C# get file paths of just files with no extensions

Question

I am wanting to get a string array of paths of files that do not have extensions. They are binary files with no extensions if that helps.

For example, I am loading a group of file paths out of a folder /test/

I want just the path and filenames that do not have a extension (so no .txt, no .csv, no .*)

/test/dontWant.txt

/test/dontWant.csv

/test/doWant

if i do:

String[] paths = Directory.GetFiles(fDir, "*.*", SearchOption.AllDirectories);

I of course get everything in those directories.

if I then try:

String[] paths= Directory.GetFiles(fDir, "*", SearchOption.AllDirectories); 

I will still get everything in that directory.

Is there a way to just get the files of those that have no extension?

---

using "*." did work, and I don't know why I didn't try that to start with.

I should have been using EnumerateFiles to start with.

Circular

try String[] paths = Directory.GetFiles(fDir, "*.", SearchOption.AllDirectories); – Flabellate

@Flabellate Nope. That'd be any file name ending with a dot. I don't know of any file like that! – Rattray

@tnw, are you try it??? – Flabellate

@yep, it works :-), because file without extension have name "name." – Flabellate

@Flabellate Interesting, I honestly did not expect that to work. Just tried it myself and it does. Cool – Rattray

@RKlenka, are you try this wildcard "*."? – Flabellate

A pattern of 'star dot' as above passed to Directory.GetFiles seems to match files without extensions but also files with no names and ONLY extensions. I am seeing this in .NET 3.5. Anybody else seeing behavior like this? Any ideas on why this is happening? – Hrutkay

“using "*." did work” why not working for me? – Liquor

EnumerateFiles is not good if you create directory during the process. – Liquor

Answer 1

This will help:

var filesWithoutExtension = System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(@"D:\temp\").Where(filPath => String.IsNullOrEmpty(System.IO.Path.GetExtension(filPath)));
foreach(string path in filesWithoutExtension)
{
    Console.WriteLine(path);
}

It will return all the files w/o extension only in specified dir. If you want to include all the sub-directories you'd have to use: System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(@"D:\temp\", "*", SearchOption.AllDirectories).

UPDATE
As guys suggested, it's better to use Directory.EnumerateFiles because it consumes less ram.

Dunnite

This code works like a boss. Just tested it in a console app. – Henriettahenriette

EnumerateFiles is not good if you create directory during the process. – Liquor

Answer 2

You can try with this wildcard

String[] paths = Directory.GetFiles(fDir, "*.", SearchOption.AllDirectories);

also you can use this wildcard with Directory.EnumerateFiles

Directory.EnumerateFiles(fDir, "*.", SearchOption.AllDirectories);

Flabellate

Although accepted answer works nice, but I prefer this solution because it's more readable and also less code used in – Carnation

Answer 3

You will need to do a 2nd pass filter on it.

//If you are using .NET 3.5 you can still use GetFiles, EnumerateFiles will just use less ram.
String[] paths = Directory.EnumerateFiles(fDir, "*.*", SearchOption.AllDirectories)
                          .Where(file => Path.GetFileName(file) == Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(file))
                          .ToArray();

So what this does is it passes your file path to GetFileName and GetFileNameWithoutExtension, if both of those return the same string it then includes the result in the array.

Stirring

+1 for Directory.EnumerateFiles and using less ram. – Dunnite

EnumerateFiles is not good if you create directory during the process. – Liquor

Answer 4

As an alternative to aleksey.berezan's answer, you can do the following in .NET 4+. EnumerateFiles will return files as they are traversed in the directory tree.

foreach(var file in Directory.EnumerateFiles(fDir, "*.*", SearchOption.AllDirectories).Where(s => string.IsNullOrEmpty(Path.GetExtension(s))))
{

}

Petrifaction

EnumerateFiles is not good if you create directory during the process. – Liquor