How to create directory using Swift code (NSFileManager)

Question

I'm having some trouble with converting Objective-C code to create a directory for Swift.

Objective-C:

    NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
    NSString *documentsDirectory = [paths objectAtIndex:0]; // Get documents folder
    NSString *dataPath = [documentsDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:@"/MyFolder"];

    if (![[NSFileManager defaultManager] fileExistsAtPath:dataPath])
    [[NSFileManager defaultManager] createDirectoryAtPath:dataPath withIntermediateDirectories:NO attributes:nil error:&error];

Show us what you tried in Swift, and what is that it's not working. — Danny S, Nov 14 '14 at 13:48
I think it is a bit rude to ask for what OP tried in Swift, because the question is clear enough as it is for anyone who is familiar with Swift and willing to help. — Totoro, Jun 20 '20 at 04:42

Kampai · Accepted Answer · 2021-04-14T06:24:03.537

Swift 5.0

let paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(.documentDirectory, .userDomainMask, true)
let documentsDirectory = paths[0]
let docURL = URL(string: documentsDirectory)!
let dataPath = docURL.appendingPathComponent("MyFolder")
if !FileManager.default.fileExists(atPath: dataPath.path) {
    do {
        try FileManager.default.createDirectory(atPath: dataPath.path, withIntermediateDirectories: true, attributes: nil)
    } catch {
        print(error.localizedDescription)
    }
}

Swift 4.0

let paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(FileManager.SearchPathDirectory.documentDirectory, FileManager.SearchPathDomainMask.userDomainMask, true)
let documentsDirectory: AnyObject = paths[0] as AnyObject
let dataPath = documentsDirectory.appendingPathComponent("MyFolder")!
    
do {
    try FileManager.default.createDirectory(atPath: dataPath.absoluteString, withIntermediateDirectories: false, attributes: nil)
} catch let error as NSError {
    print(error.localizedDescription)
}

Swift 3.0

let paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(FileManager.SearchPathDirectory.documentDirectory, FileManager.SearchPathDomainMask.userDomainMask, true)
let documentsDirectory: AnyObject = paths[0]
let dataPath = documentsDirectory.appendingPathComponent("MyFolder")!
        
do {
    try FileManager.default.createDirectory(atPath: dataPath.absoluteString, withIntermediateDirectories: false, attributes: nil)
} catch let error as NSError {
    print(error.localizedDescription)
}

Swift 2.1

You can create directory using below method:

let paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSSearchPathDirectory.DocumentDirectory, NSSearchPathDomainMask.UserDomainMask, true)
let documentsDirectory: AnyObject = paths[0]
let dataPath = documentsDirectory.stringByAppendingPathComponent("MyFolder")

do {
    try NSFileManager.defaultManager().createDirectoryAtPath(dataPath, withIntermediateDirectories: false, attributes: nil)
} catch let error as NSError {
    print(error.localizedDescription)
}

As of Swift 2: do { try fileManager.createDirectoryAtPath(outputPath, withIntermediateDirectories: false, attributes: nil) } catch let error as NSError { print(error.localizedDescription); } — Siamaster, Sep 23 '15 at 13:33
@Kampai Upvoted just because you implemented error checking/reporting. Kudos! — SafeFastExpressive, Nov 25 '20 at 20:48
let docURL = URL(fileURLWithPath: documentsDirectory) if you want to append a file into the path. replace 'string' with 'fileURLWithPath' or you get a URL scheme error. Otherwise, nice code, thank you. — johnrubythecat, Apr 12 '21 at 21:14

score 70 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 23 '16 at 02:53

70

None of @Kampai and @Crashalot's answers worked for me.

The .absoluteString makes a url with file:// prefix and it cause exception while creating directory. Instead I've used .path method.

The fixed code for Swift 3

let documentsDirectory = FileManager.default.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first!
let dataPath = documentsDirectory.appendingPathComponent("MyFolder")

do {
    try FileManager.default.createDirectory(atPath: dataPath.path, withIntermediateDirectories: true, attributes: nil)
} catch let error as NSError {
    print("Error creating directory: \(error.localizedDescription)")
}

answered Nov 23 '16 at 02:53

Mehdi Hosseinzadeh

1,160
11
25

4

Kudos to you, I've been trying to figure this out for a day! – Jack Mar 02 '17 at 18:01
2

Thanks, .path was the missing part for me – thacilima Jun 09 '17 at 15:07
While creaing folder, do we neeeed to check, whether folder exists or not ? – Arpit B Parekh Apr 11 '18 at 07:14
No, It's not needed because we send withIntermediateDirectories: true. If folder created/exists it will return true anyway. You can read more here: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/foundation/filemanager/1407884-createdirectory – Mehdi Hosseinzadeh Apr 11 '18 at 13:49

score 5 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 30 '16 at 21:42

The accepted answer no longer compiles as the line with appendingPathComponent generates an error.

Here's a Swift 3 version that compiles:

fileprivate func createDir(dirName: String) {
    let documentsDirectory = FileManager.default.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask)[0]
    let dataPath = documentsDirectory.appendingPathComponent(dirName)

    do {
        try FileManager.default.createDirectory(atPath: dataPath.absoluteString, withIntermediateDirectories: false, attributes: nil)
    } catch let error as NSError {
        printError("Error creating directory: \(error.localizedDescription)")
    }
}

I did try this on an iPhone but i could not find the created folder in the device. Have updated the device to iOS 11, which has the files App. — Suhail Parvez, Feb 05 '18 at 16:31

score 4 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 30 '18 at 07:23

Swift 4 :

NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains returns an array of strings, not URLs.

appendingPathComponent to string makes app crash with the message -[NSPathStore2 URLByAppendingPathComponent:]: unrecognized selector sent to instance

Here's a Swift 4 version that compiles:

    let paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(FileManager.SearchPathDirectory.documentDirectory, FileManager.SearchPathDomainMask.userDomainMask, true)
    if let pathURL = URL.init(string: paths[0]) {
        let dataURL = pathURL.appendingPathComponent("MyFolder")
        do {
            try FileManager.default.createDirectory(atPath: dataURL.absoluteString, withIntermediateDirectories: true, attributes: nil)
        } catch let error as NSError {
            print(error.localizedDescription);
        }
    }
    else {
        print("Error in getting path URL");
    }

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 11 '17 at 18:37

Simpler solution:

"~/Desktop/demo".expand.createDir()//Now you have a folder named demo on your desk

extension String{
    func createDir(_ path:String){
        do {
            try FileManager.default.createDirectory(atPath: path, withIntermediateDirectories: true, attributes: nil)
        } catch let error as NSError {
            NSLog("Unable to create directory \(error.debugDescription)")
        }
    }
    var expand:String {return NSString(string: self).expandingTildeInPath}
}

score 1 · Answer 6 · answered Dec 17 '17 at 17:36

Swift 4

// DB Directory and Path
lazy var applicationDocumentsDirectory: URL = {

    let urls = FileManager.default.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask)
    let documentDirectoryURL = urls[urls.count - 1] as URL
    let dbDirectoryURL = documentDirectoryURL.appendingPathComponent("DB")

    if FileManager.default.fileExists(atPath: dbDirectoryURL.path) == false{
        do{
            try FileManager.default.createDirectory(at: dbDirectoryURL, withIntermediateDirectories: false, attributes: nil)
        }catch{
        }
    }
    return dbDirectoryURL
}()

score 1 · Answer 7 · answered Sep 24 '19 at 07:16

Swift 5

guard let path = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(FileManager.SearchPathDirectory.documentDirectory, FileManager.SearchPathDomainMask.userDomainMask, true).first else { return }
    if let pathURL = URL.init(string: path) {
        let dataURL = pathURL.appendingPathComponent("MyFolderName")
        do {
            try FileManager.default.createDirectory(atPath: dataURL.absoluteString, withIntermediateDirectories: true, attributes: nil)
        } catch let error as NSError {
            print(error.localizedDescription);
        }
    }
    else {
        print("Error in URL path");
    }

bona912 · Answer 8 · 2018-03-30T02:34:13.783

0

For Other developers, Im gonna leave this here as it may help someone like me looking for a way to figure out where the folder is being created.

let paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(.DocumentDirectory, .UserDomainMask, true) as NSArray
let documentsDir = paths.firstObject as String
println("Path to the Documents directory\n\(documentsDir)")

edited Mar 30 '18 at 02:34

answered Mar 30 '18 at 01:53

bona912

589
2
6
14

score 0 · Answer 9 · answered May 10 '22 at 09:02

(lldb) p path.absoluteString
(String) $R23 = "file:///Users/vincent/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/4778E487-D1AD-41E7-9B91-18E08A400DEA/data/Containers/Data/Application/286AF87C-1134-4308-9656-DEE8F9FF046E/Documents/tide/927EBC30-EAD1-44BA-80B2-FD3D0A66E9DE"
(lldb) p path.path
(String) $R25 = "/Users/vincent/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/4778E487-D1AD-41E7-9B91-18E08A400DEA/data/Containers/Data/Application/286AF87C-1134-4308-9656-DEE8F9FF046E/Documents/tide/927EBC30-EAD1-44BA-80B2-FD3D0A66E9DE"
(lldb)

so if you receive

Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=642 "You can’t save the file “927EBC30-EAD1-44BA-80B2-FD3D0A66E9DE” because the volume is read only." UserInfo={NSFilePath=file:///Users/vincent/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/4778E487-D1AD-41E7-9B91-18E08A400DEA/data/Containers/Data/Application/286AF87C-1134-4308-9656-DEE8F9FF046E/Documents/tide/927EBC30-EAD1-44BA-80B2-FD3D0A66E9DE, NSUnderlyingError=0x6000009cccf0 {Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=30 "Read-only file system"}}

you need

path.absoluteString => path.path

As it’s currently written, your answer is unclear. Please [edit] to add additional details that will help others understand how this addresses the question asked. You can find more information on how to write good answers [in the help center](/help/how-to-answer). — Community, May 10 '22 at 17:46

How to create directory using Swift code (NSFileManager)

9 Answers9

Simpler solution:

Swift 5

Linked