@SuppressWarnings("null") //begin comboList Items grab public List<SelectItem> getSelectItems() throws IOException { //set up empty placeholder list Items List<SelectItem> selectItems = new ArrayList<SelectItem>(); //Directory where files reside File localDir = new File("C:\\temp\\WEB_FILES"); //local variable statement FilenameFilter filterDir = new FilenameFilter() { public boolean accept(File localDir, String fileName) { return fileName.startsWith("JFreeChartCSVData"); } }; //plug matching files into String array String[] localFiles = localDir.list(filterDir); //ensure directory actually contains fileNames startsWith("JFreeChartCSVData") if (localFiles == null) { System.out .println("Files not found, please check directory listings"); //loop through directory if it actually contains fileNames startsWith("JFreeChartCSVData") } else { //enter loop, grab all matching files for (int i = 0; i < localFiles.length; i++) { //load matching files to comboBox variable String cboFiles = localFiles[i]; //set up files into selection comboList selectItems.add(new SelectItem(localDir + "\\" + cboFiles.toString())); } } //... //List localFiles found return selectItems; }