Introduction:
This article will explain the DirectoryInfo class
and its use. The System.IO namespace is one of the most significant namespaces
used for working with Directory in the .Net Framework. Let us see about the
class.
DirectoryInfo
Class
The DirectoryInfo class shares almost all of
the same properties as the FileInfo class, except that they operate on
directories not files. The DirectoryInfo class does not have
static methods and can only be used on instantiated objects. The DirectoryInfo
object represents a physical directory on a disk. It also provides instance
methods for the delete,
create new directory and sub directories.
When we use DirectoryInfo class
If you are going to reuse an object several
times, consider using the instance method of DirectoryInfo instead of the
corresponding static methods of the Directory class.
Some of the most useful methods of the
DirectoryInfo class are:
| S.No |
Methods |
Description |
| 1 |
Create |
This method is used to create the new
directory. |
| 2 |
CreateSubdirectory |
This method is used to create a
subdirectory or subdirectories on the specified path. |
| 3 |
MoveTo |
Moves a DirectoryInfo instance and its
contents to a new path. |
| 4 |
Delete |
Deletes this instance of a
DirectoryInfo, specifying whether to delete subdirectories and files. |
| 5 |
GetDirectories
|
This method is used to get the sub
directories in the given directory path. |
| 6 |
GetFiles
|
The GetFiles method is used to get the
files in the specified folder. |
Figure1 DirectoryInfo Methods
Now Let us see the some of the methods in
the DirectoryInfo class.
Create Method
This method is used to create the new
directory.
|
static
void Main(string[]
args)
{
String
path = @"D:\MyTestFile1.txt";
DirectoryInfo fl =
new
DirectoryInfo(path);
fl.Create();
{
Console.WriteLine("Directory
has been created");
}
} |
CreateSubDirectory Method
This method is used to create a subdirectory or subdirectories on the specified
path.
|
static
void Main(string[]
args)
{
String path =
@"D:\MyTestFile1.txt";
DirectoryInfo fl =
new
DirectoryInfo(path);
DirectoryInfo dis =
fl.CreateSubdirectory("hellotest");
{
Console.WriteLine("Directory
has been created");
}
} |
MoveTo Method
Moves a DirectoryInfo instance and its
contents to a new path.
|
static
void Main(string[]
args)
{
String path =
@"D:\MyTestFile1.txt";
string path1 =
@"D:\NewFile1.txt";
DirectoryInfo f1 =
new
DirectoryInfo(path);
DirectoryInfo f2 =
new
DirectoryInfo(path1);
f1.MoveTo(path1);
{
Console.WriteLine("Directory
has been Moved");
}
} |
Delete Method
Deletes this instance of a
DirectoryInfo, specifying whether to delete subdirectories and files.
|
static
void Main(string[]
args)
{
string path =
@"D:\NewFile1.txt";
DirectoryInfo f1 =
new
DirectoryInfo(path);
f1.Delete();
{
Console.WriteLine("Directory
has been deleted");
}
} |
GetDirectories Method
This method is used to get the sub
directories in the given directory path or, Returns the
subdirectories of the current directory.
|
static
void Main(string[]
args)
{
try
{
DirectoryInfo
di = new
DirectoryInfo(@"D:\newFile\");
DirectoryInfo[]
dir1 = di.GetDirectories();
Console.WriteLine("The
number of directories containing is {0}.", dir1.Length);
}
catch (Exception
e)
{
Console.WriteLine("The
process failed: {0}", e.ToString());
}
} |
GetFiles
The GetFiles method is used to get the files in
the specified folder.
|
static
void Main(string[]
args)
{
DirectoryInfo di =
new
DirectoryInfo(@"D:\newfile");
DirectoryInfo[] dirs =
di.GetDirectories();
foreach (DirectoryInfo
diNext in dirs)
{
Console.WriteLine("The
number of files in {0} is {1}", diNext,
diNext.GetFiles().Length);
}
}
|
Example
using
System;
using
System.Collections.Generic;
using
System.Linq;
using
System.Text;
using
System.IO;
namespace
Createdirectory
{
class
Program
{
static
void Main(string[]
args)
{
// Create Method
String path = @"D:\MyTestFile1.txt";
DirectoryInfo fl = new
DirectoryInfo(path);
fl.Create();
{
Console.WriteLine("Directory has been
created");
}
// CreateSubdirectory Method
String path = @"D:\MyTestFile1.txt";
DirectoryInfo fl = new
DirectoryInfo(path);
DirectoryInfo dis = fl.CreateSubdirectory("hellotest");
{
Console.WriteLine("Directory has been
created");
}
// MoveTo Method
String path = @"D:\MyTestFile1.txt";
string
path1 = @"D:\NewFile1.txt";
DirectoryInfo f1 = new
DirectoryInfo(path);
DirectoryInfo f2 = new
DirectoryInfo(path1);
f1.MoveTo(path1);
{
Console.WriteLine("Directory has been Moved");
}
// Delete Method
string
path = @"D:\NewFile1.txt";
DirectoryInfo f1 = new
DirectoryInfo(path);
f1.Delete();
{
Console.WriteLine("Directory has been
deleted");
}
// GetDirectories method
try
{
DirectoryInfo di = new
DirectoryInfo(@"D:\newFile\");
DirectoryInfo[] dir1 = di.GetDirectories();
Console.WriteLine("The number of directories
containing is {0}.", dir1.Length);
}
catch
(Exception e)
{
Console.WriteLine("The process failed: {0}",
e.ToString());
}
// GetFiles method
DirectoryInfo di = new
DirectoryInfo(@"D:\newfile");
DirectoryInfo[] dirs = di.GetDirectories();
foreach
(DirectoryInfo diNext
in dirs)
{
Console.WriteLine("The number of files in {0}
is {1}", diNext,
diNext.GetFiles().Length);
}
}
}
}
The DirectoryInfo class provides the following properties that enable you to
retrieve information about a directory.
| S.No |
Property |
Description |
| 1 |
CreationTime |
This property returns the creation of
the directory date and time. |
| 2 |
Exists |
It returns whether the directory
exists or not as Boolean result. |
| 3 |
FullName |
It returns the full name of the file
from the root directory. |
| 4 |
Name |
It returns the name of the directory |
| 5 |
LastAccessTime |
It returns the date and time of the
last access time |
| 6 |
LastWriteTime |
It returns the last file saving date
and time |
| 7 |
Root |
Gets the root portion of a path. |
Figure 2 DirectoryInfo Properties
Property - Example
|
using
System;
using
System.Collections.Generic;
using
System.Linq;
using
System.Text;
using
System.IO;
namespace
directoryinfoproperty
{
class
Program
{
static void
Main(string[] args)
{
DirectoryInfo fi =
new
DirectoryInfo(@"D:\newfile");
Console.WriteLine("Directory
name is {0} ", fi.Name);
Console.WriteLine("Directory
creation time is {0} ", fi.CreationTime.ToLongTimeString());
Console.WriteLine("Directory
Lastaccesstime is {0} ", fi.LastAccessTime.ToLongDateString());
Console.WriteLine("Directory
exist is: ", fi.Exists);
Console.WriteLine("Directory
LastWriteTime is {0} ", fi.LastWriteTime);
Console.WriteLine("Directory
root is {0} ", fi.Root);
}
}
} |
Conclusion:
The DirectoryInfo class is very useful for working
with directories. If there is any mistake in this article then please notify me.
I expect your valuable comments and feedback about this article.