How to get java.io.File.list() same order as in Windows Explorer

Question

How to get java.io.File.list() same order as in Windows Explorer?

In a program I am creating the Temp folders e.g. Temp1, Temp2 and so on. But when I use java.io.File.list() to retrieve the folder list, it gives as Temp1, Temp10 and so on.

Please tell how to get the same order list as showing in Windows Explorer?

Thanks

Create your own Comparator and sort list with `Collections.sort()`? — Andremoniy, Jan 25 '13 at 11:59
But which type of sorting is required to match the list as windows order? — Kishore_2021, Jan 25 '13 at 12:01
@Kishore: The question is not clear at all. Windows can sort by name, size, type, date, ... — jlordo, Jan 25 '13 at 12:06
@jlordo, Its default windows order. i.e. Temp1, Temp2 and so on — Kishore_2021, Jan 25 '13 at 12:08
That's right, jlordo and if I remember correctly, sorting by name will also end up in temp1, temp11, temp2, ... Whoops, no. I'm wrong. It's infact 1,2,11 in Windows 7 at least. — Fildor, Jan 25 '13 at 12:09

score 5 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 25 '13 at 12:05

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Windows Explorer shows the files sorted by name by default. Looking at javadoc for File.list(),

There is no guarantee that the name strings in the resulting array will appear in any specific order; they are not, in particular, guaranteed to appear in alphabetical order.

So after getting the file list using File.list(), you need to sort this by file names Arrays.sort(file.list()) to get the required order.

answered Jan 25 '13 at 12:05

MoveFast

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Its giving the same order as default order of java. Plz given valid answers only. – Kishore_2021 Jan 25 '13 at 12:13
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That is not correct. Windows explorer uses a sort called natural sort that takes number parts of names into account. – wumpz Sep 29 '15 at 11:18

Dave Keen · Answer 2 · 2015-09-10T02:09:10.100

You would need to write your own Comparator. The Comparator would need to split the file name strings, separating them into sequences of consecutive non-numeric characters and of numeric characters. Then sort the sequences, converting a sequence of numeric characters to an integer before comparing. Also, if the integers are equal (due to leading zeroes), then order the longer numeric sequence before the shorter sequence.

score 0 · Answer 3 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:22

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This is an implementation of this specific windows sorting algorithm called natural sort.

Java - Sort Strings like Windows Explorer

In short it splits the two Strings to compare in Letter - Digit Parts and compares this parts in a specific way to achieve this kind of sorting.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:22

Community

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answered Sep 29 '15 at 11:20

wumpz

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How to get java.io.File.list() same order as in Windows Explorer

3 Answers3