Scanning Computer Music Files

[neutralfox]

Hello guys,
Actually I am working on a software in .NET. The software objectives is to search for all music files in a specifies directory or the whole computer and display the files names in a list box.

But the problem is with the directory. How can I used .Net to scan the whole computer or a "specific directory."

So far, I have been able to scan only special directories:

Public Class frmSpecusAnalyser

    Private Sub btnAnalyse_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnAnalyse.Click
        Me.lstMusicFiles.Items.Clear()

        Dim numOfFiles As Integer = 0
        Dim foundSong As String
        Dim progValue As Integer = 0
        prgBrAnalyser.Value = 0


        For Each foundSong In My.Computer.FileSystem.GetFiles(My.Computer.FileSystem.SpecialDirectories.MyDocuments, _
            FileIO.SearchOption.SearchAllSubDirectories, "*.mp3*", "*.mp4*")


            Me.lstMusicFiles.Items.Add(foundSong)
            numOfFiles += 1

            If progValue <= 100 Then
                prgBrAnalyser.Value = progValue
                progValue += 1
            End If

        Next

        lblNumOfFiles.Text = numOfFiles.ToString

        If Me.lstMusicFiles.Items.Count < 1 Then
            MsgBox("Oops, no music files found!")
        End If



    End Sub



End Class

Thanks a lot in advance guys.

Regards,
Mike

[Teme64]

I ripped my old code for searching files

Imports System.IO

''' <summary>
''' Return file names
''' </summary>
''' <param name="RootPath">The path to start searching files</param>
''' <param name="FileMask">An array of file masks</param>
''' <param name="FileNames">Argument returns fully qualified file names</param>
''' <param name="ShortFileNames">Argument returns file names only</param>
''' <param name="RecurseDirs">If True, searches subdirectories too</param>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Sub ToolDir(ByVal RootPath As String, ByVal FileMask() As String, _
  ByRef FileNames() As String, ByRef ShortFileNames() As String, _
  ByVal RecurseDirs As Boolean)
  '
  Dim DirInfo As DirectoryInfo
  Dim Files() As FileInfo
  Dim OneFile As FileInfo
  Dim i As Integer
  Dim j As Integer

  Try
    If FileMask.GetUpperBound(0) < 0 Then
      ReDim FileMask(0)
      FileMask(0) = "*.*"
    End If
    i = 0
    For j = 0 To FileMask.GetUpperBound(0)
      ReDim Files(0)
      If RecurseDirs Then
        DirInfo = New DirectoryInfo(RootPath)
        Files = DirInfo.GetFiles(FileMask(j), IO.SearchOption.AllDirectories)
      Else
        DirInfo = New DirectoryInfo(RootPath)
        Files = DirInfo.GetFiles(FileMask(j), IO.SearchOption.TopDirectoryOnly)
      End If

      For Each OneFile In Files
        ReDim Preserve FileNames(i)
        ReDim Preserve ShortFileNames(i)
        FileNames(i) = OneFile.FullName
        ShortFileNames(i) = OneFile.Name
        i += 1
      Next
    Next j
  Catch ex As Exception
    ' Handle errors
  End Try

End Sub

If you use this code, your code changes to something like following (didn't test this part)

Private m_FileNames() As String

Private Sub btnAnalyse_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnAnalyse.Click
    '
    Dim RootPath As String
    Dim FileMask(1) As String
    Dim ShortFileNames() As String
    Dim i As Integer
    
    Me.lstMusicFiles.Items.Clear()
    
    ' Root path comes from user selected folder?
    RootPath = "C:\" ' Hard coded to scan the whole C drive
    FileMask(0) = "*.mp3"
    FileMask(1) = "*.mp4"
    ReDim m_FileNames(0)
    ReDim ShortFileNames(0)
    
    ToolDir(RootPath, FileMask, m_FileNames, ShortFileNames, True)

    If String.IsNullOrEmpty(m_FileNames(0)) Then
      lblNumOfFiles.Text = "0"
      MsgBox("Oops, no music files found!")
      Exit Sub
    Else
      lblNumOfFiles.Text = (m_FileNames.GetUpperBound(0) + 1).ToString
    End If
    
    For i = 0 To ShortFileNames.GetUpperBound(0)
        Me.lstMusicFiles.Items.Add(ShortFileNames(i))
    Next i

End Sub

m_FileNames() is declared at class level and list box shows file names without path part. When an item from the list box is selected, item's index refers to m_FileNames() array which has the fully qualified file name (i.e. with path). If you want to show path names in the list box, change Me.lstMusicFiles.Items.Add(ShortFileNames(i)) to Me.lstMusicFiles.Items.Add(m_FileNames(i)) .

My original ToolDir code passed a reference to a progress bar. I ripped it off, but you can add ByRef pgrProgress As ProgressBar argument to procedure and pass progValue as parameter. Only tricky part is to determine Maximum property value.

HTH

[neutralfox]

Thanks for the answer Teme64, I will try it and let you know.

[samir_ibrahim]

I have This function from my framework, and sorry I cannot remember from where I got it, so I am saying that this function is not mine.

I wonder if I did not say the above and owner will came and say "Hey, give me my 10$" :)

Dim RootDir As New IO.DirectoryInfo("F:\Games")
Search(RootDir)
Sub Search(ByVal RootDir As IO.DirectoryInfo)
    For Each File In RootDir.GetFiles("*.mp3")
        Debug.Print(File.FullName) 'process the file
    Next
    For Each SubDir In RootDir.GetDirectories()
        Search(SubDir)
    Next
End Sub

I had tested this function, and it is really VERY fast finding files, but I did not find a way to search for *.mp3 and *.wav at the same time yet.

If I found it, i will post it, if someone knows how, post it as well.

[Teme64]

I had tested this function, and it is really VERY fast finding files, but I did not find a way to search for *.mp3 and *.wav at the same time yet.

Yes, the fastest method I've seen. You have basically same approach as my code. Just two main differences. I don't use recursion, GetFiles method can handle sub directories ( DirInfo.GetFiles(FileMask(j), IO.SearchOption.AllDirectories) ) as well as just given root directory ( DirInfo.GetFiles(FileMask(j), IO.SearchOption.TopDirectoryOnly) ).

If I found it, i will post it, if someone knows how, post it as well.

I pass multiple file masks in an array ( ByVal FileMask() As String ) and loop each file mask.