[Spice]

I am writing a simple GUI for a 7-Zip command that will zip multiple directories, with two files in the working directory, to their own separate archives. The problem is that I have no idea on how to count the number if directories (only directories and not files) and find the name of just the first directory. Here is what I have so far:

        Dim path As String = folderBrowse.SelectedPath
        Dim i As Integer
        Dim o As Integer
        'Count the number of directories in <path> and set it to <o>
        'Convert the first directory's number, which is the 7th and 8th character in the name. Then set that number to <i>
        Do Until i = o
            Shell("cmd /c 7za a -tzip " & path & " Lesson" & i & ".zip" & path & "*.exe *.dat " & "Lesson" & i)
            i += 1
        Loop

Does anyone know how to do this or have any literature that may help?

[modi123_1]

Have you, by chance, looked at the system.io.directory namespace?

Specifically:
Directory.GetDirectories Method

Directory.GetDirectoryRoot Method

[DimitriV]

Spice, on 21 December 2011 - 11:30 AM, said:

I am writing a simple GUI for a 7-Zip command that will zip multiple directories, with two files in the working directory, to their own separate archives. The problem is that I have no idea on how to count the number if directories (only directories and not files) and find the name of just the first directory. Here is what I have so far:

        Dim path As String = folderBrowse.SelectedPath
        Dim i As Integer
        Dim o As Integer
        'Count the number of directories in <path> and set it to <o>
        'Convert the first directory's number, which is the 7th and 8th character in the name. Then set that number to <i>
        Do Until i = o
            Shell("cmd /c 7za a -tzip " & path & " Lesson" & i & ".zip" & path & "*.exe *.dat " & "Lesson" & i)
            i += 1
        Loop

Does anyone know how to do this or have any literature that may help?

Your loop here will only ever run one time. This is due to both integers being instanced (i, o) as 0. If you add 1 to i then the loop wouldn't run because i no longer equals o.

[Spice]

Thanks modi123_1. I was able to get the number of directories.

Dim o As Integer = System.IO.Directory.GetDirectories(path).Length

Now I just need to find out how to get the name of the first directory (alphabetically).

[_HAWK_]

Private Function GetFirstFileAtoZ(<path> As String) As String
  Dim files As New List(Of String)
  files = Directory.GetDirectories(<path>).ToList
  'sort them
  files.Sort()
  'the first one is the first alphanumeric one
  Return files.First
End Function

This post has been edited by _HAWK_: 20 December 2011 - 08:41 PM

[Spice]

Once again you come to the rescue, _HAWK_! I see what it's supposed to do in your example, but it won't work for me (I assume <path> is to be changed to the variable I have for the directory that contains the subdirectories I am working with).

[DimitriV]

What about files(0)

[_HAWK_]

That returned the file name. What may prove to be more helpful is this example where you can change the Return value.

Private Function GetFirstFileAtoZ(ByVal path As String) As String
    Dim files As New List(Of FileInfo)
    Dim dir As New DirectoryInfo(path)
    files = dir.GetFiles.ToList
    'sort them
    files.Sort()
    'the first one is the first alphanumeric one
    Return files.First.FullName 'full path with ext.
End Function

[Spice]

Got it! Using you're examples and thinking it through, I loaded an array with the directories using 'System.IO.Directory.GetDirectories(path)', then used dir(0) for the directory I want. Thanks for the help, everyone!