Exclude path from scan

[Acrobater]

Hey guys I have this code to scan my folder and list the files in a listbox:

Dim LOCAL = "F:\Family"
        'Dim LOCAL As String = My.Computer.FileSystem.GetFiles("F:\Family", FileIO.SearchOption.SearchAllSubDirectories)
        Dim xmlFiles() As String = Directory.GetFiles(LOCAL, "*.xml", SearchOption.AllDirectories)
        Dim srtFiles() As String = Directory.GetFiles(LOCAL, "*.srt", SearchOption.AllDirectories)
        Dim aviFiles() As String = Directory.GetFiles(LOCAL, "*.avi", SearchOption.AllDirectories)
        ListBox2.Items.Clear()
        ListBox1.Items.Clear()
        For Each avi As String In aviFiles      
            If Array.IndexOf(xmlFiles, avi.Replace(".avi", ".xml")) >= 0 Then
                ListBox1.Items.Add(avi)
            ElseIf Array.IndexOf(srtFiles, avi.Replace(".avi", ".srt")) >= 0 Then
                ListBox1.Items.Add(avi)
            Else
                ListBox2.Items.Add(avi)
            End If
        Next

Is there an option to exclude one path inside the "LOCAL"? Like scan and list everything but "F:\Family\Pictures", "F:\Family\Texts"...

Thank you.

[jmcilhinney]

Directory.GetFiles can either get just the folder specified or every subfolder too, nothing in between. It's completely up to you what you display from those results though. You might use a bit of LINQ to exclude just those files from a particular folder, e.g.

 Dim filePaths = Directory.GetFiles(folderPath, pattern, SearchOption.AllDirectories).Where(Function(filePath) Path.GetDirectorName(filePath) <> folderPathToExclude).ToArray()

[Acrobater]

Here is the error I get:

Error	1	
Overload resolution failed because no accessible 'Where' can be called with these arguments:
Extension method 'Public Function Where(predicate As System.Func(Of String, Integer, Boolean)) As System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerable(Of String)' defined in 'System.Linq.Enumerable': Nested function does not have the same signature as delegate 'System.Func(Of String, Integer, Boolean)'.
Extension method 'Public Function Where(predicate As System.Func(Of String, Boolean)) As System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerable(Of String)' defined in 'System.Linq.Enumerable': Lambda parameter 'LOCAL' hides a variable in an enclosing block, a previously defined range variable, or an implicitly declared variable in a query expression.	D:\Minha Pasta\Instalações\Visual Basic\MOVIES v3\WindowsApplication1\SRTScanner.vb	9	25	WindowsApplication1

Using this code:

Dim LOCAL = "F:\Family"
Dim folderPathToExclude = "F:\Family\Pictures"
Dim filePaths = Directory.GetFiles(LOCAL, "*.srt", SearchOption.AllDirectories).Where(Function(LOCAL) Path.GetDirectorName(LOCAL) <> folderPathToExclude).ToArray()

Is it possible to exclude more than one folder?

[jmcilhinney]

Works fine for me. I can only assume that it's either because you used the same name for the parameter in your Lambda as for a local variable or because you misspelled Directory.

[Acrobater]

I changed it to everything and it gives me the same error... Do I have to Import anything?

Dim MyMovies = "F:\Family"
Dim Exclude_Movies = "F:\Family\Pictures"
Dim filePaths = Directory.GetFiles(MyMovies, "*.srt", SearchOption.AllDirectories).Where(Function(MyMovies) Path.GetDirectoryName(MyMovies) <> Exclude_Movies).ToArray()

[pvocc]

Are you writing this in vb2008 still or 2010? I have a snip it of stuff I could send you that I used to scan custom folders with ".exe" or custom extensions.

[Acrobater]

I'm coding using vb 2008.

[pvocc]

  Private Function GetDirectoryFileNames(ByVal directoryPath As String) As String()

        Dim FileNames() As String = New String() {}
        Dim TempNames() As String

        Try
            For Each FileName As String In System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(directoryPath, "*.LNK")
                ReDim Preserve FileNames(FileNames.GetLength(0))
                FileNames(UBound(FileNames)) = FileName
            Next

            For Each Directory As String In System.IO.Directory.GetDirectories(directoryPath)
                TempNames = GetDirectoryFileNames(Directory)
                ReDim Preserve FileNames(FileNames.GetLength(0) + TempNames.GetLength(0) - 1)
                Array.Copy(TempNames, 0, FileNames, FileNames.GetLength(0) - TempNames.GetLength(0), TempNames.GetLength(0))
            Next

        Catch ex As Exception
        End Try
        Return FileNames

    End Function

Dim FileDirectory As String() = GetDirectoryFileNames(My.Computer.FileSystem.SpecialDirectories.Desktop)
        Dim FileDirectory2 As String() = GetDirectoryFileNames("C:\Users\Public\Desktop")
        Dim FileDirectory3 As String() = GetDirectoryFileNames(My.Computer.FileSystem.SpecialDirectories.AllUsersApplicationData)

        ListBox1.Items.AddRange(FileDirectory)
        ListBox1.Items.AddRange(FileDirectory2)
        ListBox1.Items.AddRange(FileDirectory3)

Thats the method I used to scan items into a listbox. Hope this might help. =]

[Edgemeal]

I changed it to everything and it gives me the same error... Do I have to Import anything?

"filePath" is a variable name used in the function itself, you'd only need to change it if you already had variable with that name in use.

Dim filePaths = Directory.GetFiles(MyMovies, "*.srt", SearchOption.AllDirectories).Where(Function(filePath) Path.GetDirectoryName(filePath) <> Exclude_Movies).ToArray()

[Acrobater]

jmcilhinney thank you for the code and help.
pvocc thank you for your code snippet.
Edgemeal thank you for pointing that out.

Also.. Is there a way to add multiple paths to exclude?

I tried this but didn't work.. of course the function isn't right the way I used ...

Dim filePaths = Directory.GetFiles(MyMovies, "*.srt", SearchOption.AllDirectories).Where(Function(filePath) Path.GetDirectoryName(filePath) <> Exclude_Movies <> Exclude_Movies1 <> Exclude_Movies2).ToArray()

I also tried this and didn't work:

Dim stringMovies() As String = New String() {"path","path0","path1"}
Dim filePaths = Directory.GetFiles(MyMovies, "*.srt", SearchOption.AllDirectories).Where(Function(filePath) Path.GetDirectoryName(filePath) <> stringMovies).ToArray()

[jmcilhinney]

I did mention in post #4 that you were using the same name for the Lambda parameter as for a local variable, but I now see that the misspelling of Directory was mine.

Anyway, if you want multiple excluded paths then using an array is fine and you can change your Lambda to this:

Function(filePath) Not folderPathsToExclude.Contains(Path.GetDirectoryName(filePath))

[Acrobater]

Thank you. That did the trick!