A method to list all files in directory and sub-directories using boost and c++

Question

I have the following code to search all files in a directory and all its sub-directories. the code uses recursion for nested sub-directories.

#include "boost/filesystem.hpp"
#include <iostream>

using namespace boost::filesystem;

void getDirectoryFiles(path p, vector<string> &files) {
    if (exists(p)) {
        if (is_regular_file(p)) {
            files.push_back(p.string());
            return;
        }
        else if (is_directory(p)) {
            for (directory_entry& x : directory_iterator(p)) {
                getDirectoryFiles(x.path(), files);
            }
        }
        else {
            cout << "exists, but not a file of a directory!\n";
            return;
        }
    }
    else {
        cout << "Path not exists!";
        return;
    }
};

The general idea taken from Boost documentation with a twist. Any one to optimize this code?

Answer 1

There is a recursive_directory_iterator for that.

Making a sample:

fs::path dir = ".";
fs::recursive_directory_iterator it(dir), end;

std::vector<std::string> files;
for (auto& entry : boost::make_iterator_range(it, end))
    if (is_regular(entry))
        files.push_back(entry.path().native());

Answer 2

there is an error in STL 2017 from microsoft while iteration directories and files operator++ raises exception

recursive_directory_iterator::operator++: The system cannot find the path specified.

do not use this buggy implementation. use boost instead. I waste much time for it.