I am new to programming and I have a problem. I need to check whether a file is a directory or not, if yes need to do the following :
check whether it has contents. Contents can be sub-directories or just files.
need to do the check recursively for every file inside the parent directory
copy each directory and file to another location, preserving the directory structure.
Also need to copy the database entries corresponding to every file/directory to another table
along with the actual files
The process a java.io.File.isDirectory() alters the checking process whether a file with given a specified path name might be a directory or not.
Simply the code returns true if the file is specified by the path name is a directory and false in the opposite case.
import java.io.File;
public class Demo {
public static void main(String[] args) {
try {
File file = new File("demo1.txt");
file.createNewFile();
System.out.println("Is directory? " + file.isDirectory());
} catch(Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
}
output: Is directory? false
let's see how the code is working: a small snippet that mimics the about the code is written down.
try {
File file = new File("demo1.txt");
file.createNewFile();
System.out.println("Is directory? " + file.isDirectory());
} catch(Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
How do I create Directory/folder?
Once I have tested System.getProperty("user.home");
I have to create a directory (directory name "new folder" ) if and only if new folder does not exist.
new File("/path/directory").mkdirs();
Here "directory" is the name of the directory you want to create/exist.
After ~7 year, I will update it to better approach which is suggested by Bozho.
File theDir = new File("/path/directory");
if (!theDir.exists()){
theDir.mkdirs();
}
With Java 7, you can use Files.createDirectories().
For instance:
Files.createDirectories(Paths.get("/path/to/directory"));
You can try FileUtils#forceMkdir
FileUtils.forceMkdir("/path/directory");
This library have a lot of useful functions.
mkdir vs mkdirs
If you want to create a single directory use mkdir
new File("/path/directory").mkdir();
If you want to create a hierarchy of folder structure use mkdirs
new File("/path/directory").mkdirs();
Create a single directory.
new File("C:\\Directory1").mkdir();
Create a directory named “Directory2 and all its sub-directories “Sub2″ and “Sub-Sub2″ together.
new File("C:\\Directory2\\Sub2\\Sub-Sub2").mkdirs()
Source: this perfect tutorial , you find also an example of use.
For java 7 and up:
Path path = Paths.get("/your/path/string");
Files.createDirectories(path);
It seems unnecessary to check for existence of the dir or file before creating, from createDirectories javadocs:
Creates a directory by creating all nonexistent parent directories first. Unlike the createDirectory method, an exception is not thrown if the directory could not be created because it already exists.
The attrs parameter is optional file-attributes to set atomically when creating the nonexistent directories. Each file attribute is identified by its name. If more than one attribute of the same name is included in the array then all but the last occurrence is ignored.
If this method fails, then it may do so after creating some, but not all, of the parent directories.
The following method should do what you want, just make sure you are checking the return value of mkdir() / mkdirs()
private void createUserDir(final String dirName) throws IOException {
final File homeDir = new File(System.getProperty("user.home"));
final File dir = new File(homeDir, dirName);
if (!dir.exists() && !dir.mkdirs()) {
throw new IOException("Unable to create " + dir.getAbsolutePath();
}
}
Neat and clean:
import java.io.File;
public class RevCreateDirectory {
public void revCreateDirectory() {
//To create single directory/folder
File file = new File("D:\\Directory1");
if (!file.exists()) {
if (file.mkdir()) {
System.out.println("Directory is created!");
} else {
System.out.println("Failed to create directory!");
}
}
//To create multiple directories/folders
File files = new File("D:\\Directory2\\Sub2\\Sub-Sub2");
if (!files.exists()) {
if (files.mkdirs()) {
System.out.println("Multiple directories are created!");
} else {
System.out.println("Failed to create multiple directories!");
}
}
}
}
Though this question has been answered. I would like to put something extra, i.e.
if there is a file exist with the directory name that you are trying to create than it should prompt an error. For future visitors.
public static void makeDir()
{
File directory = new File(" dirname ");
if (directory.exists() && directory.isFile())
{
System.out.println("The dir with name could not be" +
" created as it is a normal file");
}
else
{
try
{
if (!directory.exists())
{
directory.mkdir();
}
String username = System.getProperty("user.name");
String filename = " path/" + username + ".txt"; //extension if you need one
}
catch (IOException e)
{
System.out.println("prompt for error");
}
}
}
Just wanted to point out to everyone calling File.mkdir() or File.mkdirs() to be careful the File object is a directory and not a file. For example if you call mkdirs() for the path /dir1/dir2/file.txt, it will create a folder with the name file.txt which is probably not what you wanted. If you are creating a new file and also want to automatically create parent folders you can do something like this:
File file = new File(filePath);
if (file.getParentFile() != null) {
file.getParentFile().mkdirs();
}
This the way work for me do one single directory or more or them:
need to import java.io.File;
/*enter the code below to add a diectory dir1 or check if exist dir1, if does not, so create it and same with dir2 and dir3 */
File filed = new File("C:\\dir1");
if(!filed.exists()){ if(filed.mkdir()){ System.out.println("directory is created"); }} else{ System.out.println("directory exist"); }
File filel = new File("C:\\dir1\\dir2");
if(!filel.exists()){ if(filel.mkdir()){ System.out.println("directory is created"); }} else{ System.out.println("directory exist"); }
File filet = new File("C:\\dir1\\dir2\\dir3");
if(!filet.exists()){ if(filet.mkdir()){ System.out.println("directory is created"); }} else{ System.out.println("directory exist"); }
if you want to be sure its created then this:
final String path = "target/logs/";
final File logsDir = new File(path);
final boolean logsDirCreated = logsDir.mkdir();
if (!logsDirCreated) {
final boolean logsDirExists = logsDir.exists();
assertThat(logsDirExists).isTrue();
}
beacuse mkDir() returns a boolean, and findbugs will cry for it if you dont use the variable. Also its not nice...
mkDir() returns only true if mkDir() creates it.
If the dir exists, it returns false, so to verify the dir you created, only call exists() if mkDir() return false.
assertThat() will checks the result and fails if exists() returns false. ofc you can use other things to handle the uncreated directory.
This function allows you to create a directory on the user home directory.
private static void createDirectory(final String directoryName) {
final File homeDirectory = new File(System.getProperty("user.home"));
final File newDirectory = new File(homeDirectory, directoryName);
if(!newDirectory.exists()) {
boolean result = newDirectory.mkdir();
if(result) {
System.out.println("The directory is created !");
}
} else {
System.out.println("The directory already exist");
}
}
Here is one attractiveness of the java, using Short Circuit OR '||', testing of the directory's existence along with making the directory for you
public File checkAndMakeTheDirectory() {
File theDirectory = new File("/path/directory");
if (theDirectory.exists() || theDirectory.mkdirs())
System.out.println("The folder has been created or has been already there");
return theDirectory;
}
if the first part of the if is true it does not run the second part and if the first part is false it runs the second part as well
public class Test1 {
public static void main(String[] args)
{
String path = System.getProperty("user.home");
File dir=new File(path+"/new folder");
if(dir.exists()){
System.out.println("A folder with name 'new folder' is already exist in the path "+path);
}else{
dir.mkdir();
}
}
}
I have following pieces of code:
if (e.getSource() == theView.addButton) {
System.out.println("Add Button clicked");
theView.setBotTextArea("Adding category...");
File directory = new File(theModel.getDirectory() + theView.getCategoryNameInput());
boolean isDirectoryCreated = directory.mkdir();
if(isDirectoryCreated) {
System.out.println("Created new directory in: " + directory);
} else if (directory.exists()) {
System.out.println("Category already exists!");
}
}
This is part of the ActionListener's ActionPerformed() method.
private File directory = new File("C:/Users/Lotix/Desktop/TestFolder/");
public File getDirectory() {
return directory;
}
What i expect this method to do is to create a subfolder in the chosen directory. However, for some reason unknown to me, it creates completly another folder on my desktop instead of TestFolder.
I tried theModel.getDirectory().toString() and manipulating the variable but to no avail. The solution i came up with is to simply add forward slash between
theModel.getDirectory() and theView.getCategoryNameInput() such as this:
File directory = new File(theModel.getDirectory() + "/" + theView.getCategoryNameInput());
However, when i concatenate File variable with another String it works perfectly fine.
What gives?
Any file you create in your own Desktop directory appears on your desktop. That's what the folder is for.
This doesnt have anything to do with 'interaction with String and File', or Java.
I don't understand how to use TextIO's readFile(String Filename)
Can someone please explain how can I read an external file?
public static void readFile(String fileName) {
if (fileName == null) // Go back to reading standard input
readStandardInput();
else {
BufferedReader newin;
try {
newin = new BufferedReader( new FileReader(fileName) );
}
catch (Exception e) {
throw new IllegalArgumentException("Can't open file \"" + fileName + "\" for input.\n"
+ "(Error :" + e + ")");
}
if (! readingStandardInput) { // close current input stream
try {
in.close();
}
catch (Exception e) {
}
}
emptyBuffer(); // Added November 2007
in = newin;
readingStandardInput = false;
inputErrorCount = 0;
inputFileName = fileName;
}
}
I had to use TextIO for a school assignment and I got stuck on it too. The problem I had was that using the Scanner class I could just pass the name of the file as long as the file was in the same folder as my class.
Scanner fileScanner = new Scanner("data.txt");
That works fine. But with TextIO, this won't work;
TextIO.readfile("data.txt"); // can't find file
You have to include the path to the file like this;
TextIo.readfile("src/package/data.txt");
Not sure if there is a way to get it to work like the Scanner class or not, but this is what I've been doing in my course at school.
The above answer (about using the correct file name) is correct, however, as a clarification, make sure that you actually use the proper file path. The file path suggested above, i.e. src/package/ will not work in all circumstances. While this will be obvious to some, for those of you who need clarification, keep reading.
For example (and I use NetBeans), if you have already moved the file into NetBeans, and the file is already in the folder you want it to be in, then right click on the folder itself, and click 'properties'. Then expand the 'file path' section by clicking on the three dots next to the hidden file path. You will see the actual file path in its entirety.
For example, if the entire file path is:
C:\Users..\NetBeansProjects\IceCream\src\icecream\icecream.dat
Then, in the java code file itself, you can write:
TextIo.readfile("src/icecream/icecream.dat");
In other words, make sure you include the words 'src' but also everything that follows the src as well. If it's in the same folder as the rest of the files, you won't need anything prior to the 'src'.
i am trying to create a text file in a folder (called AMCData). The file is called "File" (for the sake of this example).
I have tried using this code:
public static void OpenFile(String filename)
{
try
{
f = new Formatter("AMCData/" + filename + ".txt");
}
catch(Exception e)
{
System.out.println("error present");
}
}
But before i get the chance to even place any text in it, the catch keeps being triggered..
Could anyone inform me why this is occuring?
more information:
The folder does not exist, i was hoping it would automatically create it
If it doesn't automatically create folders, could you please link me to how to do so?
You're right, a Formatter(String) constructor needs the file to be present or createable. The most likely reason why a file cannot be created is that it references a folder that itself doesn't exist, so you should use the File.mkdirs() method, like this:
new File("AMCData").mkdirs();