Mastering Recursive Search with Nested Lists in C#

Discover how to implement a `Search` function in C# that efficiently finds paths in nested folder structures.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/71450937/ asked by the user 'Davor Kalan' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/18448002/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/71451107/ provided by the user 'Matt Howorko' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/15535248/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Mastering Recursive Search with Nested Lists in C#

When working with nested lists in C# , particularly when dealing with hierarchical data structures like folders, it can be a bit challenging to find specific folders based on a search criterion. If you're trying to build a function that searches through folders and outputs the full path of the specified folder, you’re not alone. Let's explore how to efficiently implement this search function using recursion.

Understanding the Problem

You need a way to traverse a hierarchical structure to find folders that match a given name. The structure is defined in the Folder class, which contains a root folder name and a list of child folders. For example, when searching for "sub-folder3", the function should return all the paths that lead to this folder.

Here’s what the basic structure looks like:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Imagine you have a top-level folder containing multiple sub-folders, some of which have their own sub-folders. How can you implement a solution that digs through these nested lists and returns the correct path to the folder you're searching for?

Developing the Search Function

To solve the search problem efficiently, we can utilize recursion. Recursion involves having a function call itself, which is particularly useful for navigating tree-like structures such as our nested folder setup.

Step-by-Step Implementation

Here's a breakdown of how to implement the Search function:

Initialize a List for Paths: This will store all matching paths found throughout the search.

Check the Current Folder: For each folder, check if its name matches the searchString. If it does, construct the full path and add it to the list.

Recursion Setup: For each child folder, recursively call the Search function. This will allow the function to dive deeper into the folder structure.

Combine Paths: As you retrieve paths from child folders, combine them with the current folder’s name to keep the structure intact.

Below is how the implementation looks in code:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Example Usage

Let’s say your folder structure is set up as follows:

folder

sub-folder

sub-folder2

sub-folder31

sub-folder3

sub-folder4

useless

When you call Search(input, "sub-folder3"), it should output the following path:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Conclusion

Using recursion to search through nested lists in C# for a specific folder name is not only efficient but also an elegant solution to a common problem in programming. By breaking down the task into smaller, manageable parts, you can successfully build a function that results in full paths even through complex folder structures.

Feel free to adapt this code to fit your specific application, and happy coding!

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