FileSystemWatcher Class - Excluding Directories

Question

I am currently trying to exclude directories with the FileSystemWatcher class, although I have used this:

FileWatcher.Filter = "C:\\$Recycle.Bin";

and

FileWatcher.Filter = "$Recycle.Bin";

It compiles ok, but no results are shown when I try this.

If I take the filter out, all files load fine, code is below:

 static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            string DirPath = "C:\\";

            FileSystemWatcher FileWatcher = new FileSystemWatcher(DirPath);
            FileWatcher.IncludeSubdirectories = true;
            FileWatcher.Filter = "*.exe";
          // FileWatcher.Filter = "C:\\$Recycle.Bin";
          //  FileWatcher.Changed += new FileSystemEventHandler(FileWatcher_Changed);
            FileWatcher.Created += new FileSystemEventHandler(FileWatcher_Created);
          //  FileWatcher.Deleted += new FileSystemEventHandler(FileWatcher_Deleted);
          //  FileWatcher.Renamed += new RenamedEventHandler(FileWatcher_Renamed);
            FileWatcher.EnableRaisingEvents = true;

            Console.ReadKey();
        }

You can exclude files and directories from logging or triggering alerts read out https://medium.com/@srivishnu.k90/powershell-script-to-monitor-file-and-folder-changes-with-email-alert-5276eddb93a9 — srivishnu, Mar 18 '20 at 05:02

score 12 · Accepted Answer · answered May 19 '11 at 22:19

12

You probably haven't read http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.io.filesystemwatcher.filter.aspx. You cannot exclude anything with Filter property. It only includes objects matching filter.

If you want exclude something, do it in events fired by FSW.

answered May 19 '11 at 22:19

Tomas Voracek

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1

Crazy stuff, actualy I had, I was just wondering if there was an alternate root, thanks for your help though! :) – Ken May 19 '11 at 22:24

score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 10 '17 at 16:13

Determine if the file is a directory in your event handler, and do nothing then:

private void WatcherOnCreated(object sender, FileSystemEventArgs fileSystemEventArgs)
{
    if (File.GetAttributes(fileSystemEventArgs.FullPath).HasFlag(FileAttributes.Directory))
        return; //ignore directories, only process files

    //TODO: Your code handling files...
}

FileSystemWatcher Class - Excluding Directories

2 Answers2