[2005] Application freeze

[SubCity]

Hello,

I am using the following script to browse to a folder and subfolders to search for files with a specific file-extension.
The problem is, if I have a directory with some subfolders and a large number of files with that extension, everything goes fine.
When make the script search a entire partition (not my windows partition), the application freezes, but it is still searching (HDD LED flickers).
I am looking for a solution, because I want the user to be able to see which directory the script is currently searching, and to display a cancel button, which now cannot be pushed while the application will freeze.

Does anyone know a solution for my problem?

This is the script I am using.

    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Dim i As Int32

        Call searchFiles("E:", "*.extension")

        For i = 0 To Files.GetUpperBound(0) - 1
            ListBox1.Items.Add(Files(i))
        Next
    End Sub

    Private Files() As String
    Private Counter As Int32

    Private Sub searchFiles(ByRef sPath As String, ByRef FileSpec As String)
        Dim Dir As String
        Dim file As String

        If sPath.Substring(sPath.Length - 1) <> "\" Then
            sPath &= "\"
        End If

        Dim files() As String = Directory.GetFiles(sPath)

        For Each file In files
            If file.ToLower Like FileSpec Then
                ReDim Preserve files(Counter)
                files(Counter) = file
                Counter += 1
            End If
        Next
        Dim dirs() As String = Directory.GetDirectories(sPath)
        For Each Dir In dirs
            Call searchFiles(Dir, FileSpec)
        Next
    End Sub

Thanks.

[Maxim]

Use background worker or a thread. Search it on the forums .

[stanav]

Your searchFile sub is VERY inefficient. There are alot you can change to optimize it. Having said that, you can simply use My.Computer.FileSystem.GetFiles method to do what you need
See example here
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/lib...hb(VS.80).aspx

[SubCity]

Stanav, thanks, that is a lot shorter then a custom made function.

Maxim, I can't get it to work using a BackgroundWorker...
I have never used a BackgroundWorker before...
Do you have a example how I can make this script work in the background?

    Public Function GetFiles(ByVal directory As String, ByVal searchOption As Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.SearchOption, ByVal wildCards As String) As String
        For Each foundFile As String In My.Computer.FileSystem.GetFiles(directory, searchOption, wildCards)
            ListBox1.Items.Add(foundFile)
        Next
    End Function

I want the script to update a label when it changes directory while searching, and want to be able to cancel the progress, or display a message when the search is finished.