Summary
Read a disk directory into a table
Prototype
t = utils.readdir (s)
Description
You can use utils.readdir to read an entire directory on your PC into a Lua table, based on the wildcard you supply.
For example:
t, e = utils.readdir ("c:/mushclient/plugins/*.xml")
assert (t, e) -- raises error on failure
If the directory specification is matched, the result from the call is a table of directory items, keyed by the filename. If the directory specification cannot be matched, or is invalid, it returns nil followed by an error message. You can simply test for non-nil, or call "assert" to report the error.
For each file in the directory (that matches the wildcard) the following is returned:
size - file size in bytes
create_time - creation time (except for FAT filesystems, where it is omitted)
access_time - last access time (except for FAT filesystems, where it is omitted)
write_time - time written
archive - true if archive. Set whenever the file is changed, and cleared by the BACKUP command.
hidden - hidden file. Not normally seen with the DIR command
normal - normal file. File can be read or written to without restriction.
readonly - read-only. File cannot be opened for writing, and a file with the same name cannot be created.
directory - Subdirectory.
system - system file. Not normally seen with the DIR command.
By detecting suddirectories you could conceivably recurse and find the contents of subdirectories as well.
See Also ...
Lua functions
utils.activatenotepad - Actvitates the specified notepad window
utils.appendtonotepad - Appends text to the specified notepad window
utils.base64decode - Decode a string which was base-64 encoded
utils.base64encode - Encode a string with base-64 encoding
utils.callbackslist - Returns a table of plugin callback function names
utils.choose - Display a combo box with choices in it
utils.colourcube - Changes the colour cube used by 256-colour ANSI codes
utils.compress - Compress a string
utils.decompress - Decompress a string
utils.directorypicker - Invokes the Windows standard "directory picker" dialog box
utils.editbox - Display a large message box and get free-format reply
utils.edit_distance - Returns the Levenshtein Edit Distance between two words
utils.filepicker - Invokes the Windows standard "file picker" dialog box
utils.filterpicker - Display a dialog box which filters its contents as you type
utils.fontpicker - Invokes the Windows standard "font picker" dialog box
utils.fromhex - Convert a string from hex
utils.functionlist - Returns a table of MUSHclient world function names
utils.getfontfamilies - Returns all fonts available to Windows
utils.glyph_available - Returns the glyph index of a glyph (character) in a font
utils.hash - Hash a string, returning the hex codes
utils.info - Information about directories, locale, etc.
utils.infotypes - Returns a table of all GetInfo type selectors
utils.inputbox - Display a message box and get free-format reply
utils.listbox - Display a dialog box with choices in it in a single selection list box
utils.md5 - Hash a string using the 128-bit MD5 algorithm
utils.menufontsize - Alters the size of the font used in menus
utils.metaphone - Returns metaphones (sound-alike codes) for the supplied word
utils.msgbox - Display a message box and get a response
utils.multilistbox - Display a dialog box with choices in it in a multiple selection list box
utils.reload_global_prefs - Forces global preferences file to be reloaded
utils.sendtofront - Bring a window to the front
utils.sha256 - Hash a string using a 256-bit hash
utils.shellexecute - Executes a Windows "shell" command
utils.spellcheckdialog - Spell-checker dialog
utils.split - Split a delimited string into a table
utils.timer - Returns the high-resolution timer output
utils.tohex - Convert a string into hex
utils.umsgbox - Display a message box and get a response (Unicode)
utils.utf8convert - Encodes a string into a UTF-8 string
utils.utf8decode - Encodes a series of Unicode codes into a UTF-8 string
utils.utf8encode - Encodes a series of Unicode codes into a UTF-8 string
utils.utf8sub - Returns a substring of a UTF-8 string
utils.utf8valid - Checks if a UTF-8 string is valid
utils.xmlread - Parses an XML string into a nested table
Topics
Lua base functions
Lua bc (big number) functions
Lua bit manipulation functions
Lua coroutine functions
Lua debug functions
Lua io functions
Lua LPEG library
Lua math functions
Lua os functions
Lua package functions
Lua PCRE regular expression functions
Lua script extensions
Lua string functions
Lua syntax
Lua table functions
Lua utilities
Scripting
Scripting callbacks - plugins
(Help topic: lua=utils.readdir)