Network Paths with Directory Iterators

Yes, std::filesystem::directory_iterator can be used with network paths. Network paths, also known as UNC (Universal Naming Convention) paths in Windows, can be iterated similarly to local file system paths.

To use a network path with std::filesystem::directory_iterator, you need to provide the UNC path as a string to the iterator. Here’s an example:

1#include <filesystem>
2#include <iostream>
3
4namespace fs = std::filesystem;
5
6int main() {
7  fs::directory_iterator start{
8    R"(\\server\share\directory)"};  
9  fs::directory_iterator end{};
10
11  for (auto iter{start}; iter != end; ++iter) {
12    std::cout << iter->path().string() << '\n';
13  }
14}

1\\server\share\directory\file1.txt
2\\server\share\directory\file2.txt
3\\server\share\directory\subdirectory

Key Considerations:

• Permissions: Ensure you have the necessary permissions to access the network path. Lack of permissions can result in exceptions or failed iterations.
• Performance: Network latency can affect the performance of directory iteration. Unlike local file systems, network paths can introduce delays due to network traffic.
• Availability: Network resources need to be available and the network path should be reachable. If the network resource is down, the iterator might fail to initialize or iterate.

Using std::filesystem::directory_iterator with network paths is straightforward, but keep these considerations in mind to handle any potential issues effectively.