.TH filelib 3 "stdlib  1.15.3" "Ericsson AB" "ERLANG MODULE DEFINITION"
.SH MODULE
filelib \- File utilities, such as wildcard matching of filenames
.SH DESCRIPTION
.LP
This module contains utilities on a higher level than the \fIfile\fR module\&.

.SH DATA TYPES

.nf
filename() = string() | atom() | DeepList
dirname() = filename()
DeepList = [char() | atom() | DeepList]
.fi
.SH EXPORTS
.LP
.B
ensure_dir(Name) -> ok | {error, Reason}
.br
.RS
.TP
Types
Name = filename() | dirname()
.br
Reason = posix() -- see file(3)
.br
.RE
.RS
.LP
The \fIensure_dir/1\fR function ensures that all parent directories for the given file or directory name \fIName\fR exist, trying to create them if necessary\&.
.LP
Returns \fIok\fR if all parent directories already exist or could be created, or \fI{error, Reason}\fR if some parent directory does not exist and could not be created for some reason\&.
.RE
.LP
.B
file_size(Filename) -> integer()
.br
.RS
.LP
The \fIfile_size\fR function returns the size of the given file\&.
.RE
.LP
.B
fold_files(Dir, RegExp, Recursive, Fun, AccIn) -> AccOut 
.br
.RS
.TP
Types
Dir = dirname()
.br
RegExp = regexp()
.br
Recursive = true|false
.br
Fun = fun(F, AccIn) -> AccOut
.br
AccIn = AccOut = term()
.br
.RE
.RS
.LP
The \fIfold_files/5\fR function folds the function \fIFun\fR over all (regular) files \fIF\fR in the directory \fIDir\fR that match the regular expression \fIRegExp\fR\&. If \fIRecursive\fR is true all sub-directories to \fIDir\fR are processed\&. The match is tried on just the filename without the directory part\&.
.RE
.LP
.B
is_dir(Name) -> true | false
.br
.RS
.TP
Types
Name = filename() | dirname()
.br
.RE
.RS
.LP
The \fIis_dir/1\fR function returns \fItrue\fR if \fIName\fR refers to a directory, and \fIfalse\fR otherwise\&.
.RE
.LP
.B
is_file(Name) -> true | false
.br
.RS
.TP
Types
Name = filename() | dirname()
.br
.RE
.RS
.LP
The \fIis_file/1\fR function returns \fItrue\fR if \fIName\fR refers to a file or a directory, and \fIfalse\fR otherwise\&.
.RE
.LP
.B
is_regular(Name) -> true | false
.br
.RS
.TP
Types
Name = filename()
.br
.RE
.RS
.LP
The \fIis_regular/1\fR function returns \fItrue\fR if \fIName\fR refers to a file (regular file), and \fIfalse\fR otherwise\&.
.RE
.LP
.B
last_modified(Name) -> {{Year,Month,Day},{Hour,Min,Sec}}
.br
.RS
.TP
Types
Name = filename() | dirname()
.br
.RE
.RS
.LP
The \fIlast_modified/1\fR function returns the date and time the given file or directory was last modified\&.
.RE
.LP
.B
wildcard(Wildcard) -> list()
.br
.RS
.TP
Types
Wildcard = filename() | dirname()
.br
.RE
.RS
.LP
The \fIwildcard/1\fR function returns a list of all files that match Unix-style wildcard-string \fIWildcard\fR\&.
.LP
The wildcard string looks like an ordinary filename, except that certain "wildcard characters" are interpreted in a special way\&. The following characters are special: 
.RS 2
.TP 4
.B
?:
Matches one character\&.
.TP 4
.B
*:
Matches any number of characters up to the end of the filename, the next dot, or the next slash\&.
.TP 4
.B
{Item,\&.\&.\&.}:
Alternation\&. Matches one of the alternatives\&.
.RE
.LP
Other characters represent themselves\&. Only filenames that have exactly the same character in the same position will match\&. (Matching is case-sensitive; i\&.e\&. "a" will not match "A")\&. 
.LP
Note that multiple "*" characters are allowed (as in Unix wildcards, but opposed to Windows/DOS wildcards)\&. 
.LP
Examples:
.LP
The following examples assume that the current directory is the top of an Erlang/OTP installation\&. 
.LP
To find all \fI\&.beam\fR files in all applications, the following line can be used:

.nf
    filelib:wildcard("lib/*/ebin/*\&.beam")\&.        
.fi
.LP
To find either \fI\&.erl\fR or \fI\&.hrl\fR in all applications \fIsrc\fR directories, the following

.nf
    filelib:wildcard("lib/*/src/*\&.?rl")        
.fi
.LP
or the following line

.nf
    filelib:wildcard("lib/*/src/*\&.{erl,hrl}")        
.fi
.LP
can be used\&.
.LP
To find all \fI\&.hrl\fR files in either \fIsrc\fR or \fIinclude\fR directories, use:

.nf
    filelib:wildcard("lib/*/{src,include}/*\&.hrl")\&.        
.fi
.LP
To find all \fI\&.erl\fR or \fI\&.hrl\fR files in either \fIsrc\fR or \fIinclude\fR directories, use:

.nf
    filelib:wildcard("lib/*/{src,include}/*\&.{erl,hrl}")        
.fi
.RE
.LP
.B
wildcard(Wildcard, Cwd) -> list()
.br
.RS
.TP
Types
Wildcard = filename() | dirname()
.br
Cwd = dirname()
.br
.RE
.RS
.LP
The \fIwildcard/2\fR function works like \fIwildcard/1\fR, except that instead of the actual working directory, \fICwd\fR will be used\&.
.RE