how to check if the path is valid?

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i am creating a program that loads settings, i want to know what is the best/ easy way to restrict users from entering an invalid path to the textbox

Posted 23-Oct-14 2:21am

Member 11166202

Updated 27-Apr-23 21:15pm

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Sinisa Hajnal 23-Oct-14 8:34am

Why couldn't you simply google this. There are plenty of examples.

Member 11166202 23-Oct-14 8:37am

i have and i am still goolgling it, haven't found anything!!

Sinisa Hajnal 23-Oct-14 8:53am

You have two way to solve it in my solution. Take a look.

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 23-Oct-14 17:03pm

It can be understood in different ways. What do you want to know? If the directory exists or if the user can create a directory with a given name?
Also, it may not mean that the directory if "valid". Valid for what operation? For example, a directory may exist but be not accessible to a give user (not visible, not allowed to see the content, read-only, and so on).
—SA

Member 11166202 24-Oct-14 2:49am

for instance if a user enters / temp\ "2\1 instead of C:\temp\ the program must be able to tell the user if he entered an invalid path or not! i hope i gave you clarity.

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 24-Oct-14 2:55am

No. What if it's valid, but directory does not exist? What if it cannot be even created? And so on.
—SA

3 solutions

Solution 3

File exists

C#

if (!File.Exists(path))
   {
   // Report problem
   ...
   }

Folder exists

C#

if (!Directory.Exists(path))
   {
   // Report problem
   ...
   }

Posted 24-Oct-14 5:59am

Member 11160788

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OriginalGriff · Accepted Answer · 2014-10-23T02:34:00

Solution 2

Try:

C#

if (!Directory.Exists(path))
   {
   // Report problem
   ...
   }

Posted 23-Oct-14 2:34am

OriginalGriff

Sinisa Hajnal · Accepted Answer · 2014-10-23T02:34:00

You cannot restrict users, but you can warn them they entered invalid path. Actually, that is wrong, you can restrict users by using Browser Dialog[^] without allowing writing into the Textbox

The way to check for invalid path (if you don't want to use BrowserDialog)

C#

if (System.IO.Directory.Exists() ) {
    MsgBox("You entered invalid folder path!", MsgBoxStyle.Exclamation);

}

Put the check above in textbox validating event.

If this helps, please take time to accept the solution. Thank you.