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SearchOption Enumeration

Specifies whether to search the current directory, or the current directory and all subdirectories.

Namespace:  System.IO
Assembly:  mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)

'Declaration
<SerializableAttribute> _
<ComVisibleAttribute(True)> _
Public Enumeration SearchOption

Member nameDescription
TopDirectoryOnlyIncludes only the current directory in a search.
AllDirectoriesIncludes the current directory and all the subdirectories in a search operation. This option includes reparse points like mounted drives and symbolic links in the search.

If you choose AllDirectories in your search and the directory structure contains a link that creates a loop, the search operation enters an infinite loop.

The following code example lists all of the directories and files that begin with the letter "c" in "c:\". In this example, the SearchOption is used to specify not to search all subdirectories.


Imports System
Imports System.IO

Class App
    Public Shared Sub Main()
        ' Specify the directory you want to manipulate.
        Dim path As String = "c:\\"
        Dim searchPattern As String = "c*"

        Dim di As DirectoryInfo = New DirectoryInfo(path)
        Dim directories() As DirectoryInfo = _
            di.GetDirectories(searchPattern, SearchOption.TopDirectoryOnly)

        Dim files() As FileInfo = _
            di.GetFiles(searchPattern, SearchOption.TopDirectoryOnly)

        Console.WriteLine( _
            "Directories that begin with the letter 'c' in {0}", path)
        Dim dir As DirectoryInfo
        For Each dir In directories
            Console.WriteLine( _
                "{0,-25} {1,25}", dir.FullName, dir.LastWriteTime)
        Next dir

        Console.WriteLine()
        Console.WriteLine( _
            "Files that begin with the letter 'c' in {0}", path)
        Dim file As FileInfo
        For Each file In files
            Console.WriteLine( _
                "{0,-25} {1,25}", file.Name, file.LastWriteTime)
        Next file
    End Sub
End Class


.NET Framework

Supported in: 4, 3.5, 3.0, 2.0

.NET Framework Client Profile

Supported in: 4, 3.5 SP1

Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, Windows XP SP3, Windows XP SP2 x64 Edition, Windows Server 2008 (Server Core not supported), Windows Server 2008 R2 (Server Core supported with SP1 or later), Windows Server 2003 SP2

The .NET Framework does not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.

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