How to recursively search directories by using Visual Basic 2005 or Visual Basic .NET

Requirements

• Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 or Microsoft Visual Studio .NET

Directory recursion

using System.IO;

Dim directories() As String = Directory.GetDirectories("C:\")

Dim files() As String = Directory.GetFiles("C:\", "*.dll")

    Sub DirSearch(ByVal sDir As String)
        Dim d As String
        Dim f As String

        Try
            For Each d In Directory.GetDirectories(sDir)
                For Each f In Directory.GetFiles(d, txtFile.Text)
                    lstFilesFound.Items.Add(f)
                Next
                DirSearch(d)
            Next
        Catch excpt As System.Exception
            Debug.WriteLine(excpt.Message)
        End Try
    End Sub

Complete code sample

1. Start a new Microsoft Visual Basic 2005 or Microsoft Visual Basic .NET Windows Application project. By default, a form that is named Form1 is created.
2. On the View menu, click to display Solution Explorer.
3. In Solution Explorer, right-click Form1, and then click View Code.
4. In the Form1 code window, highlight and then delete all the existing code.
5. Paste the following code in the code window of the Form1 form.

   Imports System.IO
   
   Public Class Form1
       Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form
   
   #Region " Windows Form Designer generated code "
   
       Public Sub New()
           MyBase.New()
   
           'This call is required by the Windows Form Designer.
           InitializeComponent()
   
           'Add any initialization after the InitializeComponent() call.
   
       End Sub
   
       'Form overrides dispose to clean up the component list.
       Protected Overloads Overrides Sub Dispose(ByVal disposing As Boolean)
           If disposing Then
               If Not (components Is Nothing) Then
                   components.Dispose()
               End If
           End If
           MyBase.Dispose(disposing)
       End Sub
           Friend WithEvents cboDirectory As System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox
       Friend WithEvents txtFile As System.Windows.Forms.TextBox
       Friend WithEvents lstFilesFound As System.Windows.Forms.ListBox
       Friend WithEvents lblDirectory As System.Windows.Forms.Label
       Friend WithEvents lblFile As System.Windows.Forms.Label
       Friend WithEvents btnSearch As System.Windows.Forms.Button
           Private components As System.ComponentModel.IContainer
   
       'NOTE: The following procedure is required by the Windows Form Designer.
       'You can use the Windows Form Designer to modify it; however, do not
       'use the code editor to modify it.
       <System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThrough()> Private Sub InitializeComponent()
           Me.btnSearch = New System.Windows.Forms.Button()
           Me.lblFile = New System.Windows.Forms.Label()
           Me.cboDirectory = New System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox()
           Me.txtFile = New System.Windows.Forms.TextBox()
           Me.lstFilesFound = New System.Windows.Forms.ListBox()
           Me.lblDirectory = New System.Windows.Forms.Label()
           Me.SuspendLayout()
           '
           'btnSearch
           '
           Me.btnSearch.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(608, 248)
           Me.btnSearch.Name = "btnSearch"
           Me.btnSearch.TabIndex = 0
           Me.btnSearch.Text = "Search"
           '
           'lblFile
           '
           Me.lblFile.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(8, 16)
           Me.lblFile.Name = "lblFile"
           Me.lblFile.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(144, 16)
           Me.lblFile.TabIndex = 5
           Me.lblFile.Text = "Search for files containing:"
           '
           'cboDirectory
           '
           Me.cboDirectory.DropDownWidth = 112
           Me.cboDirectory.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(8, 128)
           Me.cboDirectory.Name = "cboDirectory"
           Me.cboDirectory.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(120, 21)
           Me.cboDirectory.TabIndex = 2
           Me.cboDirectory.Text = "ComboBox1"
           '
           'txtFile
           '
           Me.txtFile.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(8, 40)
           Me.txtFile.Name = "txtFile"
           Me.txtFile.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(120, 20)
           Me.txtFile.TabIndex = 4
           Me.txtFile.Text = "*.dll"
           '
           'lstFilesFound
           '
           Me.lstFilesFound.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(152, 8)
           Me.lstFilesFound.Name = "lstFilesFound"
           Me.lstFilesFound.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(528, 225)
           Me.lstFilesFound.TabIndex = 1
           '
           'lblDirectory
           '
           Me.lblDirectory.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(8, 96)
           Me.lblDirectory.Name = "lblDirectory"
           Me.lblDirectory.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(120, 23)
           Me.lblDirectory.TabIndex = 3
           Me.lblDirectory.Text = "Look In:"
           '
           'Form1
           '
           Me.AutoScaleBaseSize = New System.Drawing.Size(5, 13)
           Me.ClientSize = New System.Drawing.Size(688, 273)
           Me.Controls.AddRange(New System.Windows.Forms.Control() _
               {Me.lblFile, Me.txtFile, Me.lblDirectory, Me.cboDirectory, _
               Me.lstFilesFound, Me.btnSearch})
           Me.Name = "Form1"
           Me.Text = "Form1"
           Me.ResumeLayout(False)
   
       End Sub
   
   #End Region
   
       Private Sub btnSearch_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
               ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnSearch.Click
           lstFilesFound.Items.Clear()
           txtFile.Enabled = False
           cboDirectory.Enabled = False
           btnSearch.Text = "Searching..."
           Me.Cursor = Cursors.WaitCursor
           Application.DoEvents()
           DirSearch(cboDirectory.Text)
           btnSearch.Text = "Search"
           Me.Cursor = Cursors.Default
           txtFile.Enabled = True
           cboDirectory.Enabled = True
       End Sub
   
       Sub DirSearch(ByVal sDir As String)
           Dim d As String
           Dim f As String
   
           Try
               For Each d In Directory.GetDirectories(sDir)
                   For Each f In Directory.GetFiles(d, txtFile.Text)
                       lstFilesFound.Items.Add(f)
                   Next
                   DirSearch(d)
               Next
           Catch excpt As System.Exception
               Debug.WriteLine(excpt.Message)
           End Try
       End Sub
   
       Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
               ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
           Dim s As String
           cboDirectory.Items.Clear()
           For Each s In Directory.GetLogicalDrives()
               cboDirectory.Items.Add(s)
           Next
           cboDirectory.Text = "C:\"
       End Sub
   End Class
   

   Note You must change the code in Visual Basic 2005. By default, Visual Basic creates two files for the project when you create a Windows Forms project. If the form is named Form1, the two files that represent the form are named Form1.vb and Form1.Designer.vb. You write the code in the Form1.vb file. The Windows Forms Designer writes the code in the Form1.Designer.vb file. The Windows Forms Designer uses the partial keyword to divide the implementation of Form1 into two separate files. This behavior prevents the designer-generated code from being interspersed with your code.
   
   For more information about the new Visual Basic 2005 language enhancements, visit the following Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Web site:
   http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms379584(VS.80).aspx
   For more information about partial classes and the Windows Forms Designer, visit the following MSDN Web site:
   http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms171843.aspx
6. Press F5 to build and run the sample.