Directory Management

This section provides information on Windows API functions for managing directories, including creating, deleting, enumerating, and navigating directories.

Key Concepts

• Directory Handles: Operations on directories often involve obtaining a handle to the directory object.
• File System Paths: Understanding how to construct and interpret file system paths is crucial for directory operations.
• Security and Permissions: Directory operations are subject to the security context of the calling process.

Core Functions

Creating Directories

• CreateDirectory

  Creates a new directory with the specified path. If the directory already exists, the function may succeed or fail depending on the flags used.

  Syntax:

  BOOL CreateDirectory(
    LPCTSTR lpPathName,
    LPSECURITY_ATTRIBUTES lpSecurityAttributes
  );

  Parameters:

  • lpPathName: The path of the directory to be created.
  • lpSecurityAttributes: Security attributes for the new directory. Can be NULL.

  Return Value: Nonzero if the function succeeds, zero otherwise.

• CreateDirectoryEx

  Creates a new directory with the specified path and attributes. Allows for more granular control over directory creation.

  Syntax:

  BOOL CreateDirectoryEx(
    LPCTSTR lpTemplateDirectory,
    LPCTSTR lpNewDirectory,
    LPSECURITY_ATTRIBUTES lpSecurityAttributes
  );

  Parameters:

  • lpTemplateDirectory: Path to a directory to use as a template.
  • lpNewDirectory: Path of the directory to create.
  • lpSecurityAttributes: Security attributes.

  Return Value: Nonzero if successful, zero otherwise.

Deleting Directories

• RemoveDirectory

  Deletes an existing empty directory.

  Syntax:

  BOOL RemoveDirectory(
    LPCTSTR lpPathName
  );

  Parameters:

  • lpPathName: The path of the directory to be deleted. The directory must be empty.

  Return Value: Nonzero if the function succeeds, zero otherwise.

Enumerating Directories

• FindFirstFile / FindNextFile / FindClose

  These functions are used to enumerate the files and subdirectories within a specified directory.

  Syntax:

  HANDLE FindFirstFile(
    LPCTSTR lpFileName,
    LPWIN32_FIND_DATA lpFindFileData
  );
  
  BOOL FindNextFile(
    HANDLE hFindFile,
    LPWIN32_FIND_DATA lpFindFileData
  );
  
  BOOL FindClose(
    HANDLE hFindFile
  );

  Parameters:

  • lpFileName: Path with a file name or a partial path. Can include wildcards.
  • lpFindFileData: Pointer to a WIN32_FIND_DATA structure that receives information about a found file or directory.
  • hFindFile: Handle to the search.

  Return Value: Varies per function. Use GetLastError for error details.

  Important: When enumerating, remember to skip . (current directory) and .. (parent directory) entries.

Getting Directory Information

• GetCurrentDirectory

  Retrieves the current working directory of the calling process.

  Syntax:

  DWORD GetCurrentDirectory(
    DWORD nBufferLength,
    LPTSTR lpBuffer
  );

• SetCurrentDirectory

  Changes the current working directory of the calling process.

  Syntax:

  BOOL SetCurrentDirectory(
    LPCTSTR lpPathName
  );

Example Usage (C++)

#include <windows.h>
#include <iostream>

int main() {
    // Create a directory
    if (CreateDirectory(L"C:\\MyNewDir", NULL)) {
        std::wcout << L"Directory 'C:\\MyNewDir' created successfully." << std::endl;

        // Enumerate contents
        WIN32_FIND_DATA findFileData;
        HANDLE hFind = FindFirstFile(L"C:\\MyNewDir\\*", &findFileData);

        if (hFind != INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE) {
            std::wcout << L"Contents of 'C:\\MyNewDir':" << std::endl;
            do {
                if (!(findFileData.dwFileAttributes & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY)) {
                    std::wcout << L"  " << findFileData.cFileName << std::endl;
                }
            } while (FindNextFile(hFind, &findFileData) != FALSE);
            FindClose(hFind);
        } else {
            std::wcerr << L"Error enumerating directory. Error code: " << GetLastError() << std::endl;
        }

        // Delete the directory (must be empty)
        if (RemoveDirectory(L"C:\\MyNewDir")) {
            std::wcout << L"Directory 'C:\\MyNewDir' removed successfully." << std::endl;
        } else {
            std::wcerr << L"Error removing directory. Error code: " << GetLastError() << std::endl;
        }
    } else {
        std::wcerr << L"Failed to create directory. Error code: " << GetLastError() << std::endl;
    }

    return 0;
}