string> GetImages()
{    
    //For each "*Image" directory
    foreach (var jobFolder in Directory.EnumerateDirectories(@"\\server\Scanner\images", "*Images"))
    {
        //For each first level subdirectory
        foreach (var jobSubFolder in Directory.EnumerateDirectories(jobFolder))
        {
            //Enumerate each file containing a '_'
            foreach (var filePath in Directory.EnumerateFiles(jobSubFolder, "*_*", SearchOption.TopDirectoryOnly))
            {                               
                yield return filePath;
            }
        }
    }
}

Only the files from the first level subdirectories of each "*Image" directory are enumerated.

Finally you can use it with:

foreach (var path in GetImages())
            {
                Console.WriteLine(path);
            }