# dataPath("") only works in "data" folder
**URL:** https://discourse.processing.org/t/datapath-only-works-in-data-folder/1310
**Category:** Coding Questions
**Created:** [June 27, 2018, 4:18pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/datapath-only-works-in-data-folder/1310 "2018-06-27T16:18:37Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@grumo](https://discourse.processing.org/u/grumo)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2018, 4:18pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/datapath-only-works-in-data-folder/1310/1 "2018-06-27T16:18:37Z")
I use this script for reading and filtering files by extension in a folder. The thing is that it only works when reading “/data” if I do “/data/something” or “/something” it won’t work. Is driving me crazy. I’m working in OS X. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
///////
String[] files(){
// The data path of the folder to look in (write your own)
java.io.File folder = new java.io.File(dataPath(""));
// let’s set a filter (which returns true if file’s extension is .mp4)
java.io.FilenameFilter pngFilter = new java.io.FilenameFilter() {
public boolean accept(File dir, String name) {
return name.toLowerCase().endsWith(".mp4");
}
};
// list the files in the data folder, passing the filter as parameter
String[] filenames = folder.list(pngFilter);
return(filenames);
}
---
### Author:  [@Bird](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Bird)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2018, 4:58pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/datapath-only-works-in-data-folder/1310/2 "2018-06-27T16:58:16Z")
dataPath("") specifically returns the data folder in the sketch, so that is what the function you have there will do. What is it you are doing to try to point to a different folder?
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### Author:  [@grumo](https://discourse.processing.org/u/grumo)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2018, 5:12pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/datapath-only-works-in-data-folder/1310/3 "2018-06-27T17:12:02Z")
It works as dataPath("") (reading the data folder) but using dataPath(“something”) won’t work…
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### Author:  [@REAS](https://discourse.processing.org/u/REAS)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2018, 5:21pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/datapath-only-works-in-data-folder/1310/4 "2018-06-27T17:21:24Z")
The “DirectoryList” example, distributed with Processing, might help.
```auto
/**
* Listing files in directories and subdirectories
* by Daniel Shiffman.
*
* This example has three functions:
* 1) List the names of files in a directory
* 2) List the names along with metadata (size, lastModified)
* of files in a directory
* 3) List the names along with metadata (size, lastModified)
* of files in a directory and all subdirectories (using recursion)
*/
import java.util.Date;
void setup() {
// Using just the path of this sketch to demonstrate,
// but you can list any directory you like.
String path = sketchPath();
println("Listing all filenames in a directory: ");
String[] filenames = listFileNames(path);
printArray(filenames);
println("\nListing info about all files in a directory: ");
File[] files = listFiles(path);
for (int i = 0; i < files.length; i++) {
File f = files[i];
println("Name: " + f.getName());
println("Is directory: " + f.isDirectory());
println("Size: " + f.length());
String lastModified = new Date(f.lastModified()).toString();
println("Last Modified: " + lastModified);
println("-----------------------");
}
println("\nListing info about all files in a directory and all subdirectories: ");
ArrayList allFiles = listFilesRecursive(path);
for (File f : allFiles) {
println("Name: " + f.getName());
println("Full path: " + f.getAbsolutePath());
println("Is directory: " + f.isDirectory());
println("Size: " + f.length());
String lastModified = new Date(f.lastModified()).toString();
println("Last Modified: " + lastModified);
println("-----------------------");
}
noLoop();
}
// Nothing is drawn in this program and the draw() doesn't loop because
// of the noLoop() in setup()
void draw() {
}
// This function returns all the files in a directory as an array of Strings
String[] listFileNames(String dir) {
File file = new File(dir);
if (file.isDirectory()) {
String names[] = file.list();
return names;
} else {
// If it's not a directory
return null;
}
}
// This function returns all the files in a directory as an array of File objects
// This is useful if you want more info about the file
File[] listFiles(String dir) {
File file = new File(dir);
if (file.isDirectory()) {
File[] files = file.listFiles();
return files;
} else {
// If it's not a directory
return null;
}
}
// Function to get a list of all files in a directory and all subdirectories
ArrayList listFilesRecursive(String dir) {
ArrayList fileList = new ArrayList();
recurseDir(fileList, dir);
return fileList;
}
// Recursive function to traverse subdirectories
void recurseDir(ArrayList a, String dir) {
File file = new File(dir);
if (file.isDirectory()) {
// If you want to include directories in the list
a.add(file);
File[] subfiles = file.listFiles();
for (int i = 0; i < subfiles.length; i++) {
// Call this function on all files in this directory
recurseDir(a, subfiles[i].getAbsolutePath());
}
} else {
a.add(file);
}
}
```
---
### Author:  [@grumo](https://discourse.processing.org/u/grumo)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2018, 6:02pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/datapath-only-works-in-data-folder/1310/5 "2018-06-27T18:02:03Z")
Thanks Casey!
Any ideas for the filtering by file extension? --I need only the .mp4 files listed but I can’t find any parameter --I should just read the array and choose the matches?
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### Author:  [@GoToLoop](https://discourse.processing.org/u/GoToLoop)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2018, 6:13pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/datapath-only-works-in-data-folder/1310/6 "2018-06-27T18:13:14Z")
> **[How to check if a file is exist in data folder by code?](https://Discourse.Processing.org/t/how-to-check-if-a-file-is-exist-in-data-folder-by-code/589/7)**
>
> Yes! Just pass an empty string "" to dataPath(): dataFolderPath = this.dataPath('') + '/' print dataFolderPath … or to dataFile(): dir = this.dataFile('') dataFolderPath = dir.path + '/' print dataFolderPath However, if you need all files within...