How can I read a text file without locking it?

Question

I have a windows service writes its log in a text file in a simple format.

Now, I'm going to create a small application to read the service's log and shows both the existing log and the added one as live view.

The problem is that the service locks the text file for adding the new lines and at the same time the viewer application locks the file for reading.

The Service Code:

void WriteInLog(string logFilePath, data)
{
    File.AppendAllText(logFilePath, 
                       string.Format("{0} : {1}\r\n", DateTime.Now, data));
}

The viewer Code:

int index = 0;
private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            try
            {
                using (StreamReader sr = new StreamReader(logFilePath))
                {
                    while (sr.Peek() >= 0)  // reading the old data
                    {
                        AddLineToGrid(sr.ReadLine());
                        index++;
                    }
                    sr.Close();
                }

                timer1.Start();
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
            }
        }


private void timer1_Tick(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            using (StreamReader sr = new StreamReader(logFilePath))
            {
                // skipping the old data, it has read in the Form1_Load event handler
                for (int i = 0; i < index ; i++) 
                    sr.ReadLine();

                while (sr.Peek() >= 0) // reading the live data if exists
                {
                    string str = sr.ReadLine();
                    if (str != null)
                    {
                        AddLineToGrid(str);
                        index++;
                    }
                }
                sr.Close();
            }
        }

Is there any problem in my code in reading and writing way?

How to solve the problem?

Answer 1

You need to make sure that both the service and the reader open the log file non-exclusively. Try this:

For the service - the writer in your example - use a FileStream instance created as follows:

var outStream = new FileStream(logfileName, FileMode.Open, 
                               FileAccess.Write, FileShare.ReadWrite);

For the reader use the same but change the file access:

var inStream = new FileStream(logfileName, FileMode.Open, 
                              FileAccess.Read, FileShare.ReadWrite);

Also, since FileStream implements IDisposable make sure that in both cases you consider using a using statement, for example for the writer:

using(var outStream = ...)
{
   // using outStream here
   ...
}

Good luck!

Answer 2

Explicit set up the sharing mode while reading the text file.

using (FileStream fs = new FileStream(logFilePath, 
                                      FileMode.Open, 
                                      FileAccess.Read,    
                                      FileShare.ReadWrite))
{
    using (StreamReader sr = new StreamReader(fs))
    {
        while (sr.Peek() >= 0) // reading the old data
        {
           AddLineToGrid(sr.ReadLine());
           index++;
        }
    }
}

Answer 3

new StreamReader(File.Open(logFilePath, 
                           FileMode.Open, 
                           FileAccess.Read, 
                           FileShare.ReadWrite))

-> this doesn't lock the file.

Answer 4

The problem is when you are writing to the log you are exclusively locking the file down so your StreamReader won't be allowed to open it at all.

You need to try open the file in readonly mode.

using (FileStream fs = new FileStream("myLogFile.txt", FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read, FileShare.ReadWrite))
{
    using (StreamReader sr = new StreamReader(fs))
    {
        while (!fs.EndOfStream)
        {
            string line = fs.ReadLine();
            // Your code here
        }
    }
}

Answer 5

I remember doing the same thing a couple of years ago. After some google queries i found this:

    FileStream fs = new FileStream(@”c:\test.txt”, 
                                   FileMode.Open, 
                                   FileAccess.Read,        
                                   FileShare.ReadWrite);

i.e. use the FileShare.ReadWrite attribute on FileStream().

(found on Balaji Ramesh's blog)

Answer 6

Have you tried copying the file, then reading it?

Just update the copy whenever big changes are made.

Answer 7

This method will help you to fastest read a text file and without locking it.

private string ReadFileAndFetchStringInSingleLine(string file)
    {
        StringBuilder sb;
        try
        {
            sb = new StringBuilder();
            using (FileStream fs = File.Open(file, FileMode.Open))
            {
                using (BufferedStream bs = new BufferedStream(fs))
                {
                    using (StreamReader sr = new StreamReader(bs))
                    {
                        string str;
                        while ((str = sr.ReadLine()) != null)
                        {
                            sb.Append(str);
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
            return sb.ToString();
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            return "";
        }
    }

Hope this method will help you.