CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#arraysgetdirectories
Blackator
Blackator

Reputation: 1561

Read each file inside different directories stored in an array

I have to check each xml file inside an array of different directories.

My code(still have errors):

string files = "C:\Hello; C:\Hi; D:\Goodmorning; D:\Goodafternoon; E:\Goodevening";
//Get each path and remove whitespaces
string[] paths = files.Split(new[] { ';', ' ' }, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries);
//Use xmlLoc for adding \ to each file
List<string> xmlLoc = new List<string>();
//get the files in directories
string[] getFiles;
//contains the files of each directory
List<string> xmlList

//Add \ each paths variable and store it in xmlLoc list
foreach (string s in paths)
{
     xmlLoc.Add(s + @"\");
}

//get the xml files of each directory in xmlLoc and store it in xmlList
foreach (string file in xmlLoc)
{
     getFiles = Directory.GetFiles(file, "*.xml");
     //the code below lists an error "cannot convert from string[] to string"
     xmlList.Add(getFiles);
}

I guess that you cannot store an array in a string list. Is the any other way how I can read the files in each directories stored in an array?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 905

Answers (4)

Justin
Justin

Reputation: 4072

Try this, you need to initiliaze the XML list, and GetFiles returns an array, so you need to call AddRange, not Add when adding to the XML list.

string files = "C:\Hello; C:\Hi; D:\Goodmorning; D:\Goodafternoon; E:\Goodevening";
            //Get each path and remove whitespaces
            string[] paths = files.Split(new[] { ';', ' ' }, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries);
            //Use xmlLoc for adding \ to each file
            List<string> xmlLoc = new List<string>();
            //get the files in directories
            string[] getFiles;
            //contains the files of each directory
            List<string> xmlList = new List<string>();

            //Add \ each paths variable and store it in xmlLoc list
            foreach (string s in paths)
            {
                 xmlLoc.Add(s + @"\");
            }

            //get the xml files of each directory in xmlLoc and store it in xmlList
            foreach (string file in xmlLoc)
            {
                 getFiles = Directory.GetFiles(file, "*.xml");
                 //the code below lists an error "cannot convert from string[] to string"
                 xmlList.AddRange(getFiles);
            }

Upvotes: 0

Adriaan Stander
Adriaan Stander

Reputation: 166466

Have you tried using AddRange?

Something like

xmlList.AddRange(getFiles);

From what I can see, you could have also just gone with something like

List<string> xmlList = files.Split(new[] {';', ' '}, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries).
    SelectMany(p => Directory.GetFiles(p, "*.xml")).
    ToList();

Upvotes: 4

Blackator
Blackator

Reputation: 1561

Fixed it! Just have to add and replace some codes.. :)

string files = "C:\Hello; C:\Hi; D:\Goodmorning; D:\Goodafternoon; E:\Goodevening";
//Get each path and remove whitespaces
string[] paths = files.Split(new[] { ';', ' ' }, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries);
//Use xmlLoc for adding \ to each file
List<string> xmlLoc = new List<string>();
//get the files in directories
string[] getFiles;

//Add \ each paths variable and store it in xmlLoc list
foreach (string s in paths)
{
     xmlLoc.Add(s + @"\");
}

//get the xml files of each directory in xmlLoc and loop it to read the files
foreach (string directory in xmlLoc)
{
     getFiles = Directory.GetFiles(directory, "*.xml");
     foreach(string files in getFiles)
     {
         MessageBox.Show(files);
     }
}

Upvotes: 1

Christian.K
Christian.K

Reputation: 49270

It's not quite clear what you're trying to do, but you can use the AddRange method to add all elements of the string[] array returned by Directory.GetFiles to your list at once:

 string[] getFiles = Directory.GetFiles(file, "*.xml");
 xmlList.AddRange(getFiles);

Also consider the following things:

  1. Your xmlList instance is not initialized, try:List<string> xmlList = new List<string>();

  2. The name of the variable file in the foreach construct is a misnomer, consider using directory instead, since that is what the "elements" of xmlLoc are.

  3. You don't really need the getFiles variable, a simple xmlList.AddRange(Directory.GetFiles(file, "*.xml")); would be sufficient in your case.

  4. Splitting on whitespace is not a good idea. Directory names (although not the examples you use), may contain whitespace themselves.

Your code looks a little to complicated. AFAICT the following would do the same:

string directories = /* ... whatever ... */;
List<string> xmlList = new List<string>();

foreach (string directory in string.Split(new[] {';'}, StringSplitOptions..RemoveEmptyEntries))
{
   string dir = directory.Trim();

   if (!dir.EndsWith(Path.DirectorySeparator))
     dir += Path.DirectorySeparator;

   xmlList.AddRange(Directory.GetFiles(dir, "*.xml"));
}

Upvotes: 2

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