DirectoryList

Last updated on Feb 25, 2025 | Also applies to ColdFusion

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CFML Reference

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CFML Reference User Guide
ColdFusion functions
ColdFusion tags
1. ColdFusion tag summary
2. ColdFusion tags by category
  1. Application framework tags
    1. cfapplication
    2. cfassociate
    3. cferror
    4. cfimport
    5. cfinterface
    6. cflock
    7. cfscript
    8. cfthread
  2. Communications tags
  3. Database manipulation tags
  4. Data output tags
    1. cfchart
  5. Debugging tags
    1. cfdump
    2. cftimer
    3. cftrace
  6. Exception handling tags
    1. cfcatch
    2. cferror
    3. cffinally
    4. cfrethrow
    5. cfthrow
    6. cftry
  7. Extensibility tags
    1. cfchart
    2. cfchartdata
    3. cfchartseries
    4. cfcollection
    5. cfcomponent
    6. cfexecute
    7. cfftp
    8. function
    9. cfindex
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    13. cfobject
    14. cfproperty
    15. cfreport
    16. cfreportparam
    17. cfreturn
    18. cfsearch
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    20. cfspreadsheet
    21. cfwddx
    22. cfxml
  8. File management tags
    1. cfdirectory
    2. cffile
    3. cffileupload
    4. cfftp
    5. cfzip
    6. cfzipparam
  9. Flow-control tags
    1. cfabort
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    1. cfapplet
    2. cfcalendar
    3. cffileupload
    4. cfform
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    7. cfgrid
    8. cfgridcolumn
    9. cfgridrow
    10. cfgridupdate
    11. cfinput
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    15. cfpdfparam
    16. cfpdfsubform
    17. cfselect
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  11. Internet Protocol tags
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    2. cfajaxproxy
    3. cfftp
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    5. cfimap
    6. cfhttp
    7. cfhttpparam
    8. cfldap
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    12. cfpop
    13. cfsprydataset
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    2. cfcontent
    3. cfflush
    4. cfheader
    5. cfhtmlhead
    6. cfinclude
    7. cfprocessingdirective
    8. cfsetting
    9. cfsilent
  13. Security tags
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    1. cfcookie
    2. cfdump
    3. cfparam
    4. cfregistry
    5. cfsavecontent
    6. cfschedule
    7. cfset
    8. cfsetting
  15. Other tags
    1. cfimage
    2. cflog
    3. cfregistry
3. Tags a-b
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6. Tags g-h
  1. cfgraph
  2. cfgraphdata
  3. cfgrid
  4. cfgridcolumn
  5. cfgridrow
  6. cfgridupdate
  7. cfheader
  8. cfhtmlhead
  9. cfhtmltopdf
  10. cfhtmltopdfitem
  11. cfhttp
  12. cfhttpparam
7. Tags i
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  2. cfimage
  3. cfimap
  4. cfimapfilter
  5. cfimpersonate
  6. cfimport
  7. cfinclude
  8. cfindex
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  4. cfpdfformparam
  5. cfpdfparam
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  7. cfpod
  8. cfpop
  9. cfpresentation
  10. cfpresentationslide
  11. cfpresenter
  12. cfprint
  13. cfprocessingdirective
  14. cfprocparam
  15. cfprocresult
  16. cfprogressbar
  17. cfproperty
  18. cfquery
  19. cfqueryparam
11. Tags r-s
  1. cfregistry
  2. cfreport
  3. cfreportparam
  4. cfrethrow
  5. cfreturn
  6. cfsavecontent
  7. cfschedule
  8. cfscript
  9. cfsearch
  10. cfselect
  11. cfservlet
  12. cfservletparam
  13. cfset
  14. cfsetting
  15. cfsharepoint
  16. cfsilent
  17. cfslider
  18. cfspreadsheet
  19. cfsprydataset
  20. cfstoredproc
  21. cfswitch
12. Tags t
  1. cftable
  2. cftextarea
  3. cftextinput
  4. cfthread
  5. cfthrow
  6. cftimer
  7. cftooltip
  8. cftrace
  9. cftransaction
  10. cftree
  11. cftreeitem
  12. cftry
13. Tags u-z
  1. cfupdate
  2. cfwddx
  3. cfwebsocket
  4. cfwindow
  5. cfxml
  6. cfzip
  7. cfzipparam
CFML Reference
1. Reserved words and variables
2. Ajax JavaScript functions
3. ColdFusion ActionScript functions
4. ColdFusion mobile functions
5. Application.cfc reference
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7. ColdFusion Flash Form style reference
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Cloud services

Description

Lists the contents of on-disk or in-memory directory. Also lists the contents of the sub-directories if recurse is set to true.

Returns

Contents of the directory based on the parameter listInfo:

If listInfo="query", query object
If listInfo="name", array of names
If listInfo="path", array of path

Category

System functions

Function Syntax

DirectoryList(path [,recurse] [,listInfo] [,filter] [,sort] [,type] )

DirectoryList(path [,recurse] [,listInfo] [,filter] [,sort] [,type] )

History

ColdFusion (2025 release): The filter callback for the directoryList function has been enhanced to return the data for the row it is filtering. You can filter the files returned from the DirectoryList function on the following attributes:
- path
- type
- extension
- attributes
- lastmodifieddate
- parent
- link
- name
- size

The attributes are available as struct keys. The function also accepts a struct of the keys.

ColdFusion (2018 release): Introduced named parameters.
ColdFusion 11: Added the type argument.

Parameters

Parameter

Description

path

The absolute path of the directory for which to list the contents. Alternatively, you can specify IP address as in the following example: DirectoryList("//12.3.123.123/c_drive/test");.

recurse

Whether ColdFusion performs the action on subdirectories: If true, contents of all subdirectories are also listed.

listInfo

name: returns an array of names of files and directories.
path: returns an array of paths of files and directories.
query: returns a query.

filter

File extension filter applied to returned names, for example, *.cfm. Multiple filters can be applied by using a pipe delimiter. For example: *.beer|*.cookies

Also, you can pass a function in the filter argument:

<cfscript>

boolean function filterBySize(path, type, extension) {
var sizeLimit = 1024 * 100; //more than 10 KB
var extensionList = "jpg,jpeg,gif,png";
if(type is "dir") return false;

if(listFindNoCase(extensionList,extension)) {
var fileInfo = getFileInfo(path);
var size = fileInfo.size;
if(size >= sizeLimit) return true;
}
return false;
}

filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("."), true, "path", filterBySize);
writeDump(filteredResults);
</cfscript>

The arguments of the passed functions must have:

path: The file path
type: The values (file or dir )
extension: The file extension if any otherwise an empty string

Additionally, it can also accept the instances of Java FileFilter Objects.

sort

Query columns by which to sort a directory listing. Delimited list of columns from query output.To qualify a column, use one of the following values:

asc: ascending (a to z) sort order.
dec: descending (z to a) sort order.
For example:sort = "directory ASC, size DESC, datelastmodified"

type

file: includes only filenames.
dir: includes only directory names.
all: includes both filenames and directory names.

Usage

Ensure that you have the required permissions to run this function.

Example 1- See all files in the directory as an array

localFiles = directoryList( expandPath( "./" ), false, "name" )

writeDump(localFiles)

</cfscript>

<cfscript> localFiles = directoryList( expandPath( "./" ), false, "name" ) writeDump(localFiles) </cfscript>

<cfscript>
    localFiles = directoryList( expandPath( "./" ), false, "name" )
    writeDump(localFiles)
</cfscript>

Example 2- Sort all files by last modified date and return a query

queryOfFiles = directoryList( expandPath( "./" ), false, "query", "", "DateLastModified DESC" );

writeDump(queryOfFiles)

</cfscript>

<cfscript> queryOfFiles = directoryList( expandPath( "./" ), false, "query", "", "DateLastModified DESC" ); writeDump(queryOfFiles) </cfscript>

<cfscript>
    queryOfFiles = directoryList( expandPath( "./" ), false, "query", "", "DateLastModified DESC" );
    writeDump(queryOfFiles)
</cfscript>

Example 3- filter by path

application.cfc

component {

this.name ="ListDirectoryFilter"

void function onApplicationStart(){

if( FindNoCase(server.os.name,"mac os x") OR FindNoCase(server.os.name,"unix")){

application.slash="/";

}

else{

application.slash="\";

}

component { this.name ="ListDirectoryFilter" void function onApplicationStart(){ if( FindNoCase(server.os.name,"mac os x") OR FindNoCase(server.os.name,"unix")){ application.slash="/"; } else{ application.slash="\"; } } }

component { 
    this.name ="ListDirectoryFilter" 
    void function onApplicationStart(){ 
    if( FindNoCase(server.os.name,"mac os x") OR FindNoCase(server.os.name,"unix")){ 
                application.slash="/"; 
            } 
    else{ 
                application.slash="\"; 
            } 
 
    } 

}

path.cfm

boolean function filterByParent (fileFilter) {

var nameList = expandPath(".")&application.slash&"folder";

if(listFindNoCase(nameList,fileFilter.parent)) return true;

return false;

}

filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("."), true, "name", filterByParent);

writeDump(filteredResults)

</cfscript>

<cfscript> boolean function filterByParent (fileFilter) { var nameList = expandPath(".")&application.slash&"folder"; if(listFindNoCase(nameList,fileFilter.parent)) return true; return false; } filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("."), true, "name", filterByParent); writeDump(filteredResults) </cfscript>

<cfscript> 
        boolean function filterByParent (fileFilter) { 
        var nameList = expandPath(".")&application.slash&"folder"; 
        if(listFindNoCase(nameList,fileFilter.parent)) return true; 
        return false; 
    } 

    filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("."), true, "name", filterByParent); 
    writeDump(filteredResults) 
</cfscript>

Example 4- filter by type

boolean function filterByTypeDir(fileFilter) {

if(fileFilter.type is "dir") return true;

else return false;

}

filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("./.."), true, "name", filterByTypeDir, "extension asc", "dir");

writeDump(filteredResults)

</cfscript>

<cfscript> boolean function filterByTypeDir(fileFilter) { if(fileFilter.type is "dir") return true; else return false; } filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("./.."), true, "name", filterByTypeDir, "extension asc", "dir"); writeDump(filteredResults) </cfscript>

<cfscript> 
    boolean function filterByTypeDir(fileFilter) { 
        if(fileFilter.type is "dir") return true; 
        else return false; 
    } 
    filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("./.."), true, "name", filterByTypeDir, "extension asc", "dir"); 
    writeDump(filteredResults) 
</cfscript>

Example 5- filter by extension

boolean function filterBySize (fileFilter) {

var extensionList = "cfm";

if(fileFilter.extension is extensionList) return true;

else return false;

}

filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("."), true, "name", filterBySize, "fileFilter.name DESC","all");

writeDump(filteredResults)

</cfscript>

<cfscript> boolean function filterBySize (fileFilter) { var extensionList = "cfm"; if(fileFilter.extension is extensionList) return true; else return false; } filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("."), true, "name", filterBySize, "fileFilter.name DESC","all"); writeDump(filteredResults) </cfscript>

<cfscript> 
    boolean function filterBySize (fileFilter) { 
        var extensionList = "cfm"; 
        if(fileFilter.extension is extensionList) return true; 
        else return false; 

    } 
    filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("."), true, "name", filterBySize, "fileFilter.name DESC","all"); 
    writeDump(filteredResults) 
</cfscript>

Example 6- filter by attribute

boolean function filterByAttributes (fileFilter) {

var attribList = "RH,R";

if(listFindNoCase(attribList,fileFilter.attributes)) return true;

else return false;

}

filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("./.."), true, "name", FilterByAttributes);

writeDump(filteredResults)

</cfscript>

<cfscript> boolean function filterByAttributes (fileFilter) { var attribList = "RH,R"; if(listFindNoCase(attribList,fileFilter.attributes)) return true; else return false; } filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("./.."), true, "name", FilterByAttributes); writeDump(filteredResults) </cfscript>

<cfscript> 
    boolean function filterByAttributes (fileFilter) { 
        var attribList = "RH,R"; 
        if(listFindNoCase(attribList,fileFilter.attributes)) return true; 
        else return false; 
    } 
    filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("./.."), true, "name", FilterByAttributes); 
    writeDump(filteredResults) 
</cfscript>

Example 7- filter by lastmodifieddate

boolean function filterByDate (fileFilter) {

if(DateDiff("s",fileFilter.lastmodifieddate,now())>1)

{

return true;

}

else return false;

}

filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("."), true, "name", filterByDate);

writeDump(filteredResults)

</cfscript>

<cfscript> boolean function filterByDate (fileFilter) { if(DateDiff("s",fileFilter.lastmodifieddate,now())>1) { return true; } else return false; } filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("."), true, "name", filterByDate); writeDump(filteredResults) </cfscript>

<cfscript> 
    boolean function filterByDate (fileFilter) { 
        if(DateDiff("s",fileFilter.lastmodifieddate,now())>1) 
        {  
                return true; 
        } 
        else return false; 
    } 
    filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("."), true, "name", filterByDate); 
    writeDump(filteredResults) 
</cfscript>

Example 8- filter by name

boolean function filterByName (fileFilter) {

var nameList = "ReadOnly.txt,directorylist.cfm";

if(ListContains(nameList,fileFilter.name)) return true;

return false;

}

filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("."), true, "name", filterByName);

writeDump(filteredResults)

</cfscript>

<cfscript> boolean function filterByName (fileFilter) { var nameList = "ReadOnly.txt,directorylist.cfm"; if(ListContains(nameList,fileFilter.name)) return true; return false; } filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("."), true, "name", filterByName); writeDump(filteredResults) </cfscript>

<cfscript> 
    boolean function filterByName (fileFilter) { 
        var nameList = "ReadOnly.txt,directorylist.cfm"; 
        if(ListContains(nameList,fileFilter.name)) return true; 
        return false; 

    } 
    filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("."), true, "name", filterByName); 
    writeDump(filteredResults) 
</cfscript>

Example 9- filter by size

// Verify list Directory returns appropriate results when name size is used

boolean function filterBySize (fileFilter) {

if(fileFilter.size>100)

{

return true;

}

return false;

}

filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("."), true, "name", filterBySize);

writeDump(filteredResults)

</cfscript>

<cfscript> // Verify list Directory returns appropriate results when name size is used boolean function filterBySize (fileFilter) { if(fileFilter.size>100) { return true; } return false; } filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("."), true, "name", filterBySize); writeDump(filteredResults) </cfscript>

<cfscript> 
    // Verify list Directory returns appropriate results when name size is used 
    boolean function filterBySize (fileFilter) { 
        if(fileFilter.size>100) 
        {  
                return true; 
        } 
        return false; 
    } 

    filteredResults = directorylist(expandPath("."), true, "name", filterBySize); 
    writeDump(filteredResults) 
</cfscript>

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DirectoryList

Description

Returns

Function Syntax

See Also

History

Parameters

Usage

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