Loading the Biggest Numbered File into Memory

Question

I have a directory in which filenames are entirely numbers. I want to find the highest valued number so that I can open that file and begin processing the data in the file. What would be the easiest way to go about this? My first blush idea is to load the directory of filenames into an array and iterate through the array looking to see which one is the largest. Suggestions?

Answer 1

What is bad in your "blush idea"? I see no problems with it.

Answer 2

You can just use DirectoryInfo.GetFiles, and use LINQ to find the highest value number:

string filename = myDirectoryInfo.GetFiles().Select(fileInfo => int.Parse(fileInfo.Name)).Max().ToString();

(However, you probably would want some more rigorous error checking, since this will throw if the folder contains a filename that isn't just a number...)

Answer 3

Yes, you can do this and the easiest way to load the all the filenames at once is in Directory Class

use GetFiles function.

Thanks

Answer 4

Would TryParse help here?

Int64 val;
string maxFileName = dirInfo.GetFiles().OrderByDescending(s => Int64.TryParse(s.Name, out val) ? val : 0).First().Name;