How to read a text file in project's root directory?

Question

I want to read the first line of a text file that I added to the root directory of my project. Meaning, my solution explorer is showing the .txt file along side my .cs files in my project.

So, I tried to do:

TextReader tr = new StreamReader(@"myfile.txt");
string myText = tr.ReadLine();

But this doesn't work since it's referring to the Bin Folder and my file isn't in there... How can I make this work? :/

Thanks

btw, StreamReader name is a bit confusing, Microsoft should have named that TextStreamReader in my opinion — George Birbilis, Sep 05 '15 at 17:29

score 166 · Accepted Answer · edited Aug 11 '15 at 03:40

166

From Solution Explorer, right click on myfile.txt and choose "Properties"

From there, set the Build Action to content and Copy to Output Directory to either Copy always or Copy if newer

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edited Aug 11 '15 at 03:40

Daniel Szabo

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answered Jun 20 '11 at 19:52

dance2die

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2

I'd rather not have this file exposed to my users... is there a way to embed it in the dll and read it from there? – Shai UI Jun 20 '11 at 19:54
3

@foreyez Add the string to your project as a resource, instead of using a file, perhaps. Note the data will not be unobtainable - How sensitive is the data this file contains? – Dan J Jun 20 '11 at 20:03
5

Set the build option to `Embedded Resource` and read t the article on how to read emebedded resource http://blogs.msdn.com/b/nikola/archive/2008/05/14/embedded-resources.aspx – dance2die Jun 20 '11 at 20:03
if i an creating setup for a project then i am not able to work with property. is there any other solution for that? – Neel Bhasin Oct 01 '13 at 10:06

score 37 · Answer 2 · edited Dec 19 '15 at 08:53

37

You can use the following to get the root directory of a website project:

String FilePath;
FilePath = Server.MapPath("/MyWebSite");

Or you can get the base directory like so:

AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory

edited Dec 19 '15 at 08:53

shA.t

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answered Jun 20 '11 at 19:54

Mangesh

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score 33 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 20 '11 at 20:08

33

Add a Resource File to your project (Right Click Project->Properties->Resources). Where it says "strings", you can switch to be "files". Choose "Add Resource" and select your file.

You can now reference your file through the Properties.Resources collection.

answered Jun 20 '11 at 20:08

Ethan Cabiac

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When I tried this, I get "Illegal characters in path". The Resources seems to save your file contents as a string, and truncates it after a certain length. – user0474975 Jan 23 '21 at 15:26

Bruno Carvalho · Answer 4 · 2016-02-19T19:01:19.597

private string _filePath = Path.GetDirectoryName(System.AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory);

The method above will bring you something like this:

"C:\Users\myuser\Documents\Visual Studio 2015\Projects\myProjectNamespace\bin\Debug"

From here you can navigate backwards using System.IO.Directory.GetParent:

_filePath = Directory.GetParent(_filePath).FullName;

1 time will get you to \bin, 2 times will get you to \myProjectNamespace, so it would be like this:

_filePath = Directory.GetParent(Directory.GetParent(_filePath).FullName).FullName;

Well, now you have something like "C:\Users\myuser\Documents\Visual Studio 2015\Projects\myProjectNamespace", so just attach the final path to your fileName, for example:

_filePath += @"\myfile.txt";
TextReader tr = new StreamReader(_filePath);

Hope it helps.

Thanks, but can _filePath = Path.Combine(_filePath, "myfile.txt"); // stylishly :) — FreeClimb, May 08 '20 at 14:07

score 15 · Answer 5 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:10

You can have it embedded (build action set to Resource) as well, this is how to retrieve it from there:

private static UnmanagedMemoryStream GetResourceStream(string resName)
{
    var assembly = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly();
    var strResources = assembly.GetName().Name + ".g.resources";
    var rStream = assembly.GetManifestResourceStream(strResources);
    var resourceReader = new ResourceReader(rStream);
    var items = resourceReader.OfType<DictionaryEntry>();
    var stream = items.First(x => (x.Key as string) == resName.ToLower()).Value;
    return (UnmanagedMemoryStream)stream;
}

private void Button1_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    string resName = "Test.txt";
    var file = GetResourceStream(resName);
    using (var reader = new StreamReader(file))
    {
        var line = reader.ReadLine();
        MessageBox.Show(line);
    }
}

(Some code taken from this answer by Charles)

score 4 · Answer 6 · edited Dec 19 '15 at 08:52

4

You have to use absolute path in this case. But if you set the CopyToOutputDirectory = CopyAlways, it will work as you are doing it.

edited Dec 19 '15 at 08:52

shA.t

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answered Jun 20 '11 at 19:52

Shuhel Ahmed

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score 2 · Answer 7 · answered Aug 10 '20 at 08:11

2

In this code you access to root directory project:

 string _filePath = Path.GetDirectoryName(System.AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory);

then:

StreamReader r = new StreamReader(_filePath + "/cities2.json"))

answered Aug 10 '20 at 08:11

Mojtaba Nava

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How to read a text file in project's root directory?

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