how do i escape text from a textbox?

Question

i have an app that populates a textbox from a sql query.

on my sql table, my server location shows as \\disk\path\path2\file.pdf

in my apps textbox it also shows as \\disk\path\path2\file.pdf

but in my code, i have a button that opens the file with Process.Start(scanDLTextBox.Text);

but when im debugging, my textbox shows as scanDLTextBox.Text "\\\\disk\\path\\path2\\file.pdf" string.

because of the extra \ i get the error

The system cannot find the file specified

so my question is, how do i remove the extra \ from the textbox?

Process.Start(scanDLTextBox.Text.Replace(@"\\", @"\")); doesnt remove the extra \

How do you check that your `scanDLTextBox.Text` shows `"\\\\disk\\path\\path2\\file.pdf"`? Is it from debugger? If it is, relax! :) It is just the debugger's representation... Your actual string is not changed. If you receive error because you cannot find the file specified, the problem must lie somewhere else. — Ian, Mar 17 '16 at 14:03
yea its shows in the debugger, pasting the path in run (ctrl + r) takes me straight to the file, so i know the file exists. i just cant access it from my app. any sugguestions as to what can be causing my error? — , Mar 17 '16 at 14:05
its a network drive `\\wb-str\index\WKTN\CARS\DRIVERS\213\nia.pdf` — , Mar 17 '16 at 14:07
I see.. for network drive, consider using `Utilities.Network.NetworkDrive` utilities. — Ian, Mar 17 '16 at 14:14

makro88 · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-17T14:47:52.510

1

Debugger will show you this extra \, but if you click magnificer next to it, you will see the proper string value.

Try to see if file really exists:

        string path = scanDLTextBox.Text;

        FileInfo fi = new FileInfo(path);

        bool exists = fi.Exists;

Also, if its a network drive, are you able to access it?

If you ara using Process to start it, try with:

Process process = new Process();
process.StartInfo.FileName = @"\\disk\path\path2\file.pdf";
process.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = true;
process.StartInfo.ErrorDialog = true; 
process.Start();

check this ErrorDialog property, it should ask for authentification.

edited Mar 17 '16 at 14:47

answered Mar 17 '16 at 14:10

makro88

102
8

file exists and im able to access it. pasting the path in run (ctrl + r) takes me straight to the file. i cant think of any other reason as to why it cant access the file. im tinkering with ians answer, i might just hardcode the base path and append the acutal path on runtime. if all else fails – Mar 17 '16 at 14:32
`FileInfo` has `GetAccessControl` - you can check. Also `FileInfo.FullName` could be helpfull. Try to see how it's gonna work with network file. – makro88 Mar 17 '16 at 14:40

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 17 '16 at 14:05

0

Try following

var path = Regex.Replace(scanDLTextBox.Text, @"[\\]{2,}", @"\");

answered Mar 17 '16 at 14:05

tchelidze

8,050
1
29
49

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 17 '16 at 14:11

I suggest a simple loop:

   private static String UnEscape(String source) {
     if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(source)) 
       return source;

     StringBuilder Sb = new StringBuilder(source.Length);

     for (int i = 0; i < source.Length; ++i) {
       Char ch = source[i];

       Sb.Append(ch);

       if ((ch == '\\') && (i < source.Length - 1) && (source[i + 1] == '\\'))
         i += 1; // skip next slash \
     }

     return Sb.ToString();
   }

   ...

   String source = @"\\\\disk\\path\\path2\\file.pdf";

   // "\\disk\path\path2\file.pdf"
   String result = UnEscape(source);

score -1 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 17 '16 at 14:05

-1

Assign your text to a variable:

string text1 = scanDLTextBox.Text;

Process.Start(text1);

If that doesn't work check with IntelliSense if the text really gets escaped. You need to .Replace() the backslashes then, for example.

answered Mar 17 '16 at 14:05

Thomas

213
2
9

how do i escape text from a textbox?

4 Answers4