Automated ListBoxes

[jjsmithy]

Hi everyone; I have a folder with images in, all JPG, and when the application starts up I want a listbox to display all of the image names, automated from the folder;

Just wondering how to do that and if anyone can help?

Thanks :)

[thines01]

I would do it like this:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing;
using System.IO;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows.Forms;

namespace DW_417279_CS_FORM
{
   public partial class Form1 : Form
   {
      public Form1()
      {
         InitializeComponent();
      }

      private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
      {
         List<string> lst_str = Directory.GetFiles(@"C:\Users\USERNAMEGOESHERE\Pictures\", "*.jpg").ToList();
         lst_str.ForEach(s => listBox1.Items.Add(s));
      }
   }
}

[jjsmithy]

Thank you for your help; however when it runs the listbox remains empty

Does this code look alright? I.e name of the namespace and link to the picture library.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing;
using System.IO;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows.Forms;
 
namespace WindowsFormsApplication4
{
   public partial class Form1 : Form
   {
      public Form1()
      {
         InitializeComponent();
      }
 
      private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
      {
          List<string> lst_str = Directory.GetFiles(@"C:\Users\James\Pictures\", "*.jpg").ToList();
         lst_str.ForEach(s => listBox1.Items.Add(s));
      }
   }
}

[thines01]

Yes. You have pictures in that directory, right?

[jjsmithy]

Yer there, and I tried the other folder where all the pictures are which is:
C:\Users\James\My Documents\Assessment\ImageFolder\Photos\

Both attempts are coming back with an empty listbox

[thines01]

If you put a breakpoint on the ForEach, and run the program and inspect the contents of the lst_str, is it actually empty?

[jjsmithy]

Define inspect the lst_str? I put a breakpoint in and it ran like it did before; just showing an empty listbox.

[thines01]

Add a "watch" on it in debug mode or hover it with the mouse and a + sign will appear. You can click on that to see the contents.

[ChrisHunter]

i've only ever used a backend database to populate a list box but i don't know about the "Directory.GetFiles(@"C:\Users\James\Pictures\", "*.jpg").ToList();" part, but to put the names in the list box try this (the foreach section)

private void popListBox()
        {
            try
            {
                List<string> imgNames = Directory.GetFiles(@"C:\Users\James\Pictures\", "*.jpg").ToList();

                foreach (string str in imgNames )
                {
                    //Adds new item to listBox1 foreach item in sting list
                    listBox1.Items.Add(str);
                }
            }
            catch
            {
            }
        }

Hope this helps.

[thines01]

What I'm asking is: Does the list have any data in it right BEFORE the attempt to put it in the ListBox?
If that directory actually has .jpg files in it, that code will find it. I did not test it for case-sensitivity, however.

@ChrisHunter:
That's effectively the same code.
I used List<T> because it has a built-in ForEach().

I also could have done:

Directory.GetFiles(@"C:\Users\James\Pictures\", "*.jpg").ToList().ForEach(s => listBox1.Items.Add(s));

[Mitja Bonca]

or this:

string dirPatgh = @"C:\MyFolder\";
DirectoryInfo di = new DirectoryInfo(dirPath);
// Get a reference to each file in that directory.
FileInfo[] files = di.GetFiles();
foreach(FileInfo file in files)
{
   listbox1.Items.Add(file.Name);
}

[jjsmithy]

All the Pictures folder holds is the jpg images; while the code I am testing out is a new project so this is the only code.

Thanks for your suggestions but the listbox is still empty; could the problem be with the Listbox properties or the .Designer?

[ChrisHunter]

try this, it worked for me but i was looking for all Xml file names and used a comboBox instead of a listBox (i've used your directory in the example).

private void locatetFiles()
        {
            ListBox1.Items.Clear();

            try
            {
                foreach (string file in Directory.GetFiles(@"C:\Users\James\Pictures\", "*.jpg", SearchOption.AllDirectories))
                {
                    ListBox1.Items.Add(file);
                }
            }
            catch (Exception e)
            {
                MessageBox.Show("" + e);
            }
        }

Hope this is better for you.

[jjsmithy]

Hmm still not working :/ Just showing this form: (attached)

[ChrisHunter]

This works i've tried and tested it, just put your directory in, call the method in the constructor or where ever you want and you will be good to go. (it shows the whole directors as well as the name, i don't know how to just return the name sorry).

private void locatetFiles()
        {
            listBox1.Items.Clear();

            try
            {
                foreach (string file in Directory.GetFiles(@"C:\Users\user_name\Pictures", "*.jpg", SearchOption.AllDirectories))
                {   
                    listBox1.Items.Add(file);
                }
            }
            catch (Exception e)
            {
                MessageBox.Show("" + e);
            }
        }

Let me know how you get on.

[jjsmithy]

Got it!
Thank you all very much for your help; this has really been bugging me for the last week, so I am glad I can move on now to the next bit of this project.

Thanks again :)