How Do I Check If A File Exists

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Hi all.

I am using Windows 8 and running Visual Studio 2013. I wanted to test if a file exists in a folder called "temp" in the "C" drive The file I called "test.txt": Below is the code:

C#

static void Main(string[] args)
        {

            string testFile = @"C:\temp\test.txt";

            if (File.Exists(testFile))
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Eureka. File found");

                Console.ReadLine();
            }
            else
            {
                Console.WriteLine("File is not found..");
                Console.ReadLine();
            }
        }

But, despite that this file exists (I am staring at it in the folder called temp in drive C!!), It keeps on jumping to the else statement. Please assist for I am losing my mind over this seemingly easy code.

Posted 25-Jan-14 22:07pm

Wamuti

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Rahul VB 27-Jan-14 2:09am

Very good question. Many developers make this mistake and great answer posted by OG.

1 solution

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OriginalGriff · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-25T22:16:00

The code looks like it should work: and indeed if I check it here it does.
So...check your file. Open Windows Explorer, all look at the folder "C:\temp".
Right click the file and select Properties: (this should work in Win8, but I can't check)
Select the "Details" tab and look at the Name: is it "test.txt"? Or "test.txt.txt"?

Remember that Explorer hides the extensions for known files by default, so if you can see the ".txt" extension, it probably isn't the actual file extension - your code must refer to the exact file name, because it does not work with "hidden" extensions.