Get Files from Directory in C#

Here I am writing an example which shows how to get list of file names from a directory (including its subdirectories), and also demonstrate how one can filter the list by extension.

I have one directory(Folder) named as Sandeep under D drive(ref. fig.1), which have three files and one subdirectory Test Dir. 

fig.1

Test Dir also contains one file(ref. fig.2)

fig.2

To get file names from the specified directory, we need to use static method Directory.Get­Files

Get all files from directory

To get all files from directory, method Directory.GetFiles returns string array with files names (full paths).

String[] files = System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(@"c:\Sandeep\");

       // returned files:

       // "D:\Sandeep\abc.txt"

       // "D:\Sandeep\Test_123.xls"

       // "D:\Sandeep\Test_1222.doc"

Get files from directory (with specified extension)

You can specify search pattern, inside your directory. You can use wildcard specifiers in the search pattern, e.g. ‘*.txt’ to select files with the extension or ‘a*’ to select files beginning with letter ‘a’.

String[] files = System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(@"c:\Sandeep\", "*.txt");

       // returned files:

       // "D:\Sandeep\abc.txt"

Get files from directory (including its subdirectories)

If you want to get files of its subdirectories also then use parameter SearchOption.AllDirectories.

String[] files = System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(@"c:\Sandeep\", "*.doc", System.IO.SearchOption.AllDirectories);

       // returned files:

       // "D:\Sandeep\Test_1222.doc"

       // "D:\Sandeep\Test Dir\Test423.doc"

Cheers!!!!