# How to find directories with a specific name pattern?
**URL:** https://discourse.cmake.org/t/how-to-find-directories-with-a-specific-name-pattern/10595
**Category:** Usage
**Tags:** os:windows
**Created:** [April 6, 2024, 12:12am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/how-to-find-directories-with-a-specific-name-pattern/10595 "2024-04-06T00:12:45Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@JRR](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/JRR)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2024, 12:12am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/how-to-find-directories-with-a-specific-name-pattern/10595/1 "2024-04-06T00:12:46Z")
We have a windows file share folder/directory that warehouses 3rd party packages for us.
It has path value such as: `//fs1/0.3rdparty`
I want to find all the subfolders named `Win-VS2022`.
For example, I want the result to be
```auto
//fs1/0.3rdparty/foo/Win-VS2022
//fs1/0.3rdparty/bar/Win-VS2022
//fs1/0.3rdparty/pdq/Win-VS2022
```
I’ve tried logic such as:
```cmake
cmake_path(CONVERT "$ENV{THIRD_PARTY_ROOT}" TO_CMAKE_PATH_LIST THIRD_PARTY_ROOT)
cmake_print_variables(THIRD_PARTY_ROOT)
file(GLOB_RECURSE VS2022_FOLDERS LIST_DIRECTORIES true
"${THIRD_PARTY_ROOT}/*Win-VS2022")
cmake_print_variables(VS2022_FOLDERS)
```
I can confirm that the `THIRD_PARTY_ROOT` variable is correct.
However, the folders that are returned are not correct.
I will get incorrect results such as:
```auto
//fs1/deployment/0.3rdParty/foo/Win-VS2019/dependencies
//fs1/deployment/0.3rdParty/foo/Win-VS2022/dependencies
```
the first doesn’t even contain the Win-VS2022 while the second is beyond the matching string.
I’ve tried other glob variations too, such as
```auto
file(GLOB_RECURSE VS2022_FOLDERS LIST_DIRECTORIES true
"${THIRD_PARTY_ROOT}/Win-VS2022")
```
But the results are the same. It almost seems like it’s returning every possible folder under `THIRD_PARTY_ROOT`.
Can someone help me understand what I’m doing incorrectly?
| What | Version |
| --- | --- |
| Cmake | 3.23.1 |
| OS | Windows 11 |
---
### Author:  [@ClausKlein](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ClausKlein)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2024, 9:12am UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/how-to-find-directories-with-a-specific-name-pattern/10595/2 "2024-04-07T09:12:39Z")
I would try to filter with `list(FILTER ... REGEX)` as post step:
```cmake
list(FILTER VS2022_FOLDERS INCLUDE REGEX [=[.*/Win-VS2022/.*]=])
```
---
### Author:  [@JRR](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/JRR)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2024, 3:40pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/how-to-find-directories-with-a-specific-name-pattern/10595/3 "2024-04-08T15:40:08Z")
Thank you @ClausKlein. That suggestion will certainly work. However, I see that more as a work around.
Perhaps I misunderstand the documentation, but I’m looking for the pattern that would do what I requested. From what I’ve read the results should only contains the pattern and it contains much more than that.
Although, maybe, `LIST_DIRECTORIES`, will list all of the files that match the pattern and then simply all of the directories too?
---
### Author:  [@ClausKlein](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ClausKlein)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2024, 6:33pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/how-to-find-directories-with-a-specific-name-pattern/10595/4 "2024-04-08T18:33:19Z")
> [@JRR](#):
>
> `file(GLOB_RECURSE ... )`
The `GLOB_RECURSE` mode will traverse all the subdirectories of the matched directory **and match the files**.
Since CMake version 3.3: By default `GLOB_RECURSE` omits directories from result list. Setting `LIST_DIRECTORIES` to true adds directories to result list. If `FOLLOW_SYMLINKS` is given or policy CMP0009 is not set to `NEW` then `LIST_DIRECTORIES` treats symlinks as directories.
---
### Author:  [@JRR](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/JRR)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2024, 6:37pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/how-to-find-directories-with-a-specific-name-pattern/10595/5 "2024-04-08T18:37:33Z")
Hello @ClausKlein,
When you say
> Setting `LIST_DIRECTORIES` to true adds directories to result list
Do you mean that _ **all directories** _ found are added to the result list, or should it be just the directories that match the pattern?
I think you’re implying all directories are show and that the pattern match is only for files.
---
### Author:  [@ClausKlein](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ClausKlein)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2024, 7:38pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/how-to-find-directories-with-a-specific-name-pattern/10595/6 "2024-04-08T19:38:20Z")
That was quoted from the documentation.
It search file names that match the `globing` expression!
```cmake
file(GLOB_RECURSE folders LIST_DIRECTORIES YES
RELATIVE ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/include/asio/experimental
"include/asio/experimental/detail"
)
foreach(header IN LISTS folders)
message("${header}")
endforeach()
```
results in on unix:
```auto
detail
detail/impl
impl
```
---
### Author:  [@ClausKlein](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ClausKlein)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2024, 7:45pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/how-to-find-directories-with-a-specific-name-pattern/10595/7 "2024-04-08T19:45:43Z")
and this
```cmake
file(GLOB_RECURSE folders LIST_DIRECTORIES YES
RELATIVE ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/include/asio # /experimental
"include/asio/*/detail"
)
```
```auto
detail/impl
execution/impl
experimental/detail
experimental/detail/impl
experimental/impl
generic/detail
generic/detail/impl
ip/detail
ip/detail/impl
ip/impl
local/detail
local/detail/impl
ssl/detail
ssl/detail/impl
ssl/impl
```
---
### Author:  [@ClausKlein](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ClausKlein)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2024, 7:50pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/how-to-find-directories-with-a-specific-name-pattern/10595/8 "2024-04-08T19:50:21Z")
And past but not least:
```cmake
file(GLOB_RECURSE folders LIST_DIRECTORIES YES #
RELATIVE ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/include/asio # /experimental
"include/asio/*/detail/*.hpp"
)
```
results in
```auto
experimental/detail/channel_handler.hpp
experimental/detail/channel_message.hpp
experimental/detail/channel_operation.hpp
experimental/detail/channel_payload.hpp
experimental/detail/channel_receive_op.hpp
experimental/detail/channel_send_functions.hpp
experimental/detail/channel_send_op.hpp
experimental/detail/channel_service.hpp
experimental/detail/coro_completion_handler.hpp
experimental/detail/coro_promise_allocator.hpp
experimental/detail/has_signature.hpp
experimental/detail/impl
experimental/detail/impl/channel_service.hpp
experimental/detail/partial_promise.hpp
generic/detail/endpoint.hpp
generic/detail/impl
ip/detail/endpoint.hpp
ip/detail/impl
ip/detail/socket_option.hpp
local/detail/endpoint.hpp
local/detail/impl
ssl/detail/buffered_handshake_op.hpp
ssl/detail/engine.hpp
ssl/detail/handshake_op.hpp
ssl/detail/impl
ssl/detail/io.hpp
ssl/detail/openssl_init.hpp
ssl/detail/openssl_types.hpp
ssl/detail/password_callback.hpp
ssl/detail/read_op.hpp
ssl/detail/shutdown_op.hpp
ssl/detail/stream_core.hpp
ssl/detail/verify_callback.hpp
ssl/detail/write_op.hpp
```
### works fine for me 🤠