FileSystem.FindInFiles Method

Definition

Returns a read-only collection of strings representing the names of files containing the specified text.

Overloads

FindInFiles(String, String, Boolean, SearchOption)

Returns a read-only collection of strings representing the names of files containing the specified text.

FindInFiles(String, String, Boolean, SearchOption, String[])

Returns a read-only collection of strings representing the names of files containing the specified text.

FindInFiles(String, String, Boolean, SearchOption)

Source:
FileSystem.vb
Source:
FileSystem.vb
Source:
FileSystem.vb

Returns a read-only collection of strings representing the names of files containing the specified text.

C#
public static System.Collections.ObjectModel.ReadOnlyCollection<string> FindInFiles(string directory, string containsText, bool ignoreCase, Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.SearchOption searchType);

Parameters

directory
String

The directory to be searched.

containsText
String

The search text.

ignoreCase
Boolean

True if the search should be case-sensitive; otherwise False. Default is True.

searchType
SearchOption

Whether to include subfolders. Default is SearchOption.SearchTopLevelOnly.

Returns

Read-only collection of the names of files containing the specified text.

Exceptions

The path is not valid for one of the following reasons: it is a zero-length string; it contains only white space; it contains invalid characters; or it is a device path (starts with \.</code>).

directory is Nothing or an empty string.

The specified directory does not exist.

The specified directory points to an existing file.

The path exceeds the system-defined maximum length.

The specified directory path contains a colon (:) or is in an invalid format.

The user lacks necessary permissions to view the path.

The user lacks necessary permissions.

Examples

This example searches the directory C:\TestDir for any files containing the string "sample string" and displays the results in ListBox1.

VB
Dim list As System.Collections.ObjectModel.
  ReadOnlyCollection(Of String)
list = My.Computer.FileSystem.FindInFiles("C:\TestDir", 
 "sample string", True, FileIO.SearchOption.SearchTopLevelOnly)
For Each name In list
    ListBox1.Items.Add(name)
Next

In order to work, the project must contain a ListBox named ListBox1.

Remarks

An empty collection is returned if no files matching the specified pattern are found.

The following table lists an example of a task involving the My.Computer.FileSystem.FindInFiles method.

To See
Search a directory for files containing a specific string Walkthrough: Manipulating Files and Directories in Visual Basic

See also

Applies to

FindInFiles(String, String, Boolean, SearchOption, String[])

Source:
FileSystem.vb
Source:
FileSystem.vb
Source:
FileSystem.vb

Returns a read-only collection of strings representing the names of files containing the specified text.

C#
public static System.Collections.ObjectModel.ReadOnlyCollection<string> FindInFiles(string directory, string containsText, bool ignoreCase, Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.SearchOption searchType, params string[] fileWildcards);

Parameters

directory
String

The directory to be searched.

containsText
String

The search text.

ignoreCase
Boolean

True if the search should be case-sensitive; otherwise False. Default is True.

searchType
SearchOption

Whether to include subfolders. Default is SearchOption.SearchTopLevelOnly.

fileWildcards
String[]

Pattern to be matched.

Returns

Read-only collection of the names of files containing the specified text.

Exceptions

The path is not valid for one of the following reasons: it is a zero-length string; it contains only white space; it contains invalid characters; or it is a device path (starts with \.</code>).

directory is Nothing or an empty string.

The specified directory does not exist.

The specified directory points to an existing file.

The path exceeds the system-defined maximum length.

The specified directory path contains a colon (:) or is in an invalid format.

The user lacks necessary permissions to view the path.

The user lacks necessary permissions.

Examples

This example searches the directory C:\TestDir for any files containing the string "sample string" and displays the results in ListBox1.

VB
Dim list As System.Collections.ObjectModel.
  ReadOnlyCollection(Of String)
list = My.Computer.FileSystem.FindInFiles("C:\TestDir", 
 "sample string", True, FileIO.SearchOption.SearchTopLevelOnly)
For Each name In list
    ListBox1.Items.Add(name)
Next

In order to work, the project must contain a ListBox named ListBox1.

Remarks

An empty collection is returned if no files matching the specified pattern are found.

The following table lists an example of a task involving the My.Computer.FileSystem.FindInFiles method.

To See
Search a directory for files containing a specific string Walkthrough: Manipulating Files and Directories in Visual Basic

See also

Applies to