Display filetype from directory in ASP.NET MVC 4 Project

Question

I currently learning about ASP.NET MVC 4.

I want to display .cs and .cpp files located in a directory on the web page. But somehow I get exception for multiple file type display.

Below line of code gives exception:

string pattern ="*.cs|*.cpp";

Till now I wrote below code:

public ActionResult Contact()
{
    string pattern = "*.cs";
    //string pattern ="*.cs|*.cpp";  // this line does not work  
    ViewBag.Message = "Your contact page.";
    DirectoryInfo dirInfo = new DirectoryInfo(@"f:\");
    List<string> filenames = dirInfo.GetFiles(pattern).Select(i => i.Name).ToList();
    ViewBag.data = filenames;
    return View(filenames);
}

The View code looks like:

@{
    ViewBag.Title = "Contact";
}
<hgroup class="title">
    <h1>@ViewBag.Title.</h1>
    <h2>@ViewBag.Message</h2>
</hgroup>
<table bgcolor="#00FF00">
    @foreach (var item in (List<string>)ViewBag.data)
    {
        <tr>
            <th>@item   <br></th>

        </tr>
    }
</table>

I get exception when I write 'string pattern ="(asterisk).cs|(asterisk).cpp"' . It works only for one file type. For multiple I get an exception — Unbreakable, Jan 30 '15 at 14:33
Check [this answer](http://stackoverflow.com/a/163220/2474175) or even [this one](http://stackoverflow.com/a/13301088/2474175). — Andrei V, Jan 30 '15 at 14:36

score 0 · Answer 1 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:15

0

DirectoryInfo.GetFiles(pattern) only allows a single pattern. It is not like the filter you set when creating a common dialog.

If you want multiple patterns, you can create your own extension method, there are some examples here:: GetFiles with multiple extensions

edited May 23 '17 at 12:15

Community

1
1

answered Jan 30 '15 at 14:38

paul

21,653
1
53
54

Alex T · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-30T23:29:27.170

You're going to need to do something like this:

        string pattern = "*.cs";
        ViewBag.Message = "Your contact page.";
        DirectoryInfo dirInfo = new DirectoryInfo(@"f:\");
        List<string> filenames = new List<string>();
        foreach (FileInfo f in dirInfo.GetFiles(pattern))
        {
            filenames.Add(f.Name);  //or f.FullName to include path
        }
        pattern = "*.cpp";
        foreach (string f in dirInfo.GetFiles(pattern))
        {
            filenames.Add(f);
        }

        ViewBag.data = filenames;
        return View(filenames);

or, something like this:

        public ActionResult Contact()
    {

        string pattern = "*.cs|*.cpp";
        ViewBag.Message = "Your contact page.";
        DirectoryInfo dirInfo = new DirectoryInfo(@"f:\");
        List<string> filenames = new List<string>();
        string[] temp = pattern.Split('|');
        for (int i = 0; i < temp.Length; i++)
        {
            filenames.AddRange(GetFiles(temp[i]));
        }
        ViewBag.data = filenames;
        return View(filenames);
    }

    public List<string> GetFiles(string pattern) {
        DirectoryInfo dirInfo = new DirectoryInfo(@"f:\");
        List<string> filenames = new List<string>();
        foreach (FileInfo f in dirInfo.GetFiles(pattern))
        {
            filenames.Add(f.Name);  //or f.FullName to include path
        }
        return filenames;
    }

The nice thing about that, is that you'll have an opportunity to sort, and filter the list further before returning it to your view.

the first method that you have mentioned gives error as line ' foreach (string f in dirInfo.GetFiles(pattern))' : I get red squiggly under the 'foreach' — Unbreakable, Jan 30 '15 at 14:57
That was more of an example than anything else. You get back a File object, and File.Name would be the string you're after.. — Alex T, Jan 30 '15 at 23:22
I updated the code to use FileInfo instead of String. The above code should now run without issues. — Alex T, Jan 30 '15 at 23:29

Display filetype from directory in ASP.NET MVC 4 Project

2 Answers2