Is there any other way to open a file without a specific location?

Question

So this application is going to be an .EXE file and used in other office computers. One problem though. If i would open a file, that specific computer would have another path so my code wouldn't work. Is there a way to specify only the folder? I mean like for instance C:/ApplicationFolder/Hejj.pdf.

I hope you understand my question.

private void Button_Click_8(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{    
    Process.Start(@"C:\Users\Danie\Desktop\Hejj.pdf");      
}

An `AppData` or `Users` folder location is for just this purpose — Ňɏssa Pøngjǣrdenlarp, Aug 20 '18 at 17:15
Can you use a FileOpen dialogue to prompt the user for the path? — Doug Dawson, Aug 20 '18 at 17:16
@Plutonix can you address the solution a little more specific please? — Daniel Saggo, Aug 20 '18 at 17:18
@DougDawson That would be great but i need it to open a specific file when that button is pressed and not have the user go and search for the file manually — Daniel Saggo, Aug 20 '18 at 17:19
@DanielSaggo can you as a human locate the file on other ppl's PC without asking them or have physical access to the machine? Or do you at least know a couple places where it might be? If not then this is not doable — Steve, Aug 20 '18 at 17:22
@Steve The thing is. This file is not on the computers but it is supposed to be in the same folder the .exe file is going to be placed. So i wanted to create a shortcut to the desktop from the folder. — Daniel Saggo, Aug 20 '18 at 17:24
Do not store user data in the application folder or on the desktop. Consult [Where is the best place to store local data](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/34402438/). — Dour High Arch, Aug 20 '18 at 17:27
@DourHighArch Thank you for the answer but that still doesn't solve the actual issue — Daniel Saggo, Aug 20 '18 at 17:29
Possible duplicate of [How do I get the path of the assembly the code is in?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/52797/how-do-i-get-the-path-of-the-assembly-the-code-is-in) — Rufus L, Aug 20 '18 at 17:39

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 20 '18 at 17:31

3

it is supposed to be in the same folder the .exe file is going to be placed

you can use Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location to get the current exe's path

Path.Combine(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location, "Hejj.pdf") will give you the full path of the pdf file

answered Aug 20 '18 at 17:31

Steve

11,696
7
43
81

@DanielSaggo copy paste my code to replace your hard coded pdf path and you are done – Steve Aug 20 '18 at 17:40
{Process.Start(Path.Combine(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location, "Hejj.pdf")); – Daniel Saggo Aug 20 '18 at 17:44
like that or like so Path.Combine(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location, "Hejj.pdf"); – Daniel Saggo Aug 20 '18 at 17:45
1

@DanielSaggo you gonna understand how it works. Path.Combine will give you a path. If you want to start a program then you do Process.Start({program path}). – Steve Aug 20 '18 at 18:44

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 21 '18 at 07:53

You could use the system special folder environment constants like

private void Button_Click_8(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{    
    string path = System.Environment.GetFolderPath(System.Environment.SpecialFolder.DesktopDirectory);
    Process.Start(System.IO.Path.Combine(path, Hejj.pdf));      
}

to get the path to the desktop directory.

GetFolderPath returns the path to the location. The locations of these folders can have different values on different operating systems. See MSDN for all available directory constants.

Is there any other way to open a file without a specific location?

2 Answers2