VB - List All The Files In A Directory

[manavo11]

This shows the filenames and not the total number of files in a directory.

[manavo11]

Another way (API) :

'Create a form with a command button (command1), a list box (list1)
'and four text boxes (text1, text2, text3 and text4).
'Type in the first textbox a startingpath like c:\
'and in the second textbox you put a pattern like *.* or *.txt

Private Declare Function FindFirstFile Lib "kernel32" Alias "FindFirstFileA" (ByVal lpFileName As String, lpFindFileData As WIN32_FIND_DATA) As Long
Private Declare Function FindNextFile Lib "kernel32" Alias "FindNextFileA" (ByVal hFindFile As Long, lpFindFileData As WIN32_FIND_DATA) As Long
Private Declare Function GetFileAttributes Lib "kernel32" Alias "GetFileAttributesA" (ByVal lpFileName As String) As Long
Private Declare Function FindClose Lib "kernel32" (ByVal hFindFile As Long) As Long

Const MAX_PATH = 260
Const MAXDWORD = &HFFFF
Const INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE = -1
Const FILE_ATTRIBUTE_ARCHIVE = &H20
Const FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY = &H10
Const FILE_ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN = &H2
Const FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL = &H80
Const FILE_ATTRIBUTE_READONLY = &H1
Const FILE_ATTRIBUTE_SYSTEM = &H4
Const FILE_ATTRIBUTE_TEMPORARY = &H100

Private Type FILETIME
    dwLowDateTime As Long
    dwHighDateTime As Long
End Type

Private Type WIN32_FIND_DATA
    dwFileAttributes As Long
    ftCreationTime As FILETIME
    ftLastAccessTime As FILETIME
    ftLastWriteTime As FILETIME
    nFileSizeHigh As Long
    nFileSizeLow As Long
    dwReserved0 As Long
    dwReserved1 As Long
    cFileName As String * MAX_PATH
    cAlternate As String * 14
End Type
Function StripNulls(OriginalStr As String) As String
    If (InStr(OriginalStr, Chr(0)) > 0) Then
        OriginalStr = Left(OriginalStr, InStr(OriginalStr, Chr(0)) - 1)
    End If
    StripNulls = OriginalStr
End Function

Function FindFilesAPI(path As String, SearchStr As String, FileCount As Integer, DirCount As Integer)
    'KPD-Team 1999
    'E-Mail: [email]KPDTeam@Allapi.net[/email]
    'URL: [url]http://www.allapi.net/[/url]

    Dim FileName As String ' Walking filename variable...
    Dim DirName As String ' SubDirectory Name
    Dim dirNames() As String ' Buffer for directory name entries
    Dim nDir As Integer ' Number of directories in this path
    Dim i As Integer ' For-loop counter...
    Dim hSearch As Long ' Search Handle
    Dim WFD As WIN32_FIND_DATA
    Dim Cont As Integer
    If Right(path, 1) <> "\" Then path = path & "\"
    ' Search for subdirectories.
    nDir = 0
    ReDim dirNames(nDir)
    Cont = True
    hSearch = FindFirstFile(path & "*", WFD)
    If hSearch <> INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE Then
        Do While Cont
        DirName = StripNulls(WFD.cFileName)
        ' Ignore the current and encompassing directories.
        If (DirName <> ".") And (DirName <> "..") Then
            ' Check for directory with bitwise comparison.
            If GetFileAttributes(path & DirName) And FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY Then
                dirNames(nDir) = DirName
                DirCount = DirCount + 1
                nDir = nDir + 1
                ReDim Preserve dirNames(nDir)
            End If
        End If
        Cont = FindNextFile(hSearch, WFD) 'Get next subdirectory.
        Loop
        Cont = FindClose(hSearch)
    End If
    ' Walk through this directory and sum file sizes.
    hSearch = FindFirstFile(path & SearchStr, WFD)
    Cont = True
    If hSearch <> INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE Then
        While Cont
            FileName = StripNulls(WFD.cFileName)
            If (FileName <> ".") And (FileName <> "..") Then
                FindFilesAPI = FindFilesAPI + (WFD.nFileSizeHigh * MAXDWORD) + WFD.nFileSizeLow
                FileCount = FileCount + 1
                List1.AddItem path & FileName
            End If
            Cont = FindNextFile(hSearch, WFD) ' Get next file
        Wend
        Cont = FindClose(hSearch)
    End If
    ' If there are sub-directories...
    If nDir > 0 Then
        ' Recursively walk into them...
        For i = 0 To nDir - 1
            FindFilesAPI = FindFilesAPI + FindFilesAPI(path & dirNames(i) & "\", SearchStr, FileCount, DirCount)
        Next i
    End If
End Function
Sub Command1_Click()
    Dim SearchPath As String, FindStr As String
    Dim FileSize As Long
    Dim NumFiles As Integer, NumDirs As Integer
    Screen.MousePointer = vbHourglass
    List1.Clear
    SearchPath = Text1.Text
    FindStr = Text2.Text
    FileSize = FindFilesAPI(SearchPath, FindStr, NumFiles, NumDirs)
    Text3.Text = NumFiles & " Files found in " & NumDirs + 1 & " Directories"
    Text4.Text = "Size of files found under " & SearchPath & " = " & Format(FileSize, "#,###,###,##0") & " Bytes"
    Screen.MousePointer = vbDefault
End Sub 

[manavo11]

The Dir way :

'Just add a listbox (List1)

Private Sub ListFiles(strPath As String, Optional Extention As String)
'Leave Extention blank for all files
    Dim File As String
    
    If Right$(strPath, 1) <> "\" Then strPath = strPath & "\"
    
    If Trim$(Extention) = "" Then
        Extention = "*.*"
    ElseIf Left$(Extention, 2) <> "*." Then
        Extention = "*." & Extention
    End If
    
    File = Dir$(strPath & Extention)
    Do While Len(File)
        List1.AddItem File
        File = Dir$
    Loop
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()
ListFiles "C:\", "txt"
End Sub 

[thebloke]

Originally posted by manavo11
This shows the filenames and not the total number of files in a directory.

I'll take the easy route! Works a treat. Thanks.

[manavo11]

Originally posted by thebloke
I'll take the easy route! Works a treat. Thanks.

Anytime

[positive+]

Yup...this is nice, thank's

[DarkX_Greece]

Nice code example manavo11!

Thanks, i need it!

[dos5731]

it works here.

[RedJam]

Originally Posted by manavo11

The Dir way :

'Just add a listbox (List1)

Private Sub ListFiles(strPath As String, Optional Extention As String)
'Leave Extention blank for all files
    Dim File As String
    
    If Right$(strPath, 1) <> "\" Then strPath = strPath & "\"
    
    If Trim$(Extention) = "" Then
        Extention = "*.*"
    ElseIf Left$(Extention, 2) <> "*." Then
        Extention = "*." & Extention
    End If
    
    File = Dir$(strPath & Extention)
    Do While Len(File)
        List1.AddItem File
        File = Dir$
    Loop
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()
ListFiles "C:\", "txt"
End Sub 

Hello,

Thank for the above code, works a treat but I'm just wondering if anyone could help me out with a similarly easy way to do the same but to list the names of directories ("folders") within a directory?

So, the above code works great, it lists all the files of whatever type in say "C:\folder1".

What I need is code to list all the directories within "C:\folder1", not including subdirectories.

If anyone could help I would be much obliged.

Thanks in advance.

[Hack]

Originally Posted by RedJam

What I need is code to list all the directories within "C:\folder1", not including subdirectories.

Private Declare Function SendMessage Lib "user32" Alias "SendMessageA" ( _
    ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Long, lParam As Any) As Long

Private Const LB_DIR = &H18D

Private Const DDL_DIRECTORY = &H10
Private Const DDL_ARCHIVE = &H20
Private Const DDL_EXCLUSIVE = &H8000

Private Sub Command1_Click()
    List1.Clear
    SendMessage List1.hwnd, LB_DIR, DDL_EXCLUSIVE Or DDL_DIRECTORY, ByVal "C:\folder1\*.*"
End Sub

[RedJam]

Cool, cheers mate

Had to tweak it a bit of course but working now, thanks.

J

[Paul M]

Here is my shot it gets all files in sub directories to!

Public Function ListFiles(FolderPath As String, Extension As String, LstObj As ListBox)
Dim i As Long
Dim FolderName As String
Dim DirNames() As String
Dim SubDirectories As Long

'List files in the main/first folder
FolderName = Dir(FolderPath & "\" & Extension, vbNormal)

Do While FolderName <> vbNullString
    LstObj.AddItem FolderPath & "\" & FolderName
    FolderName = Dir()
Loop

'Get the sub directories
FolderName = Dir(FolderPath & "\*.*", vbDirectory)

Do While FolderName <> vbNullString
    If FolderName <> "." And FolderName <> ".." Then
        SubDirectories = SubDirectories + 1
        ReDim Preserve DirNames(1 To SubDirectories)
        DirNames(SubDirectories) = FolderName
    End If
        FolderName = Dir()
Loop


For i = 1 To SubDirectories
        ListFiles FolderPath & "\" & DirNames(i), Extension, LstObj
Next i
End Function 

Private Sub Command1_Click()
ListFiles "C:\SomeFolder", "*.img", List1
End Sub 

Sorry for the bump.

[goldenix]

just a note that none of the codes work in 2008.

[manavo11]

The Visual Studio 2008 you mean? It won't work, it's VB6 code. That's why it's in the VB6 and earlier codebank

[indigofish]

[quote=Paul M;2973969]Here is my shot it gets all files in sub directories to!

[quote]

Hi

Apologies in advance for needing to ask a dumb question, but I'm pretty new to this and flying solo. I'm a tech writer, not a programmer, and have been making a few half-hearted attempts to learn VB so that I can have more control over my word docs. Problem is I am still at the starting blocks and need to catalogue all the template files in a directory, including all sub-dirs, so this post is very interesting to me, but I don't know what to do with the code!

I know enough to open the VB editor in word, and paste it into a code window, but I don't know how to name it, or how to call it. Also, there's the question of the sub tacked on at the end and how to deal with it (where does it go, etc).

Ok so banish me to the sandpit, but if someone would be kind enough to give me some steps on how to use this code first, I'll be extremely grateful. My other option is to hand type out several thousand file names.

(PS While registering for the forum, I noticed an office forum, so i will head over there and read up, but this post is the first one i found covering exactly my required task)

[mustiback]

Thanks For aLL!

[tamalero]

Hello there, Thanks alot for your code,
just a quick question...
is there a way to list files in a directory but get the contents arranged in some ways like "last modified" or "by name" ?

[manavo11]

I'm not sure if there is a way to get the list of files in a specific sorted order. However, since you can get all files, you can then read any information you want for each file (last modified, size, etc) and then do the sorting yourself after you get the whole list!

[jason8100]

Hi I am making a search engine in VB6, your code works but I also need to list all files in subdirs as well. I already searched on google but I couldnt find anything. ( except the ones that cause your whole project to crash:S ) Do you know how to achieve this?

Thanks in advance,
Jason

[manavo11]

If you look at this thread: http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=244880 it's code for listing all sub-directories. If you combine the two, then you have exactly what you want

[jason8100]

Originally Posted by manavo11

If you look at this thread: http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=244880 it's code for listing all sub-directories. If you combine the two, then you have exactly what you want

I have tryed the code but don't get it working. It just gives a number of folders, don't know what to do with it. Could you please help me.

Thanks in advance,
Jason

[Dennijr]

Originally Posted by manavo11

The Dir way :

'Just add a listbox (List1)

Private Sub ListFiles(strPath As String, Optional Extention As String)
'Leave Extention blank for all files
    Dim File As String
    
    If Right$(strPath, 1) <> "\" Then strPath = strPath & "\"
    
    If Trim$(Extention) = "" Then
        Extention = "*.*"
    ElseIf Left$(Extention, 2) <> "*." Then
        Extention = "*." & Extention
    End If
    
    File = Dir$(strPath & Extention)
    Do While Len(File)
        List1.AddItem File
        File = Dir$
    Loop
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()
ListFiles "C:\", "txt"
End Sub 

Originally Posted by goldenix

just a note that none of the codes work in 2008.

this code is pretty close, the following is what i turned it into and used, in vb.net 2008:

Dim file As String
        file = Dir$("D:\Documents and Settings\Compaq_Owner\My Documents\My Pictures\cards\*.png")
        Do While Len(file)
            ListBox2.Items.Add(Mid(file, 1, InStr(file, ".") - 1))
            file = Dir$()
        Loop

[techker]

cold we modify this for viewing the images?

[manavo11]

You could specify an extension. It is mentioned in the examples if you read through them carefully.

[techker]

Originally Posted by manavo11

You could specify an extension. It is mentioned in the examples if you read through them carefully.

well itryed just this but it shows nothing

Dim file As String
file = Dir$("D:\Documents and Settings\Compaq_Owner\My Documents\My Pictures\cards\*.png")
Do While Len(file)
ListBox2.Items.Add(Mid(file, 1, InStr(file, ".") - 1))
file = Dir$()
Loop

[manavo11]

Try starting with the code from the third post: http://www.vbforums.com/showpost.php...79&postcount=3

It seems like the most similar to the code you have. Compare it, find the differences and I'm sure you'll be able to work it out

[Nightwalker83]

Originally Posted by manavo11

This shows the filenames and not the total number of files in a directory.

What is the difference between this and using the filelist box?

[techker]

Originally Posted by manavo11

The Dir way :

'Just add a listbox (List1)

Private Sub ListFiles(strPath As String, Optional Extention As String)
'Leave Extention blank for all files
    Dim File As String
    
    If Right$(strPath, 1) <> "\" Then strPath = strPath & "\"
    
    If Trim$(Extention) = "" Then
        Extention = "*.*"
    ElseIf Left$(Extention, 2) <> "*." Then
        Extention = "*." & Extention
    End If
    
    File = Dir$(strPath & Extention)
    Do While Len(File)
        List1.AddItem File
        File = Dir$
    Loop
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()
ListFiles "C:\", "txt"
End Sub 

why do i get errors?
i added a list box named it List1

Error 1 Optional parameters must specify a default value. C:\Users\TECHKER\Desktop\PROGRAMMING\PROJECTS\WindowsApplication1\WindowsApplication1\Form5.vb 3 74 WindowsApplication1

Error 2 'Public ReadOnly Property Right() As Integer' has no parameters and its return type cannot be indexed. C:\Users\TECHKER\Desktop\PROGRAMMING\PROJECTS\WindowsApplication1\WindowsApplication1\Form5.vb 7 12 WindowsApplication1

Error 4 'Public Property Left() As Integer' has no parameters and its return type cannot be indexed. C:\Users\TECHKER\Desktop\PROGRAMMING\PROJECTS\WindowsApplication1\WindowsApplication1\Form5.vb 11 16 WindowsApplication1

Error 5 Type character '$' does not match declared data type 'Integer'. C:\Users\TECHKER\Desktop\PROGRAMMING\PROJECTS\WindowsApplication1\WindowsApplication1\Form5.vb 11 16 WindowsApplication1

Error 6 'AddItem' is not a member of 'System.Windows.Forms.ListBox'. C:\Users\TECHKER\Desktop\PROGRAMMING\PROJECTS\WindowsApplication1\WindowsApplication1\Form5.vb 17 13 WindowsApplication1

[si_the_geek]

You are getting errors because you are in the wrong place... this is the VB6 Codebank, but you are using VB.Net

Post #22 is the only thing from this thread that you should consider using - for anything else (including help fixing issues with it) you should post in the VB.Net forum.