The directory listing API is used to enumerate paths in the work tree, optionally taking .git/info/exclude and .gitignore files per directory into account.

Data structure

struct dir_struct structure is used to pass directory traversal options to the library and to record the paths discovered. A single struct dir_struct is used regardless of whether or not the traversal recursively descends into subdirectories.

The notable options are:

exclude_per_dir

The name of the file to be read in each directory for excluded files (typically .gitignore).

flags

A bit-field of options (the *IGNORED* flags are mutually exclusive):

DIR_SHOW_IGNORED

Return just ignored files in entries[], not untracked files.

DIR_SHOW_IGNORED_TOO

Similar to DIR_SHOW_IGNORED, but return ignored files in ignored[] in addition to untracked files in entries[].

DIR_SHOW_IGNORED_DIRECTORY

(EXPERIMENTAL) If this is set, non-empty directories that match an ignore pattern are returned. The individual files contained in ignored directories are not included.

DIR_KEEP_UNTRACKED_CONTENTS

Only has meaning if DIR_SHOW_IGNORED_TOO is also set; if this is set, the untracked contents of untracked directories are also returned in entries[].

DIR_COLLECT_IGNORED

Special mode for git-add. Return ignored files in ignored[] and untracked files in entries[]. Only returns ignored files that match pathspec exactly (no wildcards). Does not recurse into ignored directories.

DIR_SHOW_OTHER_DIRECTORIES

Include a directory that is not tracked.

DIR_HIDE_EMPTY_DIRECTORIES

Do not include a directory that is not tracked and is empty.

DIR_NO_GITLINKS

If set, recurse into a directory that looks like a Git directory. Otherwise it is shown as a directory.

The result of the enumeration is left in these fields:

entries[]

An array of struct dir_entry, each element of which describes a path.

nr

The number of members in entries[] array.

alloc

Internal use; keeps track of allocation of entries[] array.

ignored[]

An array of struct dir_entry, used for ignored paths with the DIR_SHOW_IGNORED_TOO and DIR_COLLECT_IGNORED flags.

ignored_nr

The number of members in ignored[] array.

Calling sequence

Note: index may be looked at for .gitignore files that are CE_SKIP_WORKTREE marked. If you to exclude files, make sure you have loaded index first.

  • Prepare struct dir_struct dir and clear it with memset(&dir, 0, sizeof(dir)).

  • To add single exclude pattern, call add_exclude_list() and then add_exclude().

  • To add patterns from a file (e.g. .git/info/exclude), call add_excludes_from_file() , and/or set dir.exclude_per_dir. A short-hand function setup_standard_excludes() can be used to set up the standard set of exclude settings.

  • Set options described in the Data Structure section above.

  • Call read_directory().

  • Use dir.entries[].

  • Call clear_directory() when none of the contained elements are no longer in use.

(JC)