c# file\directory check

Question

Hi,
I need to determine if passed in value of path is for file or directory and then determine if it exist or not.
Example value:
Pattern 1 - c:\ParentFolder\ChildFolder\
Pattern 2 - C:\ParentFolder\ChildFolder\Houston_. (Houston_ClearLake_1.pdf, Houston_ClearLake_2.pdf, Houston_Katy_1)
Pattern 3 - C:\ParentFolder\ChildFolder\Houston_ClearLake*.*

This pattern will be sent as string to webservice to check

1. if it is folder or file
2. If this folder\file exist or not
   the function or method should return type(folder or file) and exist as boolean. So, result set should be
   2 columns : 1 for file or folder value and 2nd will be whether it exist or not

How can I do this in c#

Thank You

Answer 1

@Spunny , Welcome to Microsoft Q&A, based on your description, you want to make some checking and then return the correspond result.

I make a code example and you could have a look.

 internal class Program  
    {  
        static void Main(string[] args)  
        {  
            string path1 = "C:\\Temp\\test.txt;  
            string path2 = "C:\\ParentFolder\\ChildFolder";  
            Checkpath check1 = GetInfo(path1);  
            Checkpath check2 = GetInfo(path2);  
  
  
        }  
        static Checkpath GetInfo(string path)  
        {  
            Checkpath checkpath = new Checkpath();  
            try  
            {  
                FileAttributes attr = File.GetAttributes(path);  
  
                //detect whether its a directory or file  
                if ((attr & FileAttributes.Directory) == FileAttributes.Directory)  
                    checkpath.type = Filetype.Dir;  
                else  
                    checkpath.type = Filetype.File;  
                checkpath.Ifexists= true;  
            }  
            catch  
            {  
                bool t = Path.HasExtension(path);  
                if (t)  
                {  
                    checkpath.type = Filetype.File;  
                }  
                else  
                {  
                    checkpath.type = Filetype.Dir;  
                }  
  
                checkpath.Ifexists = false;   
            }  
            return checkpath;  
        }  
    }  
    public class Checkpath  
    {  
        public bool Ifexists { get; set; }  
  
        public Filetype type { get; set; }  
    }  
  
    public enum Filetype  
    {  
        File = 0,  
        Dir=1  
    }  

Note: I also agree with Viorel-1's advice, the above works in most cases but not in special cases.

Hope my code could help you.

Best Regards,
Jack

Answer 2

I did following way and it works with all.

// following options I tried
//1. I created only ParentFolder and NOT childFolder directory. Then passed @"C:\ParentFolder\ChildFolder\" as value - worked returned as Folder, not exist and path
// 2. Created sub folder under ParentFolder. Then passed @"C:\ParentFolder\ChildFolder\" as value - worked returned as Folder, true (exist) and path
// 3. Passed for file type check and existence of it.

string path = @"C:\ParentFolder\ChildFolder\";
//string path = @"C:\ParentFolder\ChildFolder\test*.*";
//string path = @"C:\ParentFolder\ChildFolder\test.txt";

bool isFolder = System.IO.Path.GetExtension(path) == "";

string[]? files = null;

//not a folder, then check for file or files
if (!isFolder)
{
string directory = path.Substring(0, (path.LastIndexOf("\")) + 1);
string extension = path.Substring((path.LastIndexOf("\") + 1));
files = Directory.GetFiles(directory, extension);
}

// folder or file type

pragma warning disable CS8602 // Dereference of a possibly null reference.

Console.WriteLine (isFolder ? "folder" : files.Length > 1 ? "files" : "file");

pragma warning restore CS8602 // Dereference of a possibly null reference.

// directory or file exist or not
Console.WriteLine((isFolder && Directory.Exists(path) ? true : false) || (!isFolder && files.Length > 0 ? true : false));
//passed in path parameter value
Console.WriteLine(path);

Thank you

Answer 3

Try the following

public class Helpers  
{  
    public static (bool isFolder, bool success) IsFileOrFolder(string path)  
    {  
        try  
        {  
            var attr = File.GetAttributes(path);  
            return attr.HasFlag(FileAttributes.Directory) ? (true, true)! : (false, true)!;  
        }  
        catch (FileNotFoundException)  
        {  
            return (false, false);  
        }  
    }  
}  

Usage

var (isFolder, success) = Helpers.IsFileOrFolder("Place what to check here");