Using StreamReader when the File Doesn't exist

[Rush]

If i create a new StreamReader object, based on a filename that does
not exist, the SR correctly raises an exception that the file doesn't
exist. Great! I love it.

BUT....then SR proceeds to create a zero length file using the
incorrect filename parameter!!

WTF??? Is this supposed to be a feature??? Creating a file as a
result of an exception? Isn't there a flag for this?

I'll guess I'll have to pass the filename through File.Exists() first,
then bypass StreamReader if false.

Anyone else experienced this?

[Dave Quigley]

Well that is the appropriate thing to do. You dont want exceptions at your
common program flow. However you can set the FileAccess and FileIO
permission on the reader so you dont get that.

Dave

"Rush" <ru***@data-tech.com> wrote in message
news:9c*************************@posting.google.co m...

If i create a new StreamReader object, based on a filename that does
not exist, the SR correctly raises an exception that the file doesn't
exist. Great! I love it.

BUT....then SR proceeds to create a zero length file using the
incorrect filename parameter!!

WTF??? Is this supposed to be a feature??? Creating a file as a
result of an exception? Isn't there a flag for this?

I'll guess I'll have to pass the filename through File.Exists() first,
then bypass StreamReader if false.

Anyone else experienced this?

[Jon Skeet [C# MVP]]

Rush <ru***@data-tech.com> wrote:

If i create a new StreamReader object, based on a filename that does
not exist, the SR correctly raises an exception that the file doesn't
exist. Great! I love it.

BUT....then SR proceeds to create a zero length file using the
incorrect filename parameter!!

WTF??? Is this supposed to be a feature??? Creating a file as a
result of an exception? Isn't there a flag for this?

I'll guess I'll have to pass the filename through File.Exists() first,
then bypass StreamReader if false.

Anyone else experienced this?

Nope - and I can't reproduce it, either. Could you post some code which
demonstrates the problem? Here's my attempt to reproduce it, which
doesn't show the problem:

using System;
using System.IO;

public class Test
{
static void Main()
{
try
{
StreamReader sr = new StreamReader ("asd.txt");
}
catch (Exception e)
{
Console.WriteLine ("Exception {0}", e.Message);
}
}
}

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

[Dave Quigley]

I think its possible he might mean outside of a try catch block. Where if
you dont catch the exception it creates it.

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

Rush <ru***@data-tech.com> wrote:

If i create a new StreamReader object, based on a filename that does
not exist, the SR correctly raises an exception that the file doesn't
exist. Great! I love it.

BUT....then SR proceeds to create a zero length file using the
incorrect filename parameter!!

WTF??? Is this supposed to be a feature??? Creating a file as a
result of an exception? Isn't there a flag for this?

I'll guess I'll have to pass the filename through File.Exists() first,
then bypass StreamReader if false.

Anyone else experienced this?

Nope - and I can't reproduce it, either. Could you post some code which
demonstrates the problem? Here's my attempt to reproduce it, which
doesn't show the problem:

using System;
using System.IO;

public class Test
{
static void Main()
{
try
{
StreamReader sr = new StreamReader ("asd.txt");
}
catch (Exception e)
{
Console.WriteLine ("Exception {0}", e.Message);
}
}
}

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

[Jon Skeet [C# MVP]]

<"Dave Quigley" <merlin at countercultured dot net>> wrote:

I think its possible he might mean outside of a try catch block. Where if
you dont catch the exception it creates it.

That would require the StreamReader code to know whether or not it was
within a catch block - it's not going to know that.

Basically, I'll believe it when the OP provides an example program...

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