Directory.Exists(String) Method (System.IO) (2024)

Table of Contents
Examples Remarks Applies to See also

Determines whether the given path refers to an existing directory on disk.

public: static bool Exists(System::String ^ path);
public static bool Exists (string path);
public static bool Exists (string? path);
static member Exists : string -> bool
Public Shared Function Exists (path As String) As Boolean

Parameters

path
String

The path to test.

Returns

Boolean

true if path refers to an existing directory; false if the directory does not exist or an error occurs when trying to determine if the specified directory exists.

Examples

The following example takes an array of file or directory names on the command line, determines what kind of name it is, and processes it appropriately.

// For File::Exists, Directory::Existsusing namespace System;using namespace System::IO;using namespace System::Collections;// Insert logic for processing found files here.void ProcessFile( String^ path ){ Console::WriteLine( "Processed file '{0}'.", path );}// Process all files in the directory passed in, recurse on any directories // that are found, and process the files they contain.void ProcessDirectory( String^ targetDirectory ){ // Process the list of files found in the directory. array<String^>^fileEntries = Directory::GetFiles( targetDirectory ); IEnumerator^ files = fileEntries->GetEnumerator(); while ( files->MoveNext() ) { String^ fileName = safe_cast<String^>(files->Current); ProcessFile( fileName ); } // Recurse into subdirectories of this directory. array<String^>^subdirectoryEntries = Directory::GetDirectories( targetDirectory ); IEnumerator^ dirs = subdirectoryEntries->GetEnumerator(); while ( dirs->MoveNext() ) { String^ subdirectory = safe_cast<String^>(dirs->Current); ProcessDirectory( subdirectory ); }}int main( int argc, char *argv[] ){ for ( int i = 1; i < argc; i++ ) { String^ path = gcnew String(argv[ i ]); if ( File::Exists( path ) ) { // This path is a file ProcessFile( path ); } else if ( Directory::Exists( path ) ) { // This path is a directory ProcessDirectory( path ); } else { Console::WriteLine( "{0} is not a valid file or directory.", path ); } }}
// For File.Exists, Directory.Existsusing System;using System.IO;using System.Collections;public class RecursiveFileProcessor{ public static void Main(string[] args) { foreach(string path in args) { if(File.Exists(path)) { // This path is a file ProcessFile(path); } else if(Directory.Exists(path)) { // This path is a directory ProcessDirectory(path); } else { Console.WriteLine("{0} is not a valid file or directory.", path); } } } // Process all files in the directory passed in, recurse on any directories // that are found, and process the files they contain. public static void ProcessDirectory(string targetDirectory) { // Process the list of files found in the directory. string [] fileEntries = Directory.GetFiles(targetDirectory); foreach(string fileName in fileEntries) ProcessFile(fileName); // Recurse into subdirectories of this directory. string [] subdirectoryEntries = Directory.GetDirectories(targetDirectory); foreach(string subdirectory in subdirectoryEntries) ProcessDirectory(subdirectory); } // Insert logic for processing found files here. public static void ProcessFile(string path) { Console.WriteLine("Processed file '{0}'.", path); }}
module RecursiveFileProcessoropen System.IO// Insert logic for processing found files here.let processFile path = printfn $"Processed file '%s{path}'."// Process all files in the directory passed in, recurse on any directories// that are found, and process the files they contain.let rec processDirectory targetDirectory = // Process the list of files found in the directory. let fileEntries = Directory.GetFiles targetDirectory for fileName in fileEntries do processFile fileName // Recurse into subdirectories of this directory. let subdirectoryEntries = Directory.GetDirectories targetDirectory for subdirectory in subdirectoryEntries do processDirectory subdirectory[<EntryPoint>]let main args = for path in args do if File.Exists path then // This path is a file processFile path elif Directory.Exists path then // This path is a directory processDirectory path else printfn $"{path} is not a valid file or directory." 0
' For File.Exists, Directory.Exists Imports System.IOImports System.CollectionsPublic Class RecursiveFileProcessor Public Overloads Shared Sub Main(ByVal args() As String) Dim path As String For Each path In args If File.Exists(path) Then ' This path is a file. ProcessFile(path) Else If Directory.Exists(path) Then ' This path is a directory. ProcessDirectory(path) Else Console.WriteLine("{0} is not a valid file or directory.", path) End If End If Next path End Sub ' Process all files in the directory passed in, recurse on any directories ' that are found, and process the files they contain. Public Shared Sub ProcessDirectory(ByVal targetDirectory As String) Dim fileEntries As String() = Directory.GetFiles(targetDirectory) ' Process the list of files found in the directory. Dim fileName As String For Each fileName In fileEntries ProcessFile(fileName) Next fileName Dim subdirectoryEntries As String() = Directory.GetDirectories(targetDirectory) ' Recurse into subdirectories of this directory. Dim subdirectory As String For Each subdirectory In subdirectoryEntries ProcessDirectory(subdirectory) Next subdirectory End Sub ' Insert logic for processing found files here. Public Shared Sub ProcessFile(ByVal path As String) Console.WriteLine("Processed file '{0}'.", path) End SubEnd Class

Remarks

The path parameter is permitted to specify relative or absolute path information. Relative path information is interpreted as relative to the current working directory.

Trailing spaces are removed from the end of the path parameter before checking whether the directory exists.

The case-sensitivity of the path parameter corresponds to that of the file system on which the code is running. For example, it's case-insensitive on NTFS (the default Windows file system) and case-sensitive on Linux file systems.

If you do not have at a minimum read-only permission to the directory, the Exists method will return false.

The Exists method returns false if any error occurs while trying to determine if the specified file exists. This can occur in situations that raise exceptions such as passing a file name with invalid characters or too many characters, a failing or missing disk, or if the caller does not have permission to read the file.

Applies to

See also

  • DirectoryInfo
  • File and Stream I/O
  • How to: Read Text from a File
  • How to: Write Text to a File
Directory.Exists(String) Method (System.IO) (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Margart Wisoky

Last Updated:

Views: 6221

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (58 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Margart Wisoky

Birthday: 1993-05-13

Address: 2113 Abernathy Knoll, New Tamerafurt, CT 66893-2169

Phone: +25815234346805

Job: Central Developer

Hobby: Machining, Pottery, Rafting, Cosplaying, Jogging, Taekwondo, Scouting

Introduction: My name is Margart Wisoky, I am a gorgeous, shiny, successful, beautiful, adventurous, excited, pleasant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.