C# - Searching for Existing Files

fun.bobby1981

I have tried to code a C# method to look in different directories for existing files with a certain sequence in the filename, i need to verify whether the file exists & increment a counter accordingly. I can work it using hard-coded filenames, however the names contain a sequence no that changes daily, so I would be searching for something like the following:

TXT_DDDD-17.dat (where DDDD is variable seq no)
I need to search for this file in different places & increment a file counter for use elsewhere. My attempt so far has amounted to the following piece of sample code:

{
int fileCount = 0;


if (File.Exists("C:\\Directory\\SUBDIR1\\TXT_*-17.dat") == true)
fileCount++;

if (File.Exists("C:\\Directory\\SUBDIR2\\TXT_*-17.dat") == true)
fileCount++;


return fileCount;
}

I've also tried using regular expressions, replacing the 4-digit seq no in filename as '....' & also using the /b tag to search for files where name ends in "-17.dat"

Im not very experienced & I cannot find anything of use in any help files. I dont even know if Im looking in the right ballpark!!

Please help.

amen

why not just recursively search through the directory getting each filename
and compare the file to the file pattern you want to match?
if there is match increment it not then exit

there are c# functions got getting directory/file names

NeverSayDie

The File.Exists() method doesn't support wildcards, that's probably why you're not getting any hits.

You could use one of the overloads of the Directory.GetFiles() method to search each of your directories for matching files, that one will let you use wildcards. See here;
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/wz42302f(VS.80).aspx

Ginger

Full walkthrough

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/303974

fun.bobby1981

Thanks to everyone for your feedback.

I've managed to work a solution using some of the above suggestions & some ideas of my own.

These boards really do work!! (Im new to using them too!!)

Cheers,
FB