Directory Tool

The directory tool returns a listing of all the files in a specified directory. Along with file names, other pertinent information about each file is returned, including file size, creation date, last modified, and much more.

Visit the Alteryx Community Tool Mastery series to learn even more about this tool.

Configure the tool

1. Specify the Directory to return the file contents of. Either type in the location path or use the browse icon to navigate to the intended directory.
2. File Specification: Specify the type of files to return.
Wild card use examples
• *.*: Return all file types in the specified directory. The default value.
• *.csv: Return all csv files in the specified directory.
• temp*.*: Return all files that begin with temp in the file name: temp1.txt and temp_file.yxdb
3. Include SubDirectories: Select to search for the specified file types in directories within the specified directory. When this box is left unchecked, only files at the root level of the specified directory are returned.

View the output

The following fields are output from the Directory Tool at runtime:

Name	Type	Definition
FullPath	V_WString	The entire path of the file. This includes the drive, directory and file name.
Directory	V_WString	Specified directory the file resides in.
FileName	V_WString	The name of the file.
ShortFileName	V_WString	Old filename convention used by versions of MS Windows prior to Win95 for compatibility with legacy programs.
CreationTime	DateTime	Date and Time the file was originally created.
LastAccessTime	DateTime	Date and Time the file was last read. This attribute is turned off by default on some operating systems. If you would like to know more about this attribute and enable it on your machine, please reference this article.
LastWriteTime	DateTime	Date and Time the file was last written or updated.
Size	Int64	File size in bytes.
AttributeArchive	Bool	The file or directory is an archive file or directory. Applications use this attribute to mark files for backup or removal.
AttributeCompressed	Bool	The file or directory is compressed. This means that all of the data in the file is compressed.
AttributeEncrypted	Bool	The file or directory is encrypted. This means that all data in the file is encrypted.
AttributeHidden	Bool	The file or directory is hidden. It is not included in an ordinary directory listing.
AttributeNormal	Bool	The file or directory does not have other attributes set.
AttributeOffline	Bool	The file data is not available immediately. This attribute indicates that the file data is physically moved to offline storage. This attribute is used by Remote Storage, which is the hierarchical storage management software.
AttributeReadOnly	Bool	The file or directory is read-only. For a file, applications can read the file, but cannot write to it or delete it.
AttributeReparsePoint	Bool	The file has an associated reparse point.
AttributeSparseFile	Bool	The file is a sparse file.
AttributeSystem	Bool	The file or directory is part of the operating system, or the operating system uses the file or directory exclusively.
AttributeTemporary	Bool	The file is being used for temporary storage. File systems attempt to keep all of the data in memory for quick access, rather than flushing it back to mass storage.