C# get file paths of just files with no extensions

Question

I am wanting to get a string array of paths of files that do not have extensions. They are binary files with no extensions if that helps.

For example, I am loading a group of file paths out of a folder /test/

I want just the path and filenames that do not have a extension (so no .txt, no .csv, no .*)

/test/dontWant.txt

/test/dontWant.csv

/test/doWant

if i do:

String[] paths = Directory.GetFiles(fDir, "*.*", SearchOption.AllDirectories);

I of course get everything in those directories.

if I then try:

String[] paths= Directory.GetFiles(fDir, "*", SearchOption.AllDirectories);

I will still get everything in that directory.

Is there a way to just get the files of those that have no extension?

using "*." did work, and I don't know why I didn't try that to start with.

I should have been using EnumerateFiles to start with.

try `String[] paths = Directory.GetFiles(fDir, "*.", SearchOption.AllDirectories);` — Grundy, Jun 05 '14 at 16:59
@Grundy Nope. That'd be any file name ending with a dot. I don't know of any file like that! — tnw, Jun 05 '14 at 17:00
@yep, it works :-), because file without extension have name "name." — Grundy, Jun 05 '14 at 17:13
@Grundy Interesting, I honestly did not expect that to work. Just tried it myself and it does. Cool — tnw, Jun 05 '14 at 17:15
A pattern of 'star dot' as above passed to Directory.GetFiles seems to match files without extensions but also files with no names and ONLY extensions. I am seeing this in .NET 3.5. Anybody else seeing behavior like this? Any ideas on why this is happening? — Mick Bruno, Jun 24 '17 at 21:51
EnumerateFiles is not good if you create directory during the process. — jw_, Feb 06 '20 at 08:42

Grundy · Answer 1 · 2014-06-05T17:18:40.003

23

You can try with this wildcard

String[] paths = Directory.GetFiles(fDir, "*.", SearchOption.AllDirectories);

also you can use this wildcard with Directory.EnumerateFiles

Directory.EnumerateFiles(fDir, "*.", SearchOption.AllDirectories);

edited Jun 05 '14 at 17:18

answered Jun 05 '14 at 17:11

Grundy

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Although accepted answer works nice, but I prefer this solution because it's more readable and also less code used in – ABS Feb 26 '23 at 09:10

alex.b · Accepted Answer · 2014-06-05T17:12:46.850

12

This will help:

var filesWithoutExtension = System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(@"D:\temp\").Where(filPath => String.IsNullOrEmpty(System.IO.Path.GetExtension(filPath)));
foreach(string path in filesWithoutExtension)
{
    Console.WriteLine(path);
}

It will return all the files w/o extension only in specified dir. If you want to include all the sub-directories you'd have to use: System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(@"D:\temp\", "*", SearchOption.AllDirectories).

UPDATE
As guys suggested, it's better to use Directory.EnumerateFiles because it consumes less ram.

edited Jun 05 '14 at 17:12

answered Jun 05 '14 at 17:02

alex.b

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This code works like a boss. Just tested it in a console app. – Shiva Jun 05 '14 at 17:09
EnumerateFiles is not good if you create directory during the process. – jw_ Feb 06 '20 at 08:42

score 9 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 05 '14 at 17:05

9

You will need to do a 2nd pass filter on it.

//If you are using .NET 3.5 you can still use GetFiles, EnumerateFiles will just use less ram.
String[] paths = Directory.EnumerateFiles(fDir, "*.*", SearchOption.AllDirectories)
                          .Where(file => Path.GetFileName(file) == Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(file))
                          .ToArray();

So what this does is it passes your file path to GetFileName and GetFileNameWithoutExtension, if both of those return the same string it then includes the result in the array.

answered Jun 05 '14 at 17:05

Scott Chamberlain

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+1 for `Directory.EnumerateFiles` and using less ram. – alex.b Jun 05 '14 at 17:10
EnumerateFiles is not good if you create directory during the process. – jw_ Feb 06 '20 at 08:42

score 3 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 05 '14 at 17:06

3

As an alternative to aleksey.berezan's answer, you can do the following in .NET 4+. EnumerateFiles will return files as they are traversed in the directory tree.

foreach(var file in Directory.EnumerateFiles(fDir, "*.*", SearchOption.AllDirectories).Where(s => string.IsNullOrEmpty(Path.GetExtension(s))))
{

}

answered Jun 05 '14 at 17:06

Jason Allen

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EnumerateFiles is not good if you create directory during the process. – jw_ Feb 06 '20 at 08:42

C# get file paths of just files with no extensions

4 Answers4