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list_files()

list_files( string $folder = ”, int $levels = 100, string[] $exclusions = array(), bool $include_hidden = false ): string[]|false

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Returns a listing of all files in the specified folder and all subdirectories up to 100 levels deep.

Description

The depth of the recursiveness can be controlled by the $levels param.

Parameters

$folderstringoptional
Full path to folder.

Default:''

$levelsintoptional
Levels of folders to follow, Default 100 (PHP Loop limit).

Default:100

$exclusionsstring[]optional
List of folders and files to skip.

Default:array()

$include_hiddenbooloptional
Whether to include details of hidden ("." prefixed) files.

Default:false

Return

string[]|false Array of files on success, false on failure.

Source

function list_files( $folder = '', $levels = 100, $exclusions = array(), $include_hidden = false ) {
	if ( empty( $folder ) ) {
		return false;
	}

	$folder = trailingslashit( $folder );

	if ( ! $levels ) {
		return false;
	}

	$files = array();

	$dir = @opendir( $folder );

	if ( $dir ) {
		while ( ( $file = readdir( $dir ) ) !== false ) {
			// Skip current and parent folder links.
			if ( in_array( $file, array( '.', '..' ), true ) ) {
				continue;
			}

			// Skip hidden and excluded files.
			if ( ( ! $include_hidden && '.' === $file[0] ) || in_array( $file, $exclusions, true ) ) {
				continue;
			}

			if ( is_dir( $folder . $file ) ) {
				$files2 = list_files( $folder . $file, $levels - 1, array(), $include_hidden );
				if ( $files2 ) {
					$files = array_merge( $files, $files2 );
				} else {
					$files[] = $folder . $file . '/';
				}
			} else {
				$files[] = $folder . $file;
			}
		}

		closedir( $dir );
	}

	return $files;
}

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UsesDescription
list_files()wp-admin/includes/file.php

Returns a listing of all files in the specified folder and all subdirectories up to 100 levels deep.

trailingslashit()wp-includes/formatting.php

Appends a trailing slash.

Used byDescription
wp_privacy_delete_old_export_files()wp-includes/functions.php

Cleans up export files older than three days old.

get_plugin_files()wp-admin/includes/plugin.php

Gets a list of a plugin’s files.

list_files()wp-admin/includes/file.php

Returns a listing of all files in the specified folder and all subdirectories up to 100 levels deep.

Changelog

VersionDescription
6.3.0Added the $include_hidden parameter.
4.9.0Added the $exclusions parameter.
2.6.0Introduced.

User Contributed Notes

  1. Skip to note 3 content
    Sarankumar
    You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this noteVote results for this note: 1You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this note

    Example for listing all files in the upload directory

    $upload_dir = wp_upload_dir();
$folder = $upload_dir['basedir']
$files = list_files( $folder, 2 );
foreach ( $files as $file ) {
	if ( is_file( $file ) ) {
		$filesize = size_format( filesize( $file ) );
		$filename = basename( $file ); 
	}
	echo esc_html( $filename . "-" . $filesize );
}
  2. Skip to note 4 content
    Philipp Stracker
    You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this noteVote results for this note: 0You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this note

    This function returns a list of absolute paths (not file names!)

    print_r( list_files( __DIR__ ) );

/*
Output:

Array (
    [0] => /Users/philipp/Sites/public/dev-site/wp-content/plugins/test/test.php
    [1] => /Users/philipp/Sites/public/dev-site/wp-content/plugins/test/readme.txt
    [2] => /Users/philipp/Sites/public/dev-site/wp-content/plugins/test/license.txt
)
*/

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