Is a file locked by another process ? How can I check ?

[Guy_B]

Hi I am using the filesystem watcher to pick up files as they are dropped
into a folder - the files are output file from another system and I have no
control over that.

When 'watcher raises the event that a new file has appeared then sometimes I
can read the file even tho it is still being written but it is incomplete.
Other time a file access error occurs.

I need to write a test that will see if any other process is still using
the file or if it is complete. Im using a vb.net 2005 and Net v2 A windows
service hosts the filesystem watcher which intances a class to process the
files that appear.

[Michael Nemtsev]

Hello Guy_B,

U need to iterate through the processes to find the file handler that belongs
to one of the processes (u need pinvoke calls)
Googling in dotnet groups to find sample.

G> Hi I am using the filesystem watcher to pick up files as they are
G> dropped into a folder - the files are output file from another system
G> and I have no control over that.
G>
G> When 'watcher raises the event that a new file has appeared then
G> sometimes I can read the file even tho it is still being written but
G> it is incomplete. Other time a file access error occurs.
G>
G> I need to write a test that will see if any other process is still
G> using the file or if it is complete. Im using a vb.net 2005 and Net
G> v2 A windows service hosts the filesystem watcher which intances a
G> class to process the files that appear.
G>
---
WBR,
Michael Nemtsev :: blog: http://spaces.msn.com/laflour

"At times one remains faithful to a cause only because its opponents do not
cease to be insipid." (c) Friedrich Nietzsche

[John Timney \( MVP \)]

An easy way would probably be to try to open it exclusively, if its being
written to you'll get an exception you can trap and re-check.

I think the syntax is:
FileStream myFile = new FileStream(name , FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Writ e,
FileShare.None) ;

--
Regards

John Timney
Microsoft MVP

"Guy_B" <Gu***@discussi ons.microsoft.c om> wrote in message
news:79******** *************** ***********@mic rosoft.com...

Hi I am using the filesystem watcher to pick up files as they are dropped
into a folder - the files are output file from another system and I have
no
control over that.

When 'watcher raises the event that a new file has appeared then sometimes
I
can read the file even tho it is still being written but it is incomplete.
Other time a file access error occurs.

I need to write a test that will see if any other process is still using
the file or if it is complete. Im using a vb.net 2005 and Net v2 A windows
service hosts the filesystem watcher which intances a class to process the
files that appear.