listFiles() of File not working on symbolic links?

Question

I have the following File object pointing to a directory via symbolic link,

File directory = new File(\"/path/symlink/foo/bar\");
String[] files = directory.list         


        

Answer 1

..extending what @mickthompson suggested, using the NIO File library (> Java 7) you can:

Path link = Paths.get("/path/symlink/foo/bar");
while (Files.isSymbolicLink(link)) {
    link = Files.readSymbolicLink(link);
}

Path[] files =  Files.list(link).toArray(size -> new Path[size]);

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Path is easily converted to File so all your old Java IO code can be safely kept, @see Path#toFile().