Directory.GetFiles does not work as documented...

Question

I am trying to use GetFiles to get a list (array) of files on particular drives, however in some cases I do not get what I expect at all.  For example:

Dim ScanFiles AsIEnumerable(OfString) = Enumerable.Empty(OfString)()

ScanFiles = Directory.GetFiles("C:\", "*.*", SearchOption.AllDirectories)

I would expect this to return all files on drive C, however I only get 49 files and it seems to cutoff at a folder called \Config.msi.  No matter how I have tried to tweak this, it will not return the expected files.  (Note - there is NO password protection on this drive or any folder on the drive.

As well, I use this command (much as it appears above but with a different drive letter) and it NEVER lists the files in the root.  This is especially frustrating since mapped drives are used quite a bit in the project I am trying to complete, and most of those drives have files in the root.  It never picks them up.

So why is there an option that says "AllDirectories" if in fact you don't get all directories.  Is there any alternative to this that I can use?

Thanks

Answer 1

Probably you do not have rights to access the “Config.msi” folder. If you use 'On Error Resume Next', then try again without this statement, and see if exceptions give some details.

If the problem is caused by access rights, then probably you have to write a larger recursive program, ignoring denied files and folders.

Answer 2

See if the code below works.  I used enumerators so when a credential issue fails the code continues.

Imports System.IO
Module Module1
    Dim ScanFiles As List(Of String) = New List(Of String)
    Sub Main()
        ScanFiles = GetSubFolder("C:\", "*.*")
    End Sub
    Function GetSubFolder(folder As String, filePattern As String) As List(Of String)

        Dim successful1 As Boolean = True
        Dim successful2 As Boolean = True
        Dim files As List(Of String) = New List(Of String)
        Dim subFolders As List(Of String) = New List(Of String)
        Dim enumerator As IEnumerator(Of String) = Nothing
        Try
            enumerator = Directory.GetDirectories(folder).AsEnumerable().GetEnumerator()
            While (True)
                Try

                    If (Not enumerator.MoveNext()) Then
                        Exit While
                    End If
                    subFolders.Add(enumerator.Current)

                Catch ex As Exception
                    Dim errMsg As String = String.Format("Error Cannot get folder '{0}' : {1}", folder, ex.Message)
                    Console.WriteLine(errMsg)
                    successful1 = False

                End Try
            End While
            If successful1 = True Then

                For Each subFolder As String In subFolders

                    files.AddRange(GetSubFolder(subFolder, filePattern))

                Next subFolder
                enumerator = Directory.GetFiles(folder, filePattern).AsEnumerable().GetEnumerator()
                While (True)

                    Try

                        If (Not enumerator.MoveNext()) Then

                            Exit While
                        End If
                        files.Add(enumerator.Current)

                    Catch ex As Exception

                    End Try

                End While


            End If
            Return files
        Catch ex As Exception
            Dim errMsg As String = String.Format("Error Cannot get folder '{0}' : {1}", folder, ex.Message)
            Console.WriteLine(errMsg)
            successful1 = False

        End Try
    End Function
End Module

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jdweng

Answer 3

Thank you both for  your replies.  I will try to migrate this idea and code into what I am doing to see if I can obtain what I am after.

Thanks again!