ComfyUI Node: Select Random File From Directory

Select Random File From Directory:

The JNodes_SelectRandomFileFromDirectory node is designed to help you randomly select a file from a specified directory, which can be particularly useful for tasks that require randomization or sampling from a large set of files. This node can traverse through directories, including subdirectories if specified, and filter files based on an optional file type. By using a seed value, the selection process can be made deterministic, ensuring reproducibility of results. This node is ideal for AI artists who need to randomly pick files for their projects, such as images, text files, or any other type of file, without manually browsing through directories.

Select Random File From Directory Input Parameters:

base_directory

This parameter specifies the directory from which the node will select a random file. It should be a string representing the path to the base directory. The node will start its search from this directory and can include subdirectories if specified. This parameter is crucial as it defines the scope of the file search.

include_subdirectories

This boolean parameter determines whether the node should include files from subdirectories within the base directory. If set to True, the node will traverse all subdirectories; if set to False, it will only consider files in the base directory. The default value is True.

optional_file_type

This string parameter allows you to filter files by their type. For example, you can specify .jpg to only include JPEG images in the selection process. If left empty, the node will consider all file types. This parameter helps narrow down the selection to specific file types relevant to your project.

seed

This integer parameter is used to initialize the random number generator, ensuring that the file selection process can be reproduced. By setting the same seed value, you can get the same random file selection across different runs. The default value is 0, and it can range up to 0xffffffffffffffff.

Select Random File From Directory Output Parameters:

PATH

This output parameter returns the path of the randomly selected file as a string. The path includes the full directory structure, making it easy to locate the file. This output is essential for further processing or utilization of the selected file in your projects.

Select Random File From Directory Usage Tips:

• To ensure reproducibility, always set a specific seed value when you need to get the same random file selection in different runs.
• Use the optional_file_type parameter to filter files by type, which can be particularly useful when working with specific file formats like images or text files.
• If you only need files from the base directory and not from subdirectories, set include_subdirectories to False to speed up the file selection process.

Select Random File From Directory Common Errors and Solutions:

No files found in the specified directory

• Explanation: This error occurs when the node does not find any files in the specified base directory or its subdirectories (if included).
• Solution: Ensure that the base_directory path is correct and that it contains files. Also, check if the optional_file_type filter is too restrictive.

Invalid base directory path

• Explanation: This error occurs when the specified base_directory path does not exist or is not accessible.
• Solution: Verify that the base_directory path is correct and that you have the necessary permissions to access it.

Seed value out of range

• Explanation: This error occurs when the seed value exceeds the maximum allowed range.
• Solution: Ensure that the seed value is within the range of 0 to 0xffffffffffffffff.

File type filter too restrictive

• Explanation: This error occurs when the optional_file_type filter does not match any files in the directory.
• Solution: Check the file type filter for correctness and ensure that files of the specified type exist in the directory.