Process.start results in file not found even though the file exists

Question

I am using following code to open an arbitrary file with an arbitrary application that is installed on the system :

if (File.Exists(_document.DocumentFullPath))
{
    Process.Start(_document.DocumentFullPath);
}
else MessageBox.Show(string.Format("Document {0} does not exist!", _document.DocumentFullPath));

When I execute this code I see that the file.Exists returns true, so the file does exist. But then the corresponding application opens, for instance an image viewer or a pdf viewer depending on the file type (jpg or pdf) that I am trying to open, but it shows an error in that application that it cannot find the file. No exceptions are thrown. This does not happen all the time but only for some files. If I try to open these files manually by copy pasting the content of DocumentFullPath in the explorer, then the file does open correctly in the applicable application.

Duh I don't understand what is wrong. Example of a filename that don't work :

C:\Users\stuyckp\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\WPF\FrakoKlantOpvolgingWPF\FrakoKlantOpvolgingWPF\bin\Debug\ProjectDocumenten\11339_Wigbers\6197_koelkast \big-money.jpg

I am running on windows 10.

@CodingGorilla, the code that launches the process is there. Or I don't understand your question. — Philip Stuyck, Mar 17 '16 at 15:08
Your example of a filename that doesn't work has a space between "6197_koelkast" and the directory separator; I doubt your directory actually has a space at the end of its name. Could it be something as simple as that? — Steven, Mar 17 '16 at 15:12
If I change the path and remove that extra space, it works. So I guess I'll have to programmatically change the path. And avoid the user from ending with spaces to begin with. That is actually the root cause of this problem. — Philip Stuyck, Mar 17 '16 at 15:13
Seems to be an error with `File.Exists()`. It seems to trim trailing spaces from folder names. — derpirscher, Mar 17 '16 at 15:18

score 5 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 10:27

5

Do you have spaces in the file path? File.Exists can handle spaces fine, presumably as can Windows Explorer, but it's possible that Process.Start cannot.

I think this is what you want bud. Use the process start using a ProcessStartInfo object with the file path with spaces passed as a string separately.

Use Process.Start with parameters AND spaces in path

edited May 23 '17 at 10:27

Community

1
1

answered Mar 17 '16 at 15:11

user1385417

131
5

This is a good point, should probably change the code to be: `Process.Start("\"" + _document.DocumentFullPath + "\"");`. – CodingGorilla Mar 17 '16 at 15:13
Process.Start can deal with it (works for me with for instance a text file) but maybe the viewer associated with the filetype can't. – derpirscher Mar 17 '16 at 15:14
Used that way as in the link. Path and filename seperately works fine. – Philip Stuyck Mar 17 '16 at 15:19
Problem seems to be `File.Exists("c:\\folder \\with spaces \\file.jpg")` returns `true` even if the "real" path is `c:\folder\with spaces\file.jpg` – derpirscher Mar 17 '16 at 15:21

Process.start results in file not found even though the file exists

1 Answers1