Using the copy command in c#, not respecting paths

Question

I am trying to code something that will essentially concat a bunch of files together into 1 output file.

my code is as follows

string[] destination = new string[this.lbFiles.Items.Count];
this.lbFiles.Items.CopyTo(destination, 0);
string result1 = ConvertStringArrayToString(destination);
result1 = result1.Remove(result1.Length - 3);
string outputfile = this.saveFileDialog1.FileName;
string copyarg = "copy /b " + result1 + quote + outputfile + quote;
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("CMD.exe", copyarg);

So basically result1 = all the files i'm trying to concatenate. with full paths and quotes. and outputfile = the output file name i want to use with full path.

My problem is, when I execute the code, it copys the files, but it doesnt use the output file name I have specified, and it outputs the file to the directory where the program exe is located, not the path I have specified.

Any help?

@TDaver probably because the command-line version can be used to concatenate files, while File.Copy cannot. That said, `cmd copy /b` is still the wrong way to do this. Just open an output stream and read in from each file, write back to the output. — Joel Coehoorn, Nov 08 '12 at 17:06
But C# has it's fair share of tricks for concatting too. See: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/444309/what-would-be-the-fastest-way-to-concatenate-three-files-in-c — TDaver, Nov 08 '12 at 17:09
@Derek - what is the value of copyarg when you call Process.Start? — Polyfun, Nov 08 '12 at 17:10
/C copy /b "d:\test1.ac3" + "d:\test2.ac3" "d:\output.ac3" that would be the value of copyarg — Derek, Nov 08 '12 at 17:42
I have a bunch of files in a listbox. I copy them into a string array, and then turn that string array into a string that contains "file1" + "file2" etc...i then feed that into the cmd copy process. my problem is, it's not respecting the full path — Derek, Nov 08 '12 at 17:45
I think you're either missing a quote in there, or a space. You're removing the last three characters of `result1`, which I assume are space-plus-space, and then immediately adding a quote. This would produce `copy /b "d:\test1.ac3" + "d:\test2.ac3""d:\output.ac3"`. I have no idea what that would do if you ran it, though. — Bobson, Nov 08 '12 at 18:08
Bobson you are a genius! that was it! i changed it to remove 2 characters instead and it works! Thanks so much! — Derek, Nov 08 '12 at 18:24
@Derek - Glad it helped! I added it as an answer so you can accept it if you choose. Good luck with your code! — Bobson, Nov 08 '12 at 18:49

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 08 '12 at 18:48

You appear to be either missing a quote in there, or a space. You're removing the last three characters of result1, which I assume are "+", and then immediately adding a quote. This would produce copy /b "d:\test1.ac3" + "d:\test2.ac3""d:\output.ac3".

I would assume this would error, but if it doesn't, it could certainly produce your odd behavior. Especially if your file names actually have spaces in them.

Using the copy command in c#, not respecting paths

1 Answers1