Scala - Check If a File or Path Exists

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Scala is open to make use of any Java objects and java.io.File is one of the objects which can be used in Scala programming to read, write, delete files and directories, etc.

Checking if given file Exists

You can check if given file exists using the exists method of Java File class. This method returns true if the file (or directory) denoted by the abstract pathname exists, and false otherwise.

Example

Following is the example which shows you how to check if a file named test.txt exists −

import java.io._

object Demo {
   def main(args: Array[String]) = {
      val file = new File("test.txt")
      
      if (file.exists()) {
         println("File exists")
      } else {
         println("File does not exist")
      }
   }
}

Save the above program in Demo.scala. Use the following commands to compile and execute this program.

Command

> scalac Demo.scala
> scala Demo

Output

The above code will check if the file test.txt exists. If the file exists, it will print "File exists". If the file does not exist, it will print "File does not exist".

This will produce the following result -

File exists

Checking if given directory Exists

You can check if given directory exists similarly to checking if a file exists.

Example

Following is the example which shows you how to check if a directory named testDir exists −

import java.io._

object Demo {
   def main(args: Array[String]) = {
      val directory = new File("testDir")
      
      if (directory.exists()) {
         println("Directory exists")
      } else {
         println("Directory does not exist")
      }
   }
}

Save the above program in Demo.scala. Use the following commands to compile and execute this program.

Command

> scalac Demo.scala
> scala Demo

Output

The above code will check if the directory testDir exists. If the directory exists, it will print "Directory exists". If the directory does not exist, it will print "Directory does not exist".

This will produce the following result -

Directory exists

Checking if given path is file

You can check if given path is a file using isFile method of the File class. This method returns true if the file denoted by the abstract pathname is a normal file, and false otherwise.

Example

Following is the example which shows you how to check if a path named test.txt is a file −

import java.io._

object Demo {
   def main(args: Array[String]) = {
      val file = new File("test.txt")
      
      if (file.isFile) {
         println("Path is a file")
      } else {
         println("Path is not a file")
      }
   }
}

Save the above program in Demo.scala. Use the following commands to compile and execute this program.

Command

> scalac Demo.scala
> scala Demo

Output

The above code will check if the path test.txt is a file. If the path is a file, it will print "Path is a file". If the path is not a file, it will print "Path is not a file".

This will produce the following result -

Path is a file

Checking if given path is directory

You can check if given path is a directory using isDirectory method of the File class. This method returns true if the file denoted by the abstract pathname is a directory, and false otherwise.

Example

Following is the example which shows you how to check if a path named testDir is a directory −

import java.io._

object Demo {
   def main(args: Array[String]) = {
      val directory = new File("testDir")
      
      if (directory.isDirectory) {
         println("Path is a directory")
      } else {
         println("Path is not a directory")
      }
   }
}

Save the above program in Demo.scala. Use the following commands to compile and execute this program.

Command

> scalac Demo.scala
> scala Demo

Output

The above code will check if the path testDir is a directory. If the path is a directory, it will print "Path is a directory". If the path is not a directory, it will print "Path is not a directory".

This will produce the following result -

Path is a directory

Checking if given file Readable

You can check if given file is readable using canRead method of the File class. This method returns true if the file denoted by the abstract pathname can be read, and false otherwise.

Example

Following is the example which shows you how to check if a file named test.txt is readable −

import java.io._

object Demo {
   def main(args: Array[String]) = {
      val file = new File("test.txt")
      
      if (file.canRead) {
         println("File is readable")
      } else {
         println("File is not readable")
      }
   }
}

Save the above program in Demo.scala. Use the following commands to compile and execute this program.

Command

> scalac Demo.scala
> scala Demo

Output

The above code will check if the file test.txt is readable. If the file is readable, it will print "File is readable". If the file is not readable, it will print "File is not readable".

This will produce the following result -

File is readable

Checking if given file Writable

You can check if given file is writable using canWrite method of the File class. This method returns true if the file denoted by the abstract pathname can be written, and false otherwise.

Example

Following is the example which shows you how to check if a file named test.txt is writable −

import java.io._

object Demo {
   def main(args: Array[String]) = {
      val file = new File("test.txt")
      
      if (file.canWrite) {
         println("File is writable")
      } else {
         println("File is not writable")
      }
   }
}

Save the above program in Demo.scala. Use the following commands to compile and execute this program.

Command

> scalac Demo.scala
> scala Demo

Output

The above code will check if the file test.txt is writable. If the file is writable, it will print "File is writable". If the file is not writable, it will print "File is not writable".

This will produce the following result -

File is writable

Checking if given file Executable

You can check if given file is executable using canExecute method of the File class. This method returns true if the file denoted by the abstract pathname can be executed, and false otherwise.

Example

Following is the example which shows you how to check if a file named test.txt is executable −

import java.io._

object Demo {
   def main(args: Array[String]) = {
      val file = new File("test.txt")
      
      if (file.canExecute) {
         println("File is executable")
      } else {
         println("File is not executable")
      }
   }
}

Save the above program in Demo.scala. Use the following commands to compile and execute this program.

Command

> scalac Demo.scala
> scala Demo

Output

The above code will check if the file test.txt is executable. If the file is executable, it will print "File is executable". If the file is not executable, it will print "File is not executable".

This will produce the following result -

File is executable

Handling Exceptions When Checking File Properties

When working with file operations, it is important to handle exceptions like SecurityException and IOException to make your code more robust.

Example

Following is the example which shows you how to handle exceptions when checking file properties −

import java.io._

object Demo {
   def main(args: Array[String]) = {
      try {
         val file = new File("test.txt")
         
         if (file.exists()) {
            println("File exists")
         } else {
            println("File does not exist")
         }
      } catch {
         case ex: SecurityException => println("Permission denied: " + ex.getMessage)
         case ex: IOException => println("An IO error occurred: " + ex.getMessage)
      }
   }
}

Save the above program in Demo.scala. Use the following commands to compile and execute this program.

Command

> scalac Demo.scala
> scala Demo

Output

If an error occurs, the program will print an appropriate error message.

This will produce the following result -

Permission denied: [error message]