Custom query against List<string>

[softwareguy74]

I have a List<string> that contains paths, such as:

\Root\Folder1
\Root\Folder1\Folder1a
\Root\Folder1\Folder1a\Folder1aa
\Root\Folder2

Given a given root, such as \Root, I would like to "query" this list to return only the first level values, such as:

\Root\Folder1
\Root\Folder2

And "\Root\Folder1\", would return:

\Root\Folder1\Folder1a

How could I construct a query to do this?

[jmcilhinney]

This is a working Console app:

Module Module1
 
    Sub Main()
        Dim allPaths = New List(Of String) From {"\Root\Folder1",
                                                 "\Root\Folder1\Folder1a",
                                                 "\Root\Folder1\Folder1a\Folder1aa",
                                                 "\Root\Folder2"}
 
        Console.Write("Please enter a root path: ")
 
        Dim rootPath = Console.ReadLine()
 
        Do Until String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(rootPath)
            Dim rootPathLength = rootPath.Split(New Char() {"\"c}, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries).Length
            Dim matchingPaths = allPaths.Where(Function(s) s.StartsWith(rootPath, StringComparison.CurrentCultureIgnoreCase) AndAlso
                                                           s.Split(New Char() {"\"c}, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries).Length = rootPathLength + 1)
 
            Console.WriteLine("Matching paths:")
 
            For Each path In matchingPaths
                Console.WriteLine(path)
            Next
 
            Console.Write("Please enter a root path: ")
 
            rootPath = Console.ReadLine()
        Loop
    End Sub
 
End Module

[jmcilhinney]

By the way, your signature says VS 2008 while your thread title says VS 2010.