The following example the fastest (not parallelized) way list files and sub-folders in a directory tree handling exceptions. It would be faster to use Directory.EnumerateDirectories using SearchOption.AllDirectories to enumerate all directories, but this method will fail if hits a UnauthorizedAccessException or PathTooLongException.
Uses the generic Stack collection type, which is a last in first out (LIFO) stack and does not use recursion. From https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb513869.aspx, allows you to enumerate all sub-directories and files and deal effectively with those exceptions.
public class StackBasedIteration
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
// Specify the starting folder on the command line, or in
// Visual Studio in the Project > Properties > Debug pane.
TraverseTree(args[0]);
Console.WriteLine("Press any key");
Console.ReadKey();
}
public static void TraverseTree(string root)
{
// Data structure to hold names of subfolders to be
// examined for files.
Stack<string> dirs = new Stack<string>(20);
if (!System.IO.Directory.Exists(root))
{
throw new ArgumentException();
}
dirs.Push(root);
while (dirs.Count > 0)
{
string currentDir = dirs.Pop();
string[] subDirs;
try
{
subDirs = System.IO.Directory.EnumerateDirectories(currentDir); //TopDirectoryOnly
}
// An UnauthorizedAccessException exception will be thrown if we do not have
// discovery permission on a folder or file. It may or may not be acceptable
// to ignore the exception and continue enumerating the remaining files and
// folders. It is also possible (but unlikely) that a DirectoryNotFound exception
// will be raised. This will happen if currentDir has been deleted by
// another application or thread after our call to Directory.Exists. The
// choice of which exceptions to catch depends entirely on the specific task
// you are intending to perform and also on how much you know with certainty
// about the systems on which this code will run.
catch (UnauthorizedAccessException e)
{
Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
continue;
}
catch (System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException e)
{
Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
continue;
}
string[] files = null;
try
{
files = System.IO.Directory.EnumerateFiles(currentDir);
}
catch (UnauthorizedAccessException e)
{
Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
continue;
}
catch (System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException e)
{
Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
continue;
}
// Perform the required action on each file here.
// Modify this block to perform your required task.
foreach (string file in files)
{
try
{
// Perform whatever action is required in your scenario.
System.IO.FileInfo fi = new System.IO.FileInfo(file);
Console.WriteLine("{0}: {1}, {2}", fi.Name, fi.Length, fi.CreationTime);
}
catch (System.IO.FileNotFoundException e)
{
// If file was deleted by a separate application
// or thread since the call to TraverseTree()
// then just continue.
Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
continue;
}
catch (UnauthorizedAccessException e)
{
Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
continue;
}
}
// Push the subdirectories onto the stack for traversal.
// This could also be done before handing the files.
foreach (string str in subDirs)
dirs.Push(str);
}
}
}