how to check if a file name or path exists in a textbox

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Hi, I am currently finishing up my first successful project but I still need some help with a bug. In my project your able to type in a TextBox("search box") that TextBox is there so that users can start which ever program name or path they type. The problem is that I get a default error provider when the file name or path does not exists. To keep things professional I want to make an if statement so that if the file name or path does not exists a MessageBox will appear with my own error message instead.

Summary: the program is a window locker. basically you open a program and the application captures the window. the application's form is set to be up front so it wont hide when you are on a full screen program. I made it so that I can play games while messing around with the media player without having to tab. I'm sure it will be useful to others especially with some cool features I added. Like an opacity trackbar that allows users to manipulate the opacity of the app's form so you can still see the background of what you are doing.

Off Topic: Does this site allows users to submit projects? My application is nothing big but it still can be useful, and its free. If not, what sites are good?

When completed I will post the link of the site when I'm done so you can download.

program is a winform and is written in C#

Thanks in advance,

Posted 12-Feb-12 0:53am

MR. AngelMendez

Updated 12-Feb-12 15:29pm

v4

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Ganesan Senthilvel 12-Feb-12 7:10am

Title and question title are misleading.

2 solutions

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RDBurmon · Answer 1 · 2012-02-12T01:22:00

Solution 2

Try this

C#

using System;
using System.IO;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
    // See if this file exists in the SAME DIRECTORY.
    if (File.Exists("TextFile1.txt"))
    {
        Console.WriteLine("The file exists.");
    }
    // See if this file exists in the C:\ directory. [Note the @]
    if (File.Exists(@"C:\tidy.exe"))
    {
        Console.WriteLine("The file exists.");
    }
    // See if this file exists in the C:\ directory [Note the '\\' part]
    bool exists = File.Exists("C:\\lost.txt");
    Console.WriteLine(exists);
    }
}

And yes you can submit your project as article in codeproject.
Also see there are different sections in this forum like wise
for question and answer related to programming we have this section and for non-programming question and answer forum has section "Bug and Suggestions"

You can ask here your question like "Off Topic" you will find it in
Help >> Bugs and suggestions

Hope this helps if yes then accept and vote the answer otherwise revert back with your queries
--Rahul D.

Posted 12-Feb-12 1:22am

RDBurmon

Comments

NeptuneHACK! 12-Feb-12 10:03am

5

MR. AngelMendez 12-Feb-12 21:34pm

thanks for the help everyone, is there a way to implement it for a winform? also, I noticed that your code only checks for a specific file, is there a way to make it check if the text in the textbox equals an existing file name?

krumia 12-Feb-12 22:35pm

replace the file name with this code: txtTextBox.Text it's as simple as that!

MR. AngelMendez 13-Feb-12 12:08pm

cool it worked but I got another problem, how can I make an "if" statement that will handle an error message when the file does NOT exists?

RDBurmon 14-Feb-12 1:35am

if (File.Exists("TextFile1.txt"))
{
Console.WriteLine("The file exists.");
}
else
{
Console.WriteLine("The file does not exists.");
}

MR. AngelMendez 14-Feb-12 2:35am

Hi, the debugger still gives me the error, here is my code to help you out

the program is a winform.

private void toolStripButton5_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{

if (!File.Exists(toolStripTextBox1.Text))
{

Process p = Process.Start(toolStripTextBox1.Text);
Thread.Sleep(500); // Allow the process to open it's window
SetParent(p.MainWindowHandle, panel1.Handle);
}
else
{
MessageBox.Show("could not find file, please try again or browse");
}
}

RDBurmon 14-Feb-12 4:02am

You are allowing to enter wrong loop

Please see the correction here in code (in if statement remove !)

private void toolStripButton5_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{

if (File.Exists(toolStripTextBox1.Text))
{

Process p = Process.Start(toolStripTextBox1.Text);
Thread.Sleep(500); // Allow the process to open it's window
SetParent(p.MainWindowHandle, panel1.Handle);
}
else
{
MessageBox.Show("could not find file, please try again or browse");
}
}

RDBurmon 14-Feb-12 4:04am

Hope this helps if yes then accept and vote the answer otherwise revert back with your queries
--Rahul D.

MR. AngelMendez 14-Feb-12 13:08pm

I tried and removed the "!" in the code but now all it says is the error message. If I type for example "cmd" "notepad.exe" it wont work without the "!".

RDBurmon 15-Feb-12 7:00am

Please share what exactly you are entering into toolStripTextBox1.Text.

MR. AngelMendez 15-Feb-12 11:02am

an exe name like notepad.exe or command prompt.exe things like that.

OriginalGriff · Answer 2 · 2012-02-12T01:10:00

Try:

C#

if (!File.Exists(path))
   {
   ...
   }

Off topic - yes, if you explain your code well, and it is interesting, you could submit it as a article. Have a look under "Articles" on the menu bar in the top left of the screen. Be aware though that an article is a lot of work, you can't just post up your code and hope it will be accepted - it won't! Have a look at a few of the existing articles, and you will see what I mean.