c# - Is it safe to delete or move while enumerating the file system? -

is safe delete or move files or directories when using directory.enumeratefiles?

something this:

foreach (var filename in directory.enumeratefiles("sub"))     file.delete(filename); 

i know that, in general, not supposed modify you're enumerating. however, file system doesn't seem following rule since code above works.

the same question applies enumeratedirectories , enumeratefilesystementries, equivalent methods of directoryinfo class.

yes can safely delete current file during such enumeration (at least on windows). directory.enumeratefiles implemented internally (on windows) via findfirstfile , findnextfile winapi calls. first findfirstfile called , on each iterator advance (movenext()) - findnextfile called. if file removed between calls - it's not problem api, findnextfile return next matching file. in case delete current file nothing skipped @ all. if new file added in middle of enumeration - depends on it's name if included or not. got files "b.txt" , "c.txt" , file "a.txt" added. such file not included using directory.enumeratefiles, because it's name "less" (in sense) files enumerated. return order not simple (depends on filesystem) got idea.