Recursive file/folder search - training exercise

[soblome83]

I am new to the world of AutoIT and trying to get up to speed.  I am currently stuck on this exercise.

Recursive File Search:

 

Allow the user to specify a folder location to search for all files or folders

that contain a set of characters that they specify. Develop an easy-to-use way for the user to 

specify more than once search criteria, and also more than one search folder, and an effective method for outputting the results.

 

I have written the following which will return the contents of the initial folder and contents of the folders inside that folder but I am not sure how to proceed.

 

At some point in no longer returned the folder names in the array it creates, not sure where I went wrong.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

expandcollapse popup

#NoTrayIcon
#include <Array.au3>

Global $aSearch1[1], $i, $found

$SearchFold = InputBox("", "Input the folder you want to search","C:\blablabla")
$SearchString = InputBox("", "Input value you want to search for", "*.*")
;~ $SearchString = "*" & $SearchString & "*"

_FileSearch( $SearchFold, $SearchString )

_ArrayDisplay( $aSearch1, "Search Results" )

$i = 0

Func _FileSearch( $startfold, $searchval )   ; declares function

FileChangeDir($startfold)      ; changes the working directory,  directory is being searched
    
$search = FileFindFirstFile( $searchval ) 

If $search = -1 Then                       ; Check if the search was successful
    MsgBox(0, "Error", "No files/directories matched the search pattern")
    Exit
EndIf

While 1
    $file = FileFindNextFile( $search ) 
    If @error Then ExitLoop
    $found = $startfold & "\" & $file   

    $dirchk = StringInStr(FileGetAttrib($found), "D" ) ;directory check
        Select
            Case  $dirchk > 0
                _FileSearch( $found, $searchval ) ;recurse if directory found
            Case $dirchk = 0
                $found = $startfold & "\" & $file   ;return $found if not a directory
        EndSelect

    $aSearch1[$i] = $found  ;write found to the array
    $i = $i + 1               ;increase the value of $i
    ReDim $aSearch1[$i +1]    ;redim the array
WEnd

ReDim $aSearch1[UBound( $aSearch1 ) -1]  ;trim the array

$i = UBound($aSearch1) -1

FileClose($search)   ; Close the search handle
EndFunc

 

 

[JLogan3o13]

I would personally check out Melba's RecFileListToArray, read all the files and folders into the array, and then present only those that match your query value.

http://www.autoitscript.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=126198

[spudw2k]

I'm a big fan of _FilelistToArray.  Here's is how I have used it recursively.

#include <File.au3>

$outputfile = "output.txt"
$rootdir = @ScriptDir
FileOpen($outputfile,2)
_SearchFolder($rootdir)
FileClose($outputfile)

Func _SearchFolder($folder,$filter="*")
    $files = _FileListToArray($folder,$filter,1)
    $folders = _FileListToArray($folder,$filter,2)
    _FileFunc($files,$folder)
    _FolderFunc($folders,$folder)
EndFunc

Func _FileFunc($files,$folder)
    For $i = 1 To UBound($files)-1
        FileWrite($outputfile, $folder & "\" & $files[$i] & @CRLF)
    Next
EndFunc

Func _FolderFunc($folders,$parentdir)
    For $i = 1 To UBound($folders)-1
        _SearchFolder($parentdir & "\" & $folders[$i])
    Next    
EndFunc

Melba's UDF is also very good and well written.

Just wanted to give you another example.  I agree that exercises can be fun and useful, but sometimes reinventing the wheel isn't worth the time and effort.

[DXRW4E]

>_FileListToArrayEx

Ciao.

[soblome83]

Thanks for the help/input everyone, although I understand reinventing the wheel isn't usually worth it, in this case it has helped me to gain a better understanding of autoit, which was what was intended when I was assigned this training exercise.

[spudw2k]

...in this case it has helped me to gain a better understanding of autoit, which was what was intended when I was assigned this training exercise.

Well done

[guinness]

Learning is great! It's when people say things such as "I don't like using other peoples UDFs, so I want to create my own" is when you're re-inventing the wheel.