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Monitor FTP directory in ASP.NET/C#

I have FileSystem watcher for a local directory. It's working fine. I want same to implement for FTP. Is there any way I can achieve it? I have checked many solutions but it's not clear.
Logic: Want to get files from FTP later than some timestamp.
Problem faced: Getting all files from FTP and then filtering the result is hitting the performance (used FtpWebRequest).
Is there any right way to do this? (WinSCP is on hold. Cant use it now.)
FileSystemWatcher oFsWatcher = new FileSystemWatcher();
OFSWatchers.Add(oFsWatcher);
oFsWatcher.Path = sFilePath;
oFsWatcher.Filter = string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(sFileFilter) ? "*.*" : sFileFilter;
oFsWatcher.NotifyFilter = NotifyFilters.FileName;
oFsWatcher.EnableRaisingEvents = true;
oFsWatcher.IncludeSubdirectories = bIncludeSubdirectories;
oFsWatcher.Created += new FileSystemEventHandler(OFsWatcher_Created);

You cannot use the FileSystemWatcher or any other way, because the FTP protocol does not have any API to notify a client about changes in the remote directory.
All you can do is to periodically iterate the remote tree and find changes.
It's actually rather easy to implement, if you use an FTP client library that supports recursive listing of a remote tree. Unfortunately, the built-in .NET FTP client, the FtpWebRequest does not. But for example with WinSCP .NET assembly, you can use the Session.EnumerateRemoteFiles method.
See the article Watching for changes in SFTP/FTP server:
// Setup session options
SessionOptions sessionOptions = new SessionOptions
{
Protocol = Protocol.Ftp,
HostName = "example.com",
UserName = "user",
Password = "password",
};
using (Session session = new Session())
{
// Connect
session.Open(sessionOptions);
List<string> prevFiles = null;
while (true)
{
// Collect file list
List<string> files =
session.EnumerateRemoteFiles(
"/remote/path", "*.*", EnumerationOptions.AllDirectories)
.Select(fileInfo => fileInfo.FullName)
.ToList();
if (prevFiles == null)
{
// In the first round, just print number of files found
Console.WriteLine("Found {0} files", files.Count);
}
else
{
// Then look for differences against the previous list
IEnumerable<string> added = files.Except(prevFiles);
if (added.Any())
{
Console.WriteLine("Added files:");
foreach (string path in added)
{
Console.WriteLine(path);
}
}
IEnumerable<string> removed = prevFiles.Except(files);
if (removed.Any())
{
Console.WriteLine("Removed files:");
foreach (string path in removed)
{
Console.WriteLine(path);
}
}
}
prevFiles = files;
Console.WriteLine("Sleeping 10s...");
Thread.Sleep(10000);
}
}
(I'm the author of WinSCP)
Though, if you actually want to just download the changes, it's a way easier. Just use the Session.SynchronizeDirectories in the loop.
while (true)
{
SynchronizationResult result =
session.SynchronizeDirectories(
SynchronizationMode.Local, "/remote/path", #"C:\local\path", true);
result.Check();
// You can inspect result.Downloads for a list for updated files
Console.WriteLine("Sleeping 10s...");
Thread.Sleep(10000);
}
This will update even modified files, not only new files.
Though using WinSCP .NET assembly from a web application might be problematic. If you do not want to use a 3rd party library, you have to do with limitations of the FtpWebRequest. For an example how to recursively list a remote directory tree with the FtpWebRequest, see my answer to List names of files in FTP directory and its subdirectories.
You have edited your question to say that you have performance problems with the solutions I've suggested. Though you have already asked a new question that covers this:
Get FTP file details based on datetime in C#

Unless you have access to the OS which hosts the service; it will be a bit harder.
FileSystemWatcher places a hook on the filesystem, which will notify your application as soon as something happened.
FTP command specifications does not have such a hook. Besides that it's always initiated by the client.
Therefor, to implement such logic you should periodical perform a NLST to list the FTP-directory contents and track the changes (or hashes, perhaps (MDTM)) yourself.
More info:
FTP return codes
FTP

I have got an alternative solution to do my functionality.
Explanation:
I am downloading the files from FTP (Read permission reqd.) with same folder structure.
So everytime the job/service runs I can check into the physical path same file(Full Path) exists or not If not exists then it can be consider as a new file. And Ii can do some action for the same and download as well.
Its just an alternative solution.
Code Changes:
private static void GetFiles()
{
using (FtpClient conn = new FtpClient())
{
string ftpPath = "ftp://myftp/";
string downloadFileName = #"C:\temp\FTPTest\";
downloadFileName += "\\";
conn.Host = ftpPath;
//conn.Credentials = new NetworkCredential("ftptest", "ftptest");
conn.Connect();
//Get all directories
foreach (FtpListItem item in conn.GetListing(conn.GetWorkingDirectory(),
FtpListOption.Modify | FtpListOption.Recursive))
{
// if this is a file
if (item.Type == FtpFileSystemObjectType.File)
{
string localFilePath = downloadFileName + item.FullName;
//Only newly created files will be downloaded.
if (!File.Exists(localFilePath))
{
conn.DownloadFile(localFilePath, item.FullName);
//Do any action here.
Console.WriteLine(item.FullName);
}
}
}
}
}

Convert files following the order of a list C#

I need to convert images(like .jpg) to PDF files for an assignment for school. I have a ListBox where I put the pages of the PDF file, so the user can reorder the list and convert the files in that order.
I have the files in a temporary folder in order to get the files there to convert them to PDF.
My problem here is : how do I convert the files with the order that the user had chosen?
I already searched and I tried to do a Class with the strings ID and Name so i get the ID from the item in the ListBox and change it on a new list. And i think after, I do a foreach() loop where I get the files from the temporary folder and merge them in a new PDF file, but to do in the order I want, I think I have to compare the name of the file with the name in the list and, if it matches, convert and add it, if not, pass to the next file.
But I don't know how to do it.
Can please someone help me getting this right?
Thanks in advance!
I'm sending my code to:
//the open files button
private void proc2_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
OpenFileDialog dialogo = new OpenFileDialog();
dialogo.Title = "Search files";
dialogo.InitialDirectory = #"E:\";
dialogo.Filter = "Images (.bmp,.jpg,.png,.tiff,.tif) |*.bmp;*.jpg;*.png;*tiff;*tif|All of the files (*.*)|*.*";
DialogResult resposta = dialogo.ShowDialog();
if (resposta == DialogResult.OK)
{
string caminhoCompleto = dialogo.FileName;
caminho2 = dialogo.SafeFileName;
caminhotb2.Text = caminhoCompleto;
string fish = "";
string path = #"C:\temporario";
if(Directory.Exists(path))
{
fish=Path.Combine(path, caminho2);
}
else
{
Directory.CreateDirectory(path);
fish = Path.Combine(path, caminho2);
}
File.Create(fish);
listaimg.Items.Add(caminho2);
}
}
public string[] GetFilesImg4() //jpg files
{
if (!Directory.Exists(#"C:\temporario"))
{
Directory.CreateDirectory(#"C:\temporario");
}
DirectoryInfo dirInfo = new DirectoryInfo(#"C:\temporario");
FileInfo[] fileInfos4 = dirInfo.GetFiles("*.jpg");
foreach (FileInfo info in fileInfos4)
{
if (info.Name.IndexOf("protected") == -1)
list4.Add(info.FullName);
}
return (string[])list4.ToArray(typeof(string));
}

If both actions happen in the same process, you can just store the list of file names in memory (and you already do add them to listaimg):
public string[] GetFilesImg4() //jpg files
{
string tempPath = #"C:\temporario";
if (!Directory.Exists(tempPath))
{
foreach (string filename in listimga.Items)
{
if (!filename.Contains("protected"))
list4.Add(Path.Combine(tempPath, filename);
}
}
return (string[])list4.ToArray(typeof(string));
}
if these are different processes then you can just dump content of your listimga at some point and then read it from the same file. In the example below I store it to file named "order.txt" in the same directory, but logic may be more complicated, such as merging several files with a timestamp and such.
// somewhere in after selecting all files
File.WriteAllLines(#"c:\temporario\order.txt", listimga.Items.Select(t=>t.ToString()));
public string[] GetFilesImg4() //jpg files
{
string tempPath = #"C:\temporario";
if (!Directory.Exists(tempPath))
{
var orderedFilenames = File.ReadAllLines(Path.Combine(tempPath, "order.txt")); // list of files loaded in order
foreach (string filename in orderedFilenames)
{
if (!filename.Contains("protected"))
list4.Add(Path.Combine(tempPath, filename);
}
}
return (string[])list4.ToArray(typeof(string));
}
it's also a good idea to examine available method on a class, such as in this case string.IndexOf(s) == -1 is equivalent to !string.Contains(s) and the latter is much more readable at least for an English speaking person.
I also noticed that your users have to select documents one by one, but FileOpen dialogs allow to select multiple files at a time, and I believe it preserves the order of selection as well.
If order of selection is important and file open dialogs don't preserve order or users find it hard to follow you can still use multiple file selection open dialog and then allow to reorder your listimga list box to get the order right.

VisualStudio Express 2012: StreamReader gives [System.UnauthorizedAccessException] error

I have read a lot of answers on this issue, but none of them helps for me.
Now, it's been 5 years that I had C# and apperantly I've forgotten it all. But I like to get into the language again to use it for automation. So, here is the bit of code I already have:
{
string path = #"C:\Users\decraiec\Documents\Client Automated";
//In this folder I will find all my XML files that I just want to load in a textbox
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
//create a way to read and write the files
//go get the files from my harddrive
StreamReader FileReader = new StreamReader(path);
//make something readable for what you have fetched
StreamWriter FileWriter = new StreamWriter(textBox1.ToString());
int c = 0;
while (c == FileReader.Read())
{
string load = FileReader.ReadToEnd();//read every xmlfile up to the end
string stream = FileWriter.ToString();//make something readable
}
try
{
textBox1.Text = FileWriter.ToString();//what you have made readable, show it in the textbox
FileWriter.Close();
}
finally
{
if (FileReader != null)
{ FileReader.Close(); }
}
if (FileWriter != null)
{ FileWriter.Close(); }
}
}
If I run this code like this I'll get:
An unhandled exception of type 'System.UnauthorizedAccessException' occurred in mscorlib.dll
Additional information: Access to the path 'C:\Users\decraiec\Documents\Atrias Automated' is denied.
While I was hoping to see all the XML files in the textbox listed and clickable ( - although I need to insert the clickable code yet )
I've been looking in my folder and subfolder and files and I do have admin rights on everything. About the [ mscorlib.dll ] I have no clue where to find this.
Now if I wrap the StreamReader in a use ( var....;) VS doesn't recognizes it (red lines under the words) saying that I'm missing an instance of an object or something else of issue (just trying to glue the things together).
Could someone try to get me in the right direction please?

I think your path is a directory, not a file. Almost the exact same issue was addressed here: Question: Using Windows 7, Unauthorized Access Exception when running my application
What you can do is create a DirectoryInfo object on the path and then call GetFiles on it. For example:
DirectoryInfo di = new DirectoryInfo(directoryPath);
Foreach(var file in di.GetFiles())
{
string pathToUseWithStreamReader = file.FullName;
}

You need to use Directory.GetFiles to get any files residing in your "Client Automated" folder, then loop through them and load every single file into the stream.
var files = Directory.GetFiles(path);
foreach (var file in files)
{
var content = File.ReadAllText(file);
}
You can read more on it here:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/07wt70x2(v=vs.110).aspx
Also - in general, when working with files or directories like this, it's a good idea to programmatically check if they exist before working with them. You can do it like so:
if (Directory.Exists(path))
{
...
}
Or with files:
if (File.Exists(path))
{
...
}

Putting each line from a text file into an array C#

I am working on selecting a text file with a folder pathway via a Windows form in C# and gathering information on each pathway. At the minute, I can import the file and display only the second pathway in the text file, but no information on the folder. Here is the code I have:
private void btnFilePath_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
//creating a stream and setting its value to null
Stream myStream = null;
//allowing the user select the file by searching for it
OpenFileDialog open = new OpenFileDialog();
open.InitialDirectory = "c:\\";
open.Filter = "txt files (*.txt)|*.txt";
open.FilterIndex = 2;
open.RestoreDirectory = true;
//if statement to print the contents of the file to the text box
if (open.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK)
{
try
{
if ((myStream = open.OpenFile()) != null)
{
using (myStream)
{
txtFilePath.Text = string.Format("{0}", open.FileName);
if (txtFilePath.Text != "")
{
lstFileContents.Text = System.IO.File.ReadAllText(txtFilePath.Text);
//counting the lines in the text file
using (var input = File.OpenText(txtFilePath.Text))
{
while (input.ReadLine() != null)
{
//getting the info
lstFileContents.Items.Add("" + pathway);
pathway = input.ReadLine();
getSize();
getFiles();
getFolders();
getInfo();
result++;
}
MessageBox.Show("The number of lines is: " + result, "");
lstFileContents.Items.Add(result);
}
}
else
{
//display a message box if there is no address
MessageBox.Show("Enter a valid address.", "Not a valid address.");
}
}
}
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
MessageBox.Show("Error: Could not read the file from disk. Original error: " + ex.Message);
}
}
}
I was thinking that copying each line to a variable using a foreach or putting each line into an array and looping through it to gather the information.
Can anyone advise me which would be most suitable so I can go to MSDN and learn for myself, because, I'd prefer to learn it instead of being given the code.
Thanks!

I am not sure what your question is since you seemed to have answered it. If you want us to review it you question would be better suited to Code Review: https://codereview.stackexchange.com/
If you want to use MSDN look here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/System.IO.File_methods(v=vs.110).aspx
Spoiler alert, here is how I would do it:
string[] lines = null;
try
{
lines = File.ReadAllLines(path);
}
catch(Exception ex)
{
// inform user or log depending on your usage scenario
}
if(lines != null)
{
// do something with lines
}

to just gather all lines into array i would use
var lines = File.ReadAllLines(path);

If you want to have more reference rather than the answer itself, take these links one by one all of them explaining things in different manner.
C# File.ReadLines
How to: Read From a Text File (C# Programming Guide)
How to: Read a Text File One Line at a Time (Visual C#)
Hope it will help you to learn more about File IO operations in C#.

Simple silverlight open-file-dialog errors

A while back I wrote a silverlight user control which had a csv import/export feature. This has been working fine, until recently I discovered it erroring in one scenario. This may have been due to moving to Silverlight 3.
The Error:
Message: Unhandled Error in Silverlight 2 Application
Code: 4004
Category: ManagedRuntimeError
Message: System.Security.SecurityException: Dialogs must be user-initiated.
at System.Windows.Controls.OpenFileDialog.ShowDialog()
at MyControl.OpenImportFileDialog()
at ...
The Code:
private void BrowseFileButton_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(lblFileName.Text))
{
if (MessageBox.Show("Are you sure you want to change the Import file?", "Import", MessageBoxButton.OKCancel) == MessageBoxResult.Cancel)
{
return;
}
}
EnableDisableImportButtons(false);
var fileName = OpenImportFileDialog();
lblFileName.Text = fileName ?? string.Empty;
EnableDisableImportButtons(true);
}
private string OpenImportFileDialog()
{
var dlg = new OpenFileDialog { Filter = "CSV Files (*.csv)|*.csv" };
if (dlg.ShowDialog() ?? false)
{
using (var reader = dlg.File.OpenText())
{
string fileName;
//process the file here and store fileName in variable
return fileName;
}
}
}
I can open an import file, but if i want to change the import file, and re-open the file dialog, it errors. Does anyone know why this is the case?
Also, I am having trouble debugging because placing a breakpoint on the same line (or prior) to the dlg.ShowDialog() call seems to cause this error to appear as well.
Any help would be appreciated?

You do two actions on one user click.
You show a messagebox which effectively uses your permission to show a dialog on user action.
You then try to show the dialog, since this is a second dialog on user action it's not allowed.
Get rid of the confirmation dialog and you'll be fine.

Remove Break Points before if (dlg.ShowDialog() ?? false) code will run its work for me.