How to copy sub-folders?

[MrGTI]

Using the search i've had no problems figuring out how to copy the contents of a folder from one place to another.

But what about copying sub-folders? I'd like to also copy all the sub-folders. Take a look at this:

'Using this import: Imports System.IO
 
'Locate where the program is
Dim sAppPath As String = System.Environment.CurrentDirectory
'Use the test directory with sample files in it
Dim xSourceFolder As New DirectoryInfo(sAppPath & "\test")
Dim xDestinationFolder As New DirectoryInfo(sAppPath & "\test2")
 
'Removes previous instance of the folder and any sub-directories, then creates it fresh
If xDestinationFolder.Exists = True Then xDestinationFolder.Delete(True)
xDestinationFolder.Create()
 
'Copies each file from the source foldr into the destination folder
Dim xFile As FileInfo
For Each xFile In xSourceFolder.GetFiles
     xFile.CopyTo(xDestinationFolder.FullName & "\" & xFile.Name)
Next xFile
Beep()

What if there are a few sub-folders in the "test" folder? How can i copy them and all their contents? I know i'll need a recursive loop, but how do i identify the folder?

[Pirate]

according to this link , there is no recursive directory copy .
http://www.dotnet247.com/247referenc.../16/83818.aspx
Did you try something like this :

Dim folds As IO.DirectoryInfo
folds.GetDirectories()

[MrGTI]

Between those two items, i think i now have enough to build it myself. Thanks Pirate.

I'll let you know what i get when it's all done.

[MrGTI]

Works like a charm. Thanks again.

[Pirate]

Glad to hear it is working !

[jesus4u]

Originally posted by Pirate
according to this link , there is no recursive directory copy .
http://www.dotnet247.com/247referenc.../16/83818.aspx
Did you try something like this :

Dim folds As IO.DirectoryInfo
folds.GetDirectories()

If you were in C# you could simply do -

using System.IO;

Directory.Move();

[MrGTI]

A possible solution. But i'm a VB.NET guy myself. And i don't want to move the folder; just make a copy of it.

[jesus4u]

Originally posted by MrGTI
A possible solution. But i'm a VB.NET guy myself. And i don't want to move the folder; just make a copy of it.

Sorry, still learning .NET like us all. It appears, whether VB or C#, to COPY a directory we will all have to work a little harder.

[SimonVega]

Here is a small utility class I just wrote that will copy a directory and its contents. The last parameter of the Copy() method specifys if a shallow copy (excluding subdirectories) or deep copy is performed.

using System;
using System.IO;

public class Folder {

    public static void Copy(string target, string destination, bool deep) {
	// verify the source directory exists. also, make sure the destination directory 
	// does not already exist. if any of the conditions fail, throw io exception		
	if(Directory.Exists(target)) {
	    if(!Directory.Exists(destination)){
	        Directory.CreateDirectory(destination);
		ProcessDirectory(target, destination, deep);
	    }else {
		throw new IOException("Destination directory already exists");
	    }
	}else {
	    throw new DirectoryNotFoundException("Directory does not exist");
	}
    }

    private static void ProcessDirectory(string target, string destination, bool deep) {
	// remove trailing backslashes from directory path variables
	target = (target.EndsWith(@"\") ? target.Substring(0, target.Length - 1) : target);
	destination = (destination.EndsWith(@"\") ? destination.Substring(0, destination.Length - 1) : destination);
	// create the new destination directory
	DirectoryInfo current = new DirectoryInfo(target);
	string directoryPath = String.Concat(destination, @"\", current.Name);		
	Directory.CreateDirectory(directoryPath);
	// copy all files within the directory to the new directory
	string[] fileEntries = Directory.GetFiles(target);
	foreach(string fileName in fileEntries) {
	    CopyFile(fileName, directoryPath);
	}
	if(deep) { 
	    // recursively call method for each subdirectory
	    string [] subdirectoryEntries = Directory.GetDirectories(target);
	    foreach(string subdirectory in subdirectoryEntries) {
		ProcessDirectory(subdirectory, directoryPath, true);
   	    }
	}
     }

    private static void CopyFile(string source, string destination) {
	// if the source file exists, copy to the new destination
	if(File.Exists(source)) {
	    FileInfo sourceFile = new FileInfo(source);
	    sourceFile.CopyTo(String.Concat(destination, @"\", sourceFile.Name));
	}
    }

    static void Main() {
	Folder.Copy(@"c:\sonysys", @"d:\copy\", true);	
    }
}

[Iouri]

RecursiveDirectoryCopy(ByVal sourceDir As String, ByVal destDir As String, ByVal fRecursive As Boolean, ByVal overWrite As Boolean)


Code:' Usage: 
' Copy Recursive with Overwrite if exists. 
' RecursiveDirectoryCopy("C:\Data", "D:\Data", True, True) 
' Copy Recursive without Overwriting. 
' RecursiveDirectoryCopy("C:\Data", "D:\Data", True, False) 
' Copy this directory Only. Overwrite if exists. 
' RecursiveDirectoryCopy("C:\Data", "D:\Data", False, True) 
' Copy this directory only without overwriting. 
' RecursiveDirectoryCopy("C:\Data", "D:\Data", False, False) 

' Recursively copy all files and subdirectories from the specified source to the specified 
' destination. 
Private Sub RecursiveDirectoryCopy(ByVal sourceDir As String, ByVal destDir As String, ByVal fRecursive As Boolean, ByVal overWrite As Boolean) 
    Dim sDir As String 
    Dim dDirInfo As IO.DirectoryInfo 
    Dim sDirInfo As IO.DirectoryInfo 
    Dim sFile As String 
    Dim sFileInfo As IO.FileInfo 
    Dim dFileInfo As IO.FileInfo 
    ' Add trailing separators to the supplied paths if they don't exist. 
    If Not sourceDir.EndsWith(System.IO.Path.DirectorySeparatorChar.ToString()) Then 
        sourceDir &= System.IO.Path.DirectorySeparatorChar 
    End If 
    If Not destDir.EndsWith(System.IO.Path.DirectorySeparatorChar.ToString()) Then 
        destDir &= System.IO.Path.DirectorySeparatorChar 
    End If 
    'If destination directory does not exist, create it. 
    dDirInfo = New System.IO.DirectoryInfo(destDir) 
    If dDirInfo.Exists = False Then dDirInfo.Create() 
    dDirInfo = Nothing 
    ' Recursive switch to continue drilling down into directory structure. 
    If fRecursive Then 
        ' Get a list of directories from the current parent. 
        For Each sDir In System.IO.Directory.GetDirectories(sourceDir) 
            sDirInfo = New System.IO.DirectoryInfo(sDir) 
            dDirInfo = New System.IO.DirectoryInfo(destDir & sDirInfo.Name) 
            ' Create the directory if it does not exist. 
            If dDirInfo.Exists = False Then dDirInfo.Create() 
            ' Since we are in recursive mode, copy the children also 
            RecursiveDirectoryCopy(sDirInfo.FullName, dDirInfo.FullName, fRecursive, overWrite) 
            sDirInfo = Nothing 
            dDirInfo = Nothing 
        Next 
    End If 
    ' Get the files from the current parent. 
    For Each sFile In System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(sourceDir) 
        sFileInfo = New System.IO.FileInfo(sFile) 
        dFileInfo = New System.IO.FileInfo(Replace(sFile, sourceDir, destDir)) 
        'If File does not exist. Copy. 
        If dFileInfo.Exists = False Then 
            sFileInfo.CopyTo(dFileInfo.FullName, overWrite) 
        Else 
            'If file exists and is the same length (size). Skip. 
            'If file exists and is of different Length (size) and overwrite = True. Copy 
            If sFileInfo.Length <> dFileInfo.Length AndAlso overWrite Then 
                sFileInfo.CopyTo(dFileInfo.FullName, overWrite) 
            'If file exists and is of different Length (size) and overwrite = False. Skip 
            ElseIf sFileInfo.Length <> dFileInfo.Length AndAlso Not overWrite Then 
                Debug.WriteLine(sFileInfo.FullName & " Not copied.") 
            End If 
        End If 
        sFileInfo = Nothing 
        dFileInfo = Nothing 
    Next 
End Sub

[denkr]

Hi together!

Might be a dumb idea, but why not use the dos command?

Write it into a batch and shell() it?

ok, you might have problems getting back a feedback, but for me it worked fine. rude, not professional, but worked!

Anything i missed? Being a Real VB beginner!!!!!

Example:

' create a string, that is using the dos command move "source" "Target" with " for enabling blanks in pathnames
retvalue = "move " + Chr(34) + source + Chr(34) + " " + Chr(34) + target2 + Chr(34)

' create a bachfile, write the doscommand in there
Open "batchfile.bat" For Output As #2 'save file
Write #2, retvalue
Close #2

' execute the batchfile
obj = Shell("batchfile.bat", vbHide)

' and delete it
Kill "batchfile.bat"

[DevGrp]

Originally posted by denkr
Hi together!

Might be a dumb idea, but why not use the dos command?

Write it into a batch and shell() it?

ok, you might have problems getting back a feedback, but for me it worked fine. rude, not professional, but worked!

Anything i missed? Being a Real VB beginner!!!!!

Example:

' create a string, that is using the dos command move "source" "Target" with " for enabling blanks in pathnames
retvalue = "move " + Chr(34) + source + Chr(34) + " " + Chr(34) + target2 + Chr(34)

' create a bachfile, write the doscommand in there
Open "batchfile.bat" For Output As #2 'save file
Write #2, retvalue
Close #2

' execute the batchfile
obj = Shell("batchfile.bat", vbHide)

' and delete it
Kill "batchfile.bat"

Yes you miss quite a lot. You might be in the wrong forum. BTW, you might wanna start learning VB.NET since you are a beginner.

[denkr]

except that the coding not being vb.net,

does the method not work? write a textfile with a doscommand and execute it with a shell?

Not possible in VB.NET?

Mainly was not to have the ideal sollution for VB.NET, was to show the way, I used!

[Pirate]

Originally posted by denkr
except that the coding not being vb.net,

does the method not work? write a textfile with a doscommand and execute it with a shell?

Not possible in VB.NET?

Mainly was not to have the ideal sollution for VB.NET, was to show the way, I used!

Writing DOS Command in a patch-like file is not the ideal solution , although it can be run in .NET app .