how to release file from bitmap to delete it.

Question

4.00/5 (1 vote)

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Hi,
bitmap occupies the file "targetImage.jpg". Please see the code below that presents the real problem I am facing. I have created a separate program to clarify the problem.

C#

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Drawing;
namespace ALL_RFID_PROJECTS_1._0._2
{
    static class PROGRAM
    {
        static void Main()
        {
            Bitmap b = new Bitmap(@"D:\01.jpg");
            System.IO.File.Delete(@"D:\01.jpg");
        }


    }
}

The Exception Message is="The process cannot access the file 'D:\01.jpg' because it is being used by another process."
How can I release the file from bitmap so I can delete it.
Please help me.

Posted 2-Dec-10 20:06pm

J imran

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Comments

Toli Cuturicu 4-Dec-10 4:59am

You should not (and I mean DON'T) use all capitals class names.
All capitals identifiers are very seldom used, almost never (sometimes for some constants in pinvoke scenarios).

4 solutions

Solution 2

Remove the first line:

C#

Bitmap b = new Bitmap(@"D:\01.jpg");

and try again.

Posted 2-Dec-10 20:25pm

Ankur^\m/

Comments

Manfred Rudolf Bihy 3-Dec-10 2:33am

The question was what to do so the file could be deleted. b.Dispose() solves the issue, not removing the Bitmap relevant code.

Manfred Rudolf Bihy 3-Dec-10 2:39am

As OP stated the program was solely created to clarify his problem. To make that clearer in the code he pasted maybe he should have written something like "//Doing stuff with b here" after the line where the bitmap was created

Manfred Rudolf Bihy 3-Dec-10 2:48am

Ok, I'll make up for that down vote, on one of your next posts. :)

Manfred Rudolf Bihy 3-Dec-10 2:50am

Hey this is interesting. I thought you can vote only once for an answer, but when I clicked again the vote changed. Did I miss anything?

Solution 4

C#

Bitmap temp = new Bitmap(@"D:\01.jpg");
Bitmap b = (Bitmap)temp.Clone();
temp.Dispose(); // now temp is released
System.IO.File.Delete(@"D:\01.jpg");
// you may safely use b from now on and forget about temp...

And, please, don't put any files in the root directory of drives... You may get in trouble in Windows Vista / Seven with that! Use subdirectories instead.

Posted 3-Dec-10 5:30am

Toli Cuturicu

Comments

fjdiewornncalwe 3-Dec-10 11:56am

The answer was given above over nine hours before yours. Please read the existing answers first. If the answer is the same, just add a comment to it to add your extra comment. You're not wrong, persay, but it is simply bad-form to ~~"hijack"~~ answers.

Toli Cuturicu 3-Dec-10 13:08pm

You are not being focused and you are wrong.
My answer is very, very different, and, in fact, it is the only usable one.
If the bitmap in not cloned before being disposed, it cannot be used afterwards, which defeats the purpose of it being declared in the first place.

Toli Cuturicu 3-Dec-10 13:10pm

And, because you erroneusly downvoted it, I reposted the answer!

Manfred Rudolf Bihy 3-Dec-10 18:19pm

Hi Toli, I have an issue with this post. As I had anticipated that the bitmap should be somehow used, my first try was also to call Clone() on the bitmap. In my test program this resulted in the file not being deletable eventhough the original bitmap (the one that was cloned) was properly disposed. I'm asking you, have you really tried what you posted? I found that calling b = new Bitmap(temp); and then disposing temp allowed me to delete the file that bitmap temp was build from. I'm not commenting on this to aggravate you. I just wanted to make sure that I didn't misinterpret my findings. :)

Toli Cuturicu 4-Dec-10 4:55am

I have similar code in an working software (a lite image viewer).
And who is Marcus Kramer? Your lawyer?

Manfred Rudolf Bihy 4-Dec-10 5:56am

Well if you had tried out these 4 lines you've posted you'd find out that you can't delete the file. I've tried it and it didn't work. Bitmap b = new Bitmap(temp) made it work for me, but not with the Clone() call.

Toli Cuturicu 4-Dec-10 13:18pm

I tried it and they work just fine. No problem whatsoever.
I can't understand what your problem might be.

Manfred Rudolf Bihy 4-Dec-10 15:52pm

Just to make sure I pasted the exact code from your answer into the main procedure of a .NET 4.0 application 1. WinFrom and 2. console application and both times with the same result:
The process cannot access the file 'D:\01.jpg' because it is being used by another process.
I'm using Visual Studio 2010 on a box running Windows Vista Ultimate. Now you've really got me interested why your code works for you but not for me :)

Toli Cuturicu 4-Dec-10 17:04pm

Windows 7 Professional 64bit, Visual Studio 2005 SP1, Windows.Forms, .NET 2.0.
I don't have a D: drive, so I placed the file elsewhere.

Solution 5

C#

Bitmap temp = new Bitmap(@"D:\01.jpg");
Bitmap b = (Bitmap)temp.Clone();
temp.Dispose(); // now temp is released
System.IO.File.Delete(@"D:\01.jpg");
// you may safely use b from now on and forget about temp...

And, please, don't put any files in the root directory of drives... You may get in trouble in Windows Vista / Seven with that! Use subdirectories instead.

Posted 3-Dec-10 7:11am

Toli Cuturicu

Comments

Toli Cuturicu 3-Dec-10 13:12pm

Now justice has been made!

Manfred Rudolf Bihy 3-Dec-10 19:43pm

OK, I think I should probably not say this, but I just can't resist:
Justice can't be made, justice is done.
Please forgive me :)

Toli Cuturicu 4-Dec-10 4:52am

I am not an English native speaker.

Manfred Rudolf Bihy 4-Dec-10 5:56am

Neither am I.

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When answering a question please:

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Manfred Rudolf Bihy · Accepted Answer · 2010-12-02T20:25:00

Solution 1

If you call dispose on the bitmap, it can be deleted without any problems.

Bitmap b = new Bitmap(@"D:\01.jpg");
b.Dispose(); // now the bitmap is released
System.IO.File.Delete(@"D:\01.jpg");

Cheers

Manfred

Posted 2-Dec-10 20:25pm

Manfred Rudolf Bihy

Comments

J imran 3-Dec-10 2:28am

exactly , just seen the msdn and found it my self hehe.
Thankk you boss.

Ankur^\m/ 3-Dec-10 2:36am

Is the first line of code at all necessary?

Ankur^\m/ 3-Dec-10 2:43am

I was more concerned with the error that OP was getting. And I knew removing the first line should solve it.
Anyways thanks for the information and the vote.

Ankur^\m/ 3-Dec-10 4:26am

"I thought you can vote only once for an answer, but when I clicked again the vote changed. Did I miss anything?"
This is by design. CP allows you to re-vote and the most recent vote is considered.
And I strongly feel this is how it should be. Consider this situation for example. You felt the answer was not correct and down-voted me. After I clarified myself, you wanted to reconsider your vote. This is the most important reason why this feature there. Btw, Thanks for reconsidering your vote. And you know, you get a point too when you up-vote an answer (rather anything).
Cheers!

Ankur^\m/ 3-Dec-10 4:27am

Btw, take a 5 for a better answer. :)

Manfred Rudolf Bihy 3-Dec-10 4:27am

Thanks for the information! :)

Manfred Rudolf Bihy 3-Dec-10 4:28am

Thanks again!