Re: Embedded *.chm help file - C# Discussion Boards

1-Mar-08 12:19

I have a project that has an embedded *.chm help file. I need to open the file when a button i clicked. How can i do this? All i managed to find was how to load an image or get a string from an embedded resource. I saw an article using System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(...) and another one using streams, but what is the best way to do this?

Christian Graus1-Mar-08 12:45

1-Mar-08 12:45

Process.Start is going to work if your file is on the file system. I suspect if you embedd the file in your exe, you're going to need to write it to the file system ( which would use streams ) and then call process.start. I don't know of a way to start a process where you have the file bytes in memory, but they are not on the HDD.

Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++

"also I don't think "TranslateOneToTwoBillion OneHundredAndFortySevenMillion FourHundredAndEightyThreeThousand SixHundredAndFortySeven()" is a very good choice for a function name" - SpacixOne ( offering help to someone who really needed it ) ( spaces added for the benefit of people running at < 1280x1024 )

nike_arh1-Mar-08 23:23

1-Mar-08 23:23

It won't be a problem for the file to be on the file system, but my concern is that i have to add an error message for example when the file is missing (the user might have moved it). That's why i am trying to make it run from within the exe. If i have to create it on the file system wouldn't this slow a bit the program? I think if there is a way to load for example an embedded image or string, why shouldn't the be a way to load another file??? So far i can't seem to find a simple solution to the problem.

Giorgi Dalakishvili1-Mar-08 23:32

Giorgi Dalakishvili

1-Mar-08 23:32

You can have a file on the system entry and if the file is missing then create it on the file system.

#region signature
my articles
#endregion

nike_arh1-Mar-08 23:38

1-Mar-08 23:38

That is a good solution. I will try it. Thanks Smile | :)

Giorgi Dalakishvili1-Mar-08 23:42

Giorgi Dalakishvili

1-Mar-08 23:42

You are welcome Smile | :)

#region signature
my articles
#endregion

nike_arh2-Mar-08 0:17

2-Mar-08 0:17

Now it works nice!

<br />
string path = Application.StartupPath + "\\Graph Draw Help.chm";<br />
   if (!File.Exists(path))<br />
   {<br />
      using (FileStream writeStream = new FileStream(path, FileMode.Create))<br />
         {<br />
            writeStream.Write(CodeResource.Graph_Draw_Help, 0,CodeResource.Graph_Draw_Help.Length);<br />
         }<br />
   }<br />
}

Oh Sheesh ... how do you pass objects as parameters?

Giorgi Dalakishvili2-Mar-08 4:59

Giorgi Dalakishvili

2-Mar-08 4:59

Glad to help you Smile | :)

#region signature
my articles
#endregion

Jammer1-Mar-08 12:07

Jammer

1-Mar-08 12:07

Hi All,

Your going to get sick of me soon!

I need to pass around an instance of SingleDirectoyFileStore using some recursion. I've tried the ref keyword and even adding the List<FileEntry> as the identifier but none of them work.

public static object ScanDirectories(string scanEntryPoint)
{

    // build the store
    //BuildGenericLists SingleDirectoryFileStore = new BuildGenericLists();
    List<FileEntry> SingleDirectoryFileStore = new List<FileEntry>();

    // grab the start location of the recursion
    DirectoryInfo StartDir = new DirectoryInfo(scanEntryPoint);

    // kick off the recursion
    GetDirectoryFiles(StartDir);

    // return the list containing the file information
    return SingleDirectoryFileStore;
}

kicks off:

static void GetDirectoryFiles(DirectoryInfo filesInDirectory)
{
    FileInfo[] files;
    files = filesInDirectory.GetFiles("*.*");
    foreach(FileInfo file in files)
    {
        string fileName = file.FullName;
        string fileSize = file.Length.ToString(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
        string fileExt = file.Extension;
        string fileCreated = file.LastWriteTime.ToString(CultureInfo.CurrentCulture);

        SingleDirectoryFileStore.Add(new FileEntry(fileName, fileSize, fileExt, fileCreated));
    }

    DirectoryInfo [] directorySubDirectory = filesInDirectory.GetDirectories("*.*");

    foreach (DirectoryInfo dir in directorySubDirectory)
    {
        GetDirectoryFiles(dir);
    }
}

Am I even going about this the right way?

TIA,

Re: Oh Sheesh ... how do you pass objects as parameters?

Christian Graus1-Mar-08 12:13

Re: Oh Sheesh ... how do you pass objects as parameters?

1-Mar-08 12:13

Jammer wrote:
Your going to get sick of me soon!

No, you're asking clear questions, posting code, and asking in the right place. I say bring it on !!!

Jammer wrote:
public static object ScanDirectories(string scanEntryPoint)

Why are you returning object and not List<FileEntry> ?

Jammer wrote:
SingleDirectoryFileStore.Add(new FileEntry(fileName, fileSize, fileExt, fileCreated));

I think I answered this once before. You're creating the list as a local variable. You need to either pass it into GetDirectoryFiles ( so it exists there, it will be passed by reference ), or you need to make it a member variable. You say you've tried to pass it in, why did that not work ? What error did you get ? As the method is static, adding it as a static member variable seems like it would be harmless, just clear it at the top of ScanDirectories. Then you could also cache the result, if the same scanEntryPoint is passed in a second time, you could pass back the result without scanning again, if that was appropriate ( this would mean adding a static string to store the last scanEntryPoint )

Jammer1-Mar-08 12:25

Jammer

1-Mar-08 12:25

Christian Graus wrote:
No, you're asking clear questions, posting code, and asking in the right place. I say bring it on !!!

GREAT! I am trying to be as structured about this as possible as any ambiguity in questions can just add to the confusion ... something I really don't need at the moment! Smile | :)

Christian Graus wrote:
Why are you returning object and not List<fileentry> ?

Noted ... I simply thought that as it was an object, the object keyword was the way to go with that ... I'll amend that in the code. I actually got this working just a moment ago by just adding to this line thus:

static void GetDirectoryFiles(List<FileEntry> SingleDirectoryFileStore, DirectoryInfo filesInDirectory)

I made the mistake originally by adding it again to this line:

foreach (DirectoryInfo dir in directorySubDirectory)
{
    GetDirectoryFiles(SingleDirectoryFileStore, dir);
}

But of course ... its passing it back into the original code that is already aware of what SingleDirectoryFileStore is ...

I'm REALLY interested in the other point you make about storing the last scan directory and cacheing the results. Also how would I go about making the List<FileEntry> a member variable? I'm not even sure what a member variable is!

Re: Oh Sheesh ... how do you pass objects as parameters?

Christian Graus1-Mar-08 12:56

Re: Oh Sheesh ... how do you pass objects as parameters?

1-Mar-08 12:56

Jammer wrote:
Noted ... I simply thought that as it was an object, the object keyword was the way to go with that

object has four methods = toString, GetHasCode, and two others that escape me. You will need to cast it back to the right object to use anything else. And, your code can now return anything, it's not at all clear what it returns. So, no, always strongly type stuff ( that is, make clear exactly what you're taking or returning ). Use object to say 'I will take anything and try to find a use for it'.

If I have a class, like this":

class MyClass
{
private int _myMemberInt;

public void Method()
{
int myLocalInt;
}
}

So, myLocalInt is only visible inside Method, but _myMemberInt is visible to any method in the class instance.

In your instance, it would be private static List etc ( that is, it would be static, so static methods can see it ). You'd call new on it in a static constructor, or inline ( that is, when you declare it ). Then when you call your method, you would call Clear to clear the old data.

Then, you can have a string property that stores the last search made. Now, if the search that comes in, is the same value, then your list already contains the result of that search, so you could just return that list, without doing the search again.

Jammer1-Mar-08 13:07

Jammer

1-Mar-08 13:07

Brilliant! Its going to take me a while to ingest that but it sounds like the way forward.

One thing I'm noticing is that there are an awful lot of very badly written code examples out there in the wilds of the wibbly wobbly web. Some that purport to be 'a simple introduction to' are absolutely nothing of the sort. They assume you already know quite a lot about the ins and outs of the language.

You in particular have laid a few things out for me that are full of content and relative easy to grasp. Thanks for that!!

I'm having a few problems with my xamDataGrid binding to the List I'm generating now but I'm going to bang on with that for a moment, I have the WPF Unleashed book here that I hope will have some good things to say.

I was looking at your article on controlling the dimentions of grid panels the other day as I have to implement an accordian control over the next couple of weeks ... should be fun!

Best,

James.

Re: Oh Sheesh ... how do you pass objects as parameters?

Christian Graus1-Mar-08 13:34

How to run application after login before explorer.exe runs?

1-Mar-08 13:34

Jammer wrote:
One thing I'm noticing is that there are an awful lot of very badly written code examples out there in the wilds of the wibbly wobbly web.

Hell, yes. And some of the MSDN samples are right up there.

Jammer wrote:
Thanks for that!!

*blush* glad to help

Jammer wrote:
I have the WPF Unleashed book here that I hope will have some good things to say.

That is a good book.

Jammer wrote:
I was looking at your article on controlling the dimentions of grid panels the other day as I have to implement an accordian control over the next couple of weeks ... should be fun!

The one with Nish ? We had a whole series planned, when time permits. Maybe soon....

yasa1-Mar-08 10:21

yasa

1-Mar-08 10:21

Hi all,

I developing a security application that suppose to run before explorer.exe runs or perhaps before the start bar comes up and any other applications that the user may install...

So my question is how can I do it?
Maybe a registry value?

Thank you very much,
Yasa

Re: How to run application after login before explorer.exe runs?

Christian Graus1-Mar-08 10:32