Initialization of C# string array

Question

I want to declare a string array, I was using this way of doing it:

string[] matchingFiles = Directory.GetFiles(FilePath, FileNamePattern);

which worked perfectly.

Now I want to enclose the Directory.GetFiles call in a try/catch block, but I can't also have the declaration of the string array in there because then it won't be in the right scope to use it outside of the try block. But if I try this:

string[] matchingActiveLogFiles;
    try
    {
        matchingFiles = Directory.GetFiles(FilePath, FileNamePattern);
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        //log error
    }
            

I have not initialized the string array so I have an error. So I am wondering what is best practise in this situation, should I declare the string array outside the try block? And if so how?

Answer 1

This will initialize your array:

string[] matchingActiveLogFiles = {};
    try
    {
        matchingFiles = Directory.GetFiles(FilePath, FileNamePattern);
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        //log error
    }

But I'm wondering, what error are you getting?

Even with an uninitialized array, the above code should work.

I also noticed that you have "matchingActiveLogFiles" on line 1 and "matchingFiles" on line 4. Perhaps that's your problem?