Scanning files in C++ using its own standard libraries

Question

I want to know, or get a clue how to search through a directory in C++ with its own standard libraries or to see if it is possible at all.

Currently I have found several solution to searching directory, but they all use some external libraries such as this SO question:

recursive folder scanning in c++

How should we approach this?

You are only going to find platform specific solutions - or boost, I reckon. There are some C++14 filesystem things in the pipes though: http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg21/docs/papers/2013/n3505.html — doctorlove, Aug 26 '14 at 10:08
Treat boost as a kind of standard, then you have Boost.Filesystem :) — Mine, Aug 26 '14 at 10:10

eerorika · Accepted Answer · 2014-08-26T11:27:02.147

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There is no filesystem facilities in the C++ standard. There is a technical specification for it which may be included in a future version of C++.

Until then, you will have to use platform specific functions or a library that wraps them. Apparently the new proposal is almost the same as boost's API, so I recommend using boost even if it's ubiquitousness wasn't good enough reason already.

edited Aug 26 '14 at 11:27

answered Aug 26 '14 at 10:09

eerorika

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Does this differ from what I just said in the comments? – doctorlove Aug 26 '14 at 10:10
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@doctorlove: You put an answer in a comment, and now you're complaining about someone making an answer? – Benjamin Lindley Aug 26 '14 at 10:12
Do you mean we should use WinAPI? – Mostafa Talebi Aug 26 '14 at 10:27
I think it would be best to elaborate on your answer and give more details, though I got the point – Mostafa Talebi Aug 26 '14 at 10:28
@MostafaTalebi If you are convinced that no one will ever want to port your code to another platform, using WinAPI is fine I suppose. I've never used it myself so I can't say how it compares to boost. I just added a recommendation of boost slightly before your comment. Is there any detail still missing? – eerorika Aug 26 '14 at 10:37
Anyway I got the point of writing wrappers if one wants to keep hold of its application memory manipulation. Thanks – Mostafa Talebi Aug 26 '14 at 10:53

Scanning files in C++ using its own standard libraries

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