How to: Iterate File Directories with the Parallel Class
In many cases, file iteration is an operation that can be easily parallelized. The topic How to: Iterate File Directories with PLINQ shows the easiest way to perform this task for many scenarios. However, complications can arise when your code has to deal with the many types of exceptions that can arise when accessing the file system. The following example shows one approach to the problem. It uses a stack-based iteration to traverse all files and folders under a specified directory, and it enables your code to catch and handle various exceptions. Of course, the way that you handle the exceptions is up to you.
Example
In the following example the iteration over the directories is performed sequentially, but the processing of the files is done in parallel. This is probably the best approach when you have a large file-to-directory ratio. It is also possible to parallelize the directory iteration, and access each file sequentially. It is probably not efficient to parallelize both loops unless you are specifically targeting a machine with a large number of processors. However, as in all cases, you should test your application thoroughly to determine the best approach.
Imports System
Imports System.Collections.Generic
Imports System.Diagnostics
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Linq
Imports System.Text
Imports System.Threading
Imports System.Threading.Tasks
Module Parallel_File
Sub Main(ByVal args() As String)
TraverseTreeParallelForEach("C:\Program Files", Sub(f)
' For this demo we don't do anything with the data
' except to read it.
Dim data() As Byte = File.ReadAllBytes(f)
' For user interest, although it slows down the operation.
Console.WriteLine(f)
End Sub)
' Keep the console window open.
Console.ReadKey()
End Sub
Public Sub TraverseTreeParallelForEach(ByVal root As String, ByVal action As Action(Of String))
'Count of files traversed and timer for diagnostic output
Dim fileCount As Integer = 0
Dim sw As Stopwatch = Stopwatch.StartNew()
' Use this value to determine whether to parallelize
' file processing on each folder.
Dim procCount As Integer = System.Environment.ProcessorCount
' Data structure to hold names of subfolders to be
' examined for files.
Dim dirs As Stack(Of String) = New Stack(Of String)
If System.IO.Directory.Exists(root) = False Then
Throw New ArgumentException()
End If
dirs.Push(root)
While (dirs.Count > 0)
Dim currentDir As String = dirs.Pop()
Dim subDirs() As String = Nothing
Dim files() As String = Nothing
Try
subDirs = System.IO.Directory.GetDirectories(currentDir)
' An UnauthorizedAccessException exception will be thrown if we do not have
' discovery permission on a folder or file. It may or may not be acceptable
' to ignore the exception and continue enumerating the remaining files and
' folders. It is also possible (but unlikely) that a DirectoryNotFound exception
' will be raised. This will happen if currentDir has been deleted by
' another application or thread after our call to Directory.Exists. The
' choice of which exceptions to catch depends entirely on the specific task
' you are intending to perform and also on how much you know with certainty
' about the systems on which this code will run.
Catch e As UnauthorizedAccessException
Console.WriteLine(e.Message)
Continue While
Catch e As System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException
Console.WriteLine(e.Message)
Continue While
End Try
Try
files = System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(currentDir)
Catch e As UnauthorizedAccessException
Console.WriteLine(e.Message)
Continue While
Catch e As System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException
Console.WriteLine(e.Message)
Continue While
End Try
' Perform the required action on each file here in parallel
' if there are a sufficient number of files in the directory
' or else sequentially if not. Files are opened and processed
' synchronously but this could be modified to perform async I/O.
Try
If files.Length < procCount Then
For Each file In files
action(file)
fileCount = fileCount + 1
Next
Else
Parallel.ForEach(files, Function() 0, Function(file, loopState, localCount)
action(file)
localCount = localCount + 1
Return CType(localCount, Integer)
End Function,
Sub(c)
Interlocked.Exchange(fileCount, fileCount + c)
End Sub)
End If
Catch ae As AggregateException
ae.Handle(Function(ex)
If TypeOf (ex) Is UnauthorizedAccessException Then
' Here we just output a message and go on.
Console.WriteLine(ex.Message)
Return True
End If
' Handle other exceptions here if necessary...
Return False
End Function)
End Try
' Push the subdirectories onto the stack for traversal.
' This could also be done before handing the files.
For Each str As String In subDirs
dirs.Push(str)
Next
' For diagnostic purposes.
Console.WriteLine("Processed {0} files in {1} milleseconds", fileCount, sw.ElapsedMilliseconds)
End While
End Sub
End Module
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.IO;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
namespace Parallel_File
{
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
TraverseTreeParallelForEach(@"C:\Program Files", (f) =>
{
// For this demo we don't do anything with the data
// except to read it.
byte[] data = File.ReadAllBytes(f);
// For user interest, although it slows down the operation.
Console.WriteLine(f);
});
// Keep the console window open.
Console.ReadKey();
}
public static void TraverseTreeParallelForEach(string root, Action<string> action)
{
//Count of files traversed and timer for diagnostic output
int fileCount = 0;
var sw = Stopwatch.StartNew();
// Use this value to determine whether to parallelize
// file processing on each folder.
int procCount = System.Environment.ProcessorCount;
// Data structure to hold names of subfolders to be
// examined for files.
Stack<string> dirs = new Stack<string>();
if (!System.IO.Directory.Exists(root))
{
throw new ArgumentException();
}
dirs.Push(root);
while (dirs.Count > 0)
{
string currentDir = dirs.Pop();
string[] subDirs = null;
string[] files = null;
try
{
subDirs = System.IO.Directory.GetDirectories(currentDir);
}
// An UnauthorizedAccessException exception will be thrown if we do not have
// discovery permission on a folder or file. It may or may not be acceptable
// to ignore the exception and continue enumerating the remaining files and
// folders. It is also possible (but unlikely) that a DirectoryNotFound exception
// will be raised. This will happen if currentDir has been deleted by
// another application or thread after our call to Directory.Exists. The
// choice of which exceptions to catch depends entirely on the specific task
// you are intending to perform and also on how much you know with certainty
// about the systems on which this code will run.
catch (UnauthorizedAccessException e)
{
Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
continue;
}
catch (System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException e)
{
Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
continue;
}
try
{
files = System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(currentDir);
}
catch (UnauthorizedAccessException e)
{
Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
continue;
}
catch (System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException e)
{
Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
continue;
}
// Perform the required action on each file here in parallel
// if there are a sufficient number of files in the directory
// or else sequentially if not. Files are opened and processed
// synchronously but this could be modified to perform async I/O.
try
{
if (files.Length < procCount)
{
foreach (var file in files)
{
action(file);
fileCount++;
}
}
else
{
Parallel.ForEach(files, () => 0, (file, loopState, localCount) =>
{
action(file);
return (int) ++localCount;
},
(c) =>
{
Interlocked.Exchange(ref fileCount, fileCount + c);
});
}
}
catch (AggregateException ae)
{
ae.Handle((ex) =>
{
if (ex is UnauthorizedAccessException)
{
// Here we just output a message and go on.
Console.WriteLine(ex.Message);
return true;
}
// Handle other exceptions here if necessary...
return false;
});
}
// Push the subdirectories onto the stack for traversal.
// This could also be done before handing the files.
foreach (string str in subDirs)
dirs.Push(str);
}
// For diagnostic purposes.
Console.WriteLine("Processed {0} files in {1} milleseconds", fileCount, sw.ElapsedMilliseconds);
}
}
}
In this example, the file I/O is performed synchronously. When dealing with large files or slow network connections, it might be preferable to access the files asynchronously. You can combine asynchronous I/O techniques with parallel iteration. For more information, see TPL and Traditional .NET Asynchronous Programming.
Note that if an exception is thrown on the main thread, the threads that are started by the ForEach method might continue to run. To stop these threads, you can set a Boolean variable in your exception handlers, and check its value on each iteration of the parallel loop. If the value indicates that an exception has been thrown, use the ParallelLoopState variable to stop or break from the loop. For more information, see How to: Stop or Break from a Parallel.For Loop.