Read files from a Folder present in project

Question

I have a C# project (Windows Console Application). I have created a folder named Data inside project. There are two text files inside folder Data.

How can I read the text files from "Data" folder. I tried below things.

string[] files = File.ReadAllLines(@"Data\Names.txt")

It is thowing error that file not found.

I have checked some Stackoverflow answers posted before and none of then are working for me.

How can I proceed? Thanks!

Google "current directory". The executable does not ncessarily run from your souce code folder! — Ondrej Tucny, Dec 07 '12 at 11:40
Are you copying this data folder to the output when buildingthe project? Check the options on teh files and correct it. — Ravi Y, Dec 07 '12 at 11:41

score 184 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 07 '12 at 11:46

184

below code should work:

string path = Path.Combine(Path.GetDirectoryName(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location), @"Data\Names.txt");
string[] files = File.ReadAllLines(path);

answered Dec 07 '12 at 11:46

Morbia

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My folder and files do not exist in the assembly folder :s .. Why is that? – bohem.be May 24 '16 at 15:36
59

in Visual Studio, mark the file and then set `Build Action` to `Content`, and `Copy to Output Directory` to `Copy always` – Florian Moser Sep 05 '16 at 14:53
4

Just use @"Data\Name.txt" applying @FlorianMoser notation – Alexandr Sargsyan Jul 03 '17 at 16:16
what's that '@' means for? – gumuruh Sep 22 '19 at 12:56
@ there is called verbatim string literal, see https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3311988/what-is-the-difference-between-a-regular-string-and-a-verbatim-string – Morbia Sep 24 '19 at 05:50
To fully complete this thought, the '@' is there so you don't have to escape the backslask in the path. – Stevers Jan 01 '21 at 15:19
I used AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory for the base path and it worked for unit testing as well. – Vlad Feb 18 '21 at 18:02
The code in this answer should be used only if you have an intention to fetch the path like this: C:\Users\lenovo\AppData\Local\Temp\Temporary ASP.NET Files\vs\e569ddac\c9182dba\assembly\dl3\e1c0b2a1\3fffb0d1_3b17d801\Data\Names.txt – Saima Feb 01 '22 at 07:21

score 41 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 07 '12 at 11:46

41

it depends where is your Data folder

To get the directory where the .exe file is:

AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory

To get the current directory:

Environment.CurrentDirectory

Then you can concatenate your directory path (@"\Data\Names.txt")

answered Dec 07 '12 at 11:46

Massimiliano Peluso

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score 24 · Answer 3 · answered Dec 07 '12 at 12:46

24

If you need to get all the files in the folder named 'Data', just code it as below

string[] Documents = System.IO.Directory.GetFiles("../../Data/");

Now the 'Documents' consists of array of complete object name of two text files in the 'Data' folder 'Data'.

answered Dec 07 '12 at 12:46

Uthistran Selvaraj

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1

@Bunyip: do you need to read the contents of the text file or just to know the files in the folder? – Uthistran Selvaraj Dec 07 '12 at 12:48

score 19 · Answer 4 · edited Jul 21 '15 at 00:05

19

I have a C# project (Windows Console Application). I have created a folder named Images inside project. There is one ico file called MyIcon.ico. I accessed MyIcon.ico inside Images folder like below.

this.Icon = new Icon(@"../../Images/MyIcon.ico");

edited Jul 21 '15 at 00:05

josliber

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answered Jul 20 '15 at 21:49

Ziggler

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score 15 · Answer 5 · answered Dec 09 '12 at 16:37

15

Copy Always to output directory is set then try the following:

 Directory.SetCurrentDirectory(AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory);
 String Root = Directory.GetCurrentDirectory();

answered Dec 09 '12 at 16:37

Rickey

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This should be the accepted answer - it is robust whether the file is in a library or in the executable project. – Tullochgorum Mar 27 '20 at 01:58
The main idea is that by setting copy always to output directory ,it always copies file/folder under bin folder and AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory returns bin folder path. For instance if you have Products.xlsx under ExcelSettings folder ,you get it with following: Path.Combine(Path.GetDirectoryName(AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory), "ExcelSettings\\Products.xlsx) – erhan355 Nov 22 '21 at 10:25
This should be the accepted answer, it's the only one that worked for me! OMG i've search so much, and so many duds.. – Dumitru Daniel Jun 10 '22 at 08:54

score 1 · Answer 6 · edited Jan 11 '20 at 00:52

1

This was helpful for me, if you use the

var dir = Directory.GetCurrentDirectory()

the path fill be beyond the current folder, it will incluide this path \bin\debug What I recommend you, is that you can use the

string dir = Directory.GetParent(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory()).Parent.Parent.FullName

then print the dir value and verify the path is giving you

edited Jan 11 '20 at 00:52

Tony Dong

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answered Jan 10 '20 at 21:36

Josue Augusto Ramirez

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score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Aug 08 '18 at 15:01

For Xamarin.iOS you can use the following code to get contents of the file if file exists.

var documents = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.MyDocuments);
var filename = Path.Combine(documents, "xyz.json");
if (File.Exists(filename))
{
var text =System.IO.File.ReadAllText(filename);
}

score -1 · Answer 8 · answered Nov 30 '15 at 06:24

Use this Code for read all files in folder and sub-folders also

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {

        getfiles get = new getfiles();
        List<string> files =  get.GetAllFiles(@"D:\Document");

        foreach(string f in files)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(f);
        }


        Console.Read();
    }


}

class getfiles
{
    public List<string> GetAllFiles(string sDirt)
    {
        List<string> files = new List<string>();

        try
        {
            foreach (string file in Directory.GetFiles(sDirt))
            {
                files.Add(file);
            }
            foreach (string fl in Directory.GetDirectories(sDirt))
            {
                files.AddRange(GetAllFiles(fl));
            }
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {

            Console.WriteLine(ex.Message);
        }



        return files;
    }
}

score -1 · Answer 9 · edited Jan 16 '19 at 22:33

-1

string myFile= File.ReadAllLines(Application.StartupPath.ToString() + @"..\..\..\Data\myTxtFile.txt")

edited Jan 16 '19 at 22:33

Gibolt

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answered Jan 16 '19 at 22:02

Ahmed Abdel Moneem

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Please add some text detailing why this works/what it does – Gibolt Jan 16 '19 at 22:33
2

While this might answer the authors question, it lacks some explaining words and/or links to documentation. Raw code snippets are not very helpful without some phrases around them. You may also find [how to write a good answer](https://stackoverflow.com/help/how-to-answer) very helpful. Please [edit] your answer - [From Review](https://stackoverflow.com/review/low-quality-posts/21950637) – Nick Jan 17 '19 at 03:10

Read files from a Folder present in project

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