Creating Nested Folders via Client Object Model

Question

I'm trying to create nested folders in my document library so it looks like this:

http://site/PublicDocuments/Folder1/Folder2/Folder3/

The document library "Public Documents" exists but none of the folders exist yet.

Here's the working code for those interested:

    ClientContext clientContext = new ClientContext(url);
    Web web = clientContext.Web;
    var query = clientContext.LoadQuery(web.Lists.Where(p => p.Title == "Public Documents"));
    clientContext.ExecuteQuery();
    List list = query.FirstOrDefault();
    var folder = list.RootFolder;

    clientContext.Load(folder);
    clientContext.ExecuteQuery();

    string[] namesArray = new string[] { "/Folder1", "Folder2", "Folder3" };
    foreach(string name in namesArray)
    {
        folder = folder.Folders.Add(name);            
    }

    clientContext.ExecuteQuery();

Thanks!

Answer 1

Try not calling clientContext.Load, for example this works for me:

var folder = list.RootFolder;
clientContext.Load(folder);
clientContext.ExecuteQuery();
folder = folder.Folders.Add("Folder 1");
folder.Folders.Add("Folder 2");
clientContext.ExecuteQuery();

Answer 2

How about something like this:

 public static Folder EnsureFolder(ClientContext ctx, Folder ParentFolder, string FolderPath)
    {
        //Split up the incoming path so we have the first element as the a new sub-folder name 
        //and add it to ParentFolder folders collection
        string[] PathElements = FolderPath.Split(new char[] { '/' }, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries);           
        string Head = PathElements[0];
        Folder NewFolder = ParentFolder.Folders.Add(Head);
        ctx.Load(NewFolder);
        ctx.ExecuteQuery();

        //If we have subfolders to create then the length of PathElements will be greater than 1
        if (PathElements.Length > 1)
        {
            //If we have more nested folders to create then reassemble the folder path using what we have left i.e. the tail
            string Tail = string.Empty;
            for (int i = 1; i < PathElements.Length; i++)
                Tail = Tail + "/" + PathElements[i];

            //Then make a recursive call to create the next subfolder
            return EnsureFolder(ctx, NewFolder, Tail);
        }
        else
            //This ensures that the folder at the end of the chain gets returned
            return NewFolder;            
    }

and then you can call it with following:

ctx.Load(TargetList.RootFolder);
ctx.ExecuteQuery();
Folder NewFolder = EnsureFolder(ctx, TargetList.RootFolder, "/Folder1/Folder2/Folder3");

Answer 3

Try looping through and adding each folder and then call ExecuteQuery

      string[] namesArray = new string[] {  "Folder1","Folder2"};
      foreach (string name in namesArray)
       {
        //Add Folder
        var folders = list.RootFolder.Folders;
        clientContext.Load(folders);
        clientContext.ExecuteQuery();
        var newFolder = folders.Add(name);
      }
      //Execute request
      clientContext.ExecuteQuery();