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How do you copy all files from one directory to another, preserving the structure?

Ravi Vishwakarma 492 12 May 2025

How do you copy all files from one directory to another, preserving the structure?

c# c#file handling
Updated 28 May 2025
Ravi Vishwakarma
Ravi Vishwakarma

IT-Hardware & Networking

Ravi Vishwakarma is a dedicated Software Developer with a passion for crafting efficient and innovative solutions. With a keen eye for detail and years of experience, he excels in developing robust software systems that meet client needs. His expertise spans across multiple programming languages and technologies, making him a valuable asset in any software development project.

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1 Answers

Utpal Vishwas
Utpal Vishwas 28 May 2025
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To copy all files from one directory to another while preserving the directory structure, you can use a recursive approach that walks through each subdirectory and recreates the same structure in the destination.

Here’s a complete example in C#:

Recursive Directory Copy (Preserving Structure)

using System;
using System.IO;

public class DirectoryCopier
{
    public static void CopyDirectory(string sourceDir, string destDir)
    {
        // Create the destination directory if it doesn't exist
        Directory.CreateDirectory(destDir);

        // Copy all files in the current directory
        foreach (var filePath in Directory.GetFiles(sourceDir))
        {
            string fileName = Path.GetFileName(filePath);
            string destFilePath = Path.Combine(destDir, fileName);
            File.Copy(filePath, destFilePath, overwrite: true);
        }

        // Recurse into subdirectories
        foreach (var subDir in Directory.GetDirectories(sourceDir))
        {
            string subDirName = Path.GetFileName(subDir);
            string newDestSubDir = Path.Combine(destDir, subDirName);
            CopyDirectory(subDir, newDestSubDir);
        }
    }
}

Example Usage

string source = @"C:\SourceFolder";
string destination = @"D:\BackupFolder";

DirectoryCopier.CopyDirectory(source, destination);

Notes

  • This method recreates the exact folder and file hierarchy from the source in the destination.
  • Files are overwritten if they already exist in the destination (overwrite: true).
  • It works for both small and large directory trees.
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