NAME¶

std::filesystem::begin(recursive_directory_iterator), - std::filesystem::begin(recursive_directory_iterator),

Synopsis¶

Defined in header <filesystem>
recursive_directory_iterator begin( recursive_directory_iterator (1) (since C++17)
iter ) noexcept;
recursive_directory_iterator end( recursive_directory_iterator ) (2) (since C++17)
noexcept;

1) Returns iter unchanged.
2) Returns a default-constructed recursive_directory_iterator, which serves as the
end iterator. The argument is ignored.

These non-member functions enable the use of recursive_directory_iterators with
range-based for loops
and make recursive_directory_iterator a range type
(since C++20).

Parameters¶

iter - a recursive_directory_iterator

Return value¶

1) iter unchanged.
2) End iterator (default-constructed recursive_directory_iterator).

Example¶

// Run this code

#include <cstdlib>
#include <filesystem>
#include <fstream>
#include <iostream>
namespace fs = std::filesystem;

int main()
{
fs::current_path(fs::temp_directory_path());
fs::create_directories("sandbox/a/b");
std::ofstream("sandbox/file1.txt");
fs::create_symlink("a", "sandbox/syma");

std::cout << "Print dir structure using OS specific command 'tree':\n";
std::system("tree --noreport sandbox");

std::cout << "\nPrint dir structure using directory iterator:\n";
for(auto& p: fs::recursive_directory_iterator("sandbox"))
std::cout << p << '\n';

fs::remove_all("sandbox");
}

Possible output:¶

Print dir structure using OS specific command 'tree':
sandbox
├── a
│ └── b
├── file1.txt
└── syma -> a

Print dir structure using directory iterator:
"sandbox/syma"
"sandbox/file1.txt"
"sandbox/a"
"sandbox/a/b"

Defect reports

The following behavior-changing defect reports were applied retroactively to
previously published C++ standards.

DR Applied to Behavior as published Correct behavior
LWG 3480 C++17 end took the argument by reference takes the argument by value

See also¶

begin(std::filesystem::directory_iterator) range-based for loop support
end(std::filesystem::directory_iterator) (function)
(C++17)