copy files

Mike

I want to be able to copy a directory of files (all .HTM files) from a
network drive to a local drive on the machine c:\HTMFiles , How can i do
that?

I tried File.Copy(source, dest) but i need to put the file name in the dest
section. I just want to copy the entire directory since I don't know all the
file names just the extensions. Would
File.Copy("\servername\folder", "c:\\HTMFiles\*.HTM") work or no?

thx

Nov 15 '05 #1

Jon Skeet [C# MVP]

Mike <cs*********@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

I want to be able to copy a directory of files (all .HTM files) from a
network drive to a local drive on the machine c:\HTMFiles , How can i do
that?

I tried File.Copy(source, dest) but i need to put the file name in the dest
section. I just want to copy the entire directory since I don't know all the
file names just the extensions. Would
File.Copy("\servername\folder", "c:\\HTMFiles\*.HTM") work or no?

No, I wouldn't expect it to. File.Copy expects the name of *a* file.
You need something like Directory.GetFiles to find out which files to
copy, and then copy each of them in turn.

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.com>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

Nov 15 '05 #2

Mike

So i can't just copy all the files from one spot to another?
I need each file name? If so that won't work for me since the file names
will be different everytime

"Jon Skeet [C# MVP]" <sk***@pobox.com> wrote in message
news:MP************************@msnews.microsoft.c om...

Mike <cs*********@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

I want to be able to copy a directory of files (all .HTM files) from a
network drive to a local drive on the machine c:\HTMFiles , How can i do
that?

I tried File.Copy(source, dest) but i need to put the file name in the dest section. I just want to copy the entire directory since I don't know all the file names just the extensions. Would
File.Copy("\servername\folder", "c:\\HTMFiles\*.HTM") work or no?

No, I wouldn't expect it to. File.Copy expects the name of *a* file.
You need something like Directory.GetFiles to find out which files to
copy, and then copy each of them in turn.

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.com>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

Nov 15 '05 #3

Jon Skeet [C# MVP]

Mike <cs*********@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

So i can't just copy all the files from one spot to another?
Not in one call to File.Copy, no.
I need each file name? If so that won't work for me since the file names
will be different everytime

That's why you use Directory.GetFiles to find out what the files are
first...

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.com>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

Nov 15 '05 #4

Mike

So since I just need only the files with .HTM extensions, i just can't use a
wildcard?
File.Copy("location\*.htm)


"Jon Skeet [C# MVP]" <sk***@pobox.com> wrote in message
news:MP************************@msnews.microsoft.c om...

Mike <cs*********@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

So i can't just copy all the files from one spot to another?

Not in one call to File.Copy, no.

I need each file name? If so that won't work for me since the file names
will be different everytime

That's why you use Directory.GetFiles to find out what the files are
first...

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.com>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

Nov 15 '05 #5

Jon Skeet [C# MVP]

Mike <cs*********@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

So since I just need only the files with .HTM extensions, i just can't use a
wildcard?

No, you can't. File.Copy copies *a file*, not a whole load of files.

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.com>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

Nov 15 '05 #6

Mike

OK thanks for your information and help, so it appears that i can't automate
this process of my app then. thanks again
"Jon Skeet [C# MVP]" <sk***@pobox.com> wrote in message
news:MP************************@msnews.microsoft.c om...

Mike <cs*********@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

So since I just need only the files with .HTM extensions, i just can't use a wildcard?

No, you can't. File.Copy copies *a file*, not a whole load of files.

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.com>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

Nov 15 '05 #7

Jon Skeet [C# MVP]

Mike <cs*********@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

OK thanks for your information and help, so it appears that i can't automate
this process of my app then. thanks again

Yes, you can. Very easily. Just not in one line of code.

I repeat:

Use Directory.GetFiles to find the list of HTML files.
Go through each of the files it returns, and call File.Copy with it.

What's the matter with that solution?

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.com>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

Nov 15 '05 #8

Mike

Actually i just tried that it i get, "can't a files that already exsist"
when i try the file.copy piece
"Jon Skeet [C# MVP]" <sk***@pobox.com> wrote in message
news:MP************************@msnews.microsoft.c om...

Mike <cs*********@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

OK thanks for your information and help, so it appears that i can't automate this process of my app then. thanks again

Yes, you can. Very easily. Just not in one line of code.

I repeat:

Use Directory.GetFiles to find the list of HTML files.
Go through each of the files it returns, and call File.Copy with it.

What's the matter with that solution?

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.com>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

Nov 15 '05 #9

Jon Skeet [C# MVP]

Mike <cs*********@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

Actually i just tried that it i get, "can't a files that already exsist"
when i try the file.copy piece

Then you presumably either want the version that will overwrite
existing files, or check whether or not the destination file exists
first, and ignore that file if so.

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.com>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

Nov 15 '05 #10

Mike

were can i find a snippet of code or an example that does this? I want to
see verify that my syntax is correct. I'm getting a new error everytime I
run the app
"Jon Skeet [C# MVP]" <sk***@pobox.com> wrote in message
news:MP************************@msnews.microsoft.c om...

Mike <cs*********@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

Actually i just tried that it i get, "can't a files that already exsist"
when i try the file.copy piece

Then you presumably either want the version that will overwrite
existing files, or check whether or not the destination file exists
first, and ignore that file if so.

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.com>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

Nov 15 '05 #11

Jon Skeet [C# MVP]

Mike <cs*********@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

were can i find a snippet of code or an example that does this? I want to
see verify that my syntax is correct. I'm getting a new error everytime I
run the app

Why don't you write a test console app then? That way you won't need to
go through much to find the problems.

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.com>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

Nov 15 '05 #12