Cannot access to simple file "because it is being used by another process"

Question

I have a simple method in my class EDIDocument used to load a xml :

    /// <summary>
    /// Method used to load specific target file as template
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="filepath">file path</param>
    /// <returns>loading status</returns>
    public bool Load(string filepath)
    {
        //file exists
        bool returnValue = File.Exists(filepath);
        //file is a xml
        returnValue &= Path.GetExtension(filepath).Equals(".xml");
        //if file is valid
        if (returnValue)
        {
            XmlReader reader = XmlReader.Create(filepath);
            //load document
            this._xmldoc = XDocument.Load(reader);
            //load complete
            returnValue &= (this._xmldoc != null);
        }
        //End of method
        return returnValue;
    }

I have a unit test for this method :

    /// <summary>
    /// Test success on load xml document
    /// </summary>
    [TestMethod]
    public void TestLoadXML_Success()
    {
        File.Create("xml.xml");
        //create document
        EDIDocument doc = new EDIDocument();
        //load something wrong
        bool result = doc.Load("xml.xml");
        //test
        Assert.IsTrue(result);
    }

I have always an exception when i start my unit test :

Test method EDIDocumentTest.TestLoadXML_Success threw exception: System.IO.IOException: The process cannot access the file 'C:......\Debug\xml.xml' because it is being used by another process.

I have googled this issue and i have tried multiple solution with XmlReader, StreamReader... by i have always the same exception...

My question is : what to do into my method Load for to fix this exception?

Thanks

score 10 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:13

10

File.Create returns a stream to the file, so it keeps a handle open to it. You need to close the file first. This should work:

File.Create("xml.xml").Close();

See this question for more details: Why is File.Create needed to be closed?

edited May 23 '17 at 12:13

Community

1
1

answered Jul 25 '13 at 14:25

greg84

7,541
3
36
45

That's perfect, tanks for the link ;) – Kevin ABRIOUX Jul 25 '13 at 14:37

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 25 '13 at 14:25

2

You need to dispose of the XmlReader:

using (XmlReader reader = XmlReader.Create(filepath))
{
    //load document
    this._xmldoc = XDocument.Load(reader);
    //load complete
    returnValue &= (this._xmldoc != null);
}

You also need to change the way you create your file, like this:

File.WriteAllText("xml.xml", "");

as you never dispose of the filesystem handle used in File.Create.

answered Jul 25 '13 at 14:25

It'sNotALie.

22,289
12
68
103

It was not my solution, but in my case, i think it's better to use your statement with "using( ..." – Kevin ABRIOUX Jul 25 '13 at 14:39

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 25 '13 at 14:28

File.Create has a return value. It's a FileStream.
That FileStream holds the file.
You need to dispose of that FileStream to get access to the file:

FileStream f = File.Create("xml.xml");
f.Dispose();

or:

using (File.Create("xml.xml")) {}

If you don't dispose of it manually, it will be disposed randomly when the GC gets to collect it... But until then it will hold the file.

Cannot access to simple file "because it is being used by another process"

3 Answers3