Tuesday, May 12, 2009

C# FileInfo.MoveTo Cannot create a file when that file already exists exception

This was one of those irritating errors that you get when you're trying to do something quickly before you go home and you can't for the life of you fathom the issue.

I had the following code (simple enough):

FileInfo f = new FileInfo("## File's Path ");
try

{...}

{
    f.MoveTo("## DROP OFF DIRECTORY ##"));
}

catch (Exception e)

{...}

{
    //Log the exception here
}

The fix was simple, you just have to remember to specify the new filename too. (DOH!). Here's the "correct" code.

FileInfo f = new FileInfo("## File's Path ");
try

{...}

{
    f.MoveTo(Path.Combine("## DROP OFF DIRECTORY ##", f.Name));
}

catch (Exception e)

{...}

{
    //Log the exception here
}

Hope that helps you out ;)

C# FileInfo.MoveTo Cannot create a file when that file already exists exception

Useful Links:            Comments [5]  Trackback

Tags: ASP.Net | C# | Development

Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:52:50 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)

Hey,
Thanks a lot.

Originally, I was getting this System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException (I still don't know how to fix that). Then, I moved my code to a dff machine. Now, I was getting this, "Cannot create a file when that file already exists".

Thankfully, I fixed it!
If you know the answer to DirectoryNotFoundException then please let me know.

Thanks,
Aatish

Aatish

Wednesday, August 18, 2010 8:09:40 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)

Thanks, Tim.

I had similar situation in VB code, I was guessing that the file name needs to be added in the path string (VB class object FileInfo method .MoveTo use just one parameter which needs to be full path and file name) but your posting was helpful.

Paul

Sunday, May 01, 2011 7:23:27 AM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!!!!!

Renato Gama