The DirectoryEntrySync interface of the File System API represents a directory in a file system. It includes methods for creating, reading, looking up, and recursively removing files in a directory.
About this document
This document was last updated on March 2, 2012 and follows the W3C Specifications (Working Draft) drafted on April 19, 2011.
Basic concepts
If you want to create subdirectories, you have to create each child directory in sequence. If you try to create a directory using a full path that includes parent directories that do not exist yet, you get an error. So create the hierarchy by recursively adding a new path after creating the parent directory.
Example
The getFile() method returns a FileEntrySync, which represents a file in the file system. The following creates an empty file called seekrits.txt in the root directory.
var fileEntry = fs.root.getFile('seekrits.txt', {create: true});
The getDirectory() method returns a DirectoryEntrySync, which represents a file in the file system. The following creates a new directory called superseekrit in the root directory.
var dirEntry = fs.root.getDirectory('superseekrit', {create: true});
Method overview
DirectoryReaderSync createReader () raises (FileException); |
FileEntrySync getFile (in DOMString path, in optional Flags options) raises (FileException); |
DirectoryEntrySync getDirectory (in DOMString path, in optional Flags options) raises (FileException); |
void removeRecursively () raises (FileException); |
Methods
createReader()
Creates a new DirectoryReaderSync to read entries from this directory.
DirectoryReaderSync createReader ( ) raises (FileException);
Returns
DirectoryReaderSync- Represents a directory in a file system.
Parameter
None
Exceptions
This method can raise a FileException with the following codes:
| Exception | Description |
|---|---|
NOT_FOUND_ERR | The directory does not exist. |
SECURITY_ERR | The browser determined that it was not safe to look up the metadata. [ todo: Explain why ] |
getFile()
Depending on how you've set the options parameter, the method either creates a file or looks up an existing file.
void getFile ( in DOMString path, in optional Flags options ) raises (FileException);
Parameter
- path
- Either an absolute path or a relative path from the directory to the file to be looked up or created. You cannot create a file whose immediate parent does not exist. Create the parent directory first.
- options
- An object literal describing the behavior of the method. If the file does not exist, it is created.
| Object literal | Condition | Result |
|---|---|---|
create: trueexclusive: true | Path already exists | An error is thrown. |
create: trueexclusive: false | Path doesn't exist and no other error occurs | A file is created. If a file already exists, no error is thrown. |
create: false( exclusive is ignored) | Path exists | The file is returned. |
create: false( exclusive is ignored) | Path doesn't exist | An error is thrown. |
create: false( exclusive is ignored) | Path exists, but is a directory | An error is thrown. |
Returns
FileEntrySync- Represents a file in a file system.
Exceptions
This method can raise a FileException with the following codes:
| Exception | Description |
|---|---|
ENCODING_ERR | The path supplied is invalid. |
NOT_FOUND_ERR | The path was structurally correct, but refers to a resource that does not exist. |
NO_MODIFICATION_ALLOWED_ERR | This is a permission issue. The target directory or file is not writable. |
PATH_EXISTS_ERR | The file already exists. You cannot create another one with the same path. |
QUOTA_EXCEEDED_ERROR | The operation would cause the application to exceed its storage quota. |
SECURITY_ERR | The application does not have permission to access the element referred to by path. [ todo: Explain why ] |
TYPE_MISMATCH_ERR | The path supplied exists, but it is not a directory. |
getDirectory()
Creates or looks up a directory. The method is similar to getFile() with DirectoryEntrySync being passed.
void getDirectory ( in DOMString path, in optional Flags options ) raises (FileException);
Parameter
- path
- Either an absolute path or a relative path from the directory to the file to be looked up or created. You cannot create a file whose immediate parent does not exist. Create the parent directory first.
- options
- An object literal describing the behavior of the method if the file does not exist.
| Object literal | Condition | Result |
|---|---|---|
create: trueexclusive: true | Path already exists | An error is thrown. |
create: trueexclusive: false | Path doesn't exist and no other error occurs | A directory is created. If a file already exists, no error is thrown. |
create: false( exclusive is ignored) | Path exists | The directory is returned. |
create: false( exclusive is ignored) | Path doesn't exist | An error is thrown. |
create: false( exclusive is ignored) | Path exists, but is a directory | An error is thrown. |
Returns
DirectoryEntrySync- Represents a directory in a file system.
Exceptions
This method can raise a FileException with the following codes:
| Exception | Description |
|---|---|
ENCODING_ERR | The path supplied is invalid. |
NOT_FOUND_ERR | The path was structurally correct, but refers to a resource that does not exist. |
NO_MODIFICATION_ALLOWED_ERR | This is a permission issue. The target directory or file is not writable. |
PATH_EXISTS_ERR | The file already exists. You cannot create another one with the same path. |
QUOTA_EXCEEDED_ERROR | The operation would cause the application to exceed its storage quota. |
SECURITY_ERR | The application does not have permission to access the element referred to by path. [ todo: Explain why ] |
TYPE_MISMATCH_ERR | The path supplied exists, but it is not a directory. |
removeRecursively()
Deletes a directory and all of its contents. You cannot delete the root directory of a file system.
If you delete a directory that contains a file that cannot be removed or if an error occurs while the deletion is in progress, some of the contents might not be deleted. Catch these cases with error callbacks and retry the deletion.
void removeRecursively ( ) raises (FileException);
Parameter
None
Returns
void
Exceptions
This method can raise a FileException with the following codes:
| Exception | Description |
|---|---|
NOT_FOUND_ERR | The target directory does not exist. |
INVALID_STATE_ERR | This directory is not longer valid for some reason other than being deleted. [todo: Explain more ] |
NO_MODIFICATION_ALLOWED_ERR | One of the following is not writable: the directory, its parent directory, and some of the content in the directory. |
SECURITY_ERR | The application does not have permission to access the target directory, its parent, or some of its contents. |
Browser compatibility
{{ CompatibilityTable() }}
| Feature | Chrome | Firefox (Gecko) | Internet Explorer | Opera | Safari (WebKit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic support | 13{{ property_prefix("webkit") }} | {{ CompatNo() }} | {{ CompatNo() }} | {{ CompatNo() }} | {{ CompatNo() }} |
| Feature | Android | Chrome for Android | Firefox Mobile (Gecko) | IE Phone | Opera Mobile | Safari Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic support | {{ CompatNo() }} | 0.16{{ property_prefix("webkit") }} | {{ CompatNo() }} | {{ CompatNo() }} | {{ CompatNo() }} | {{ CompatNo() }} |
See also
Specification: {{ spec("https://dev.w3.org/2009/dap/file-system/pub/FileSystem/", "File API: Directories and System Specification", "WD") }}
Reference: File System API
Introduction: Basic Concepts About the File System API