vb.net get filename list from wildcard

Question

I have string say \"c:\\debug\\ *.txt\" In Debug folder there are severeal .txt files , say test1.txt test2.txt test3.txt .

How can I get from this string c:\\debug\\ *.

Answer 1

This should do it for you. It'll handle wildcards in directory part and filename part

Private Function GetFiles(ByVal Path As String) As List(Of String)

    Dim drivePart As String, dirPart As String, filePart As String

    drivePart = Path.Substring(0, Path.IndexOf("\") + 1)
    dirPart = Path.Substring(Path.IndexOf("\") + 1, Path.LastIndexOf("\") - Path.IndexOf("\") - 1)
    filePart = Path.Substring(Path.LastIndexOf("\") + 1)


    Dim directories As New List(Of String)
    Dim files As New List(Of String)


    '' Walk directory tree finding matches
    '' This should handle wildcards in any part of the path
    Dim currentIndex As Integer = 0
    Dim directoryMatch As String() = dirPart.Split("\")
    For Each directory As String In directoryMatch
        WalkDirectories(drivePart, directories, directoryMatch, currentIndex)
        currentIndex += 1
    Next

    For Each directory As String In directories
        files.AddRange(System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(directory, filePart))
    Next


    Return files

End Function

Private Sub WalkDirectories(ByVal dirPart As String, ByVal directories As List(Of String), ByVal directoryMatch As String(), ByVal currentIndex As Integer)

    If currentIndex = directoryMatch.Length Then Return

    For Each d As String In System.IO.Directory.GetDirectories(dirPart, directoryMatch(currentIndex))
        directories.Add(d)


        WalkDirectories(System.IO.Path.Combine(dirPart, d), directories, directoryMatch, currentIndex + 1)
    Next
End Sub

Edit: just noticed that it wont handle UNC paths but it should be pretty easy to modify for that if you need to Editted again to handle multiple directory levels and wildcards at multiple levels (eg C:\debug\12*\log1*\errors*.txt