'System.IO.File' is a 'type' but is used like a 'variable' error

Question

I am trying to use this answer from an old post: Display image from database in asp mvc
which is:

public class ImageController
{
    public ActionResult Show( int id )
    {
        var imageData = ...get bytes from database...

        return File( imageData, "image/jpg" );
    }
}

and I'm getting the following error:

'System.IO.File' is a 'type' but is used like a 'variable'

This is what I'm using:

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Drawing.Imaging;
using System.Web.Mvc;

What am I missing?

the method is returning `ActionResult` in the method signature but your method returns a `File`? — mauris, Oct 31 '11 at 08:27

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 31 '11 at 08:30

Make sure that your ImageController derives from Controller which is where the File method is defined:

public class ImageController: Controller
{
    public ActionResult Show( int id )
    {
        var imageData = ...get bytes from database...
        return File( imageData, "image/jpg" );
    }
}

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 31 '11 at 08:34

0

Remove using System.IO if not required. otherwise you may use

return base.File( imageData, "image/jpg" );

OR

return System.Web.Mvc.Controller.File( imageData, "image/jpg" );

answered Oct 31 '11 at 08:34

Abdul Munim

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'System.IO.File' is a 'type' but is used like a 'variable' error

2 Answers2