How can i add a text file to my project and then to read the lines from it in code?

Question

I did right click on my project then Add > Existing Item and then selected the text file from the hard disk. Now i see the file on the right window in the solution explorer.

Now i want to do two things. First to make sure if someone else will use the project or only will run the exe or when i will make later installation that the program will be able to use the text file not only me. I mean that if someone else on his computer will use the program that it will not throw exception that the text file is missing.

Second how can i read from the file in the code ?

private void ManageDirectories()
        {
            string savedImagesPath = Path.GetDirectoryName(Application.LocalUserAppDataPath);
            string mainPath = "Test";
            mainPath = Path.Combine(savedImagesPath, mainPath);
            //string[] lines = File.ReadAllLines
        }

I want to read the lines of the text file using the File.ReadAllLines

As to your first question, Mark the file in the solution explorer, and then, in the properties window, change the value of Copy to Output Directory to `Copy if newer` — Zohar Peled, Jan 26 '17 at 12:55

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 26 '17 at 12:56

If you want this file to exist in Debug/Release folder with .exe file you should set Copy to Output Directory option to true.

To do this:

Click on file -> in Properties window set Copy to Output Directory to true.

To read all lines from some file you can use File.ReadAllLines():

string[] lines = File.ReadAllLines("somefile.txt"); //change path and name of your file.

How can i add a text file to my project and then to read the lines from it in code?

1 Answers1