C# - Saving a '.txt' File to the Project Root

Question

I have written some code which requires me to save a text file. However, I need to get it to save to my project root so anyone can access it, not just me.

Here's the method in question:

private void saveFileToolStripMenuItem_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        try
        {
            string fileName = Microsoft.VisualBasic.Interaction.InputBox("Please enter a save file name.", "Save Game");
            if (fileName.Equals(""))
            {
                MessageBox.Show("Please enter a valid save file name.");
            }
            else
            {
                fileName = String.Concat(fileName, ".gls");
                MessageBox.Show("Saving to " + fileName);

                System.IO.File.WriteAllText(saveScene.ToString(), AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory + @"\" + fileName);
            }
        }
        catch (Exception f)
        {
            System.Diagnostics.Debug.Write(f);
        }
    }

Many people told me that using AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory would contain the dynamic location of where the app was stored. However, when I execute this, nothing happens and no file is created.

Is there another way of doing this, or am I just using it completely wrong?

Answer 1

File.WriteAllText requires two parameters:
The first one is the FileName and the second is the content to write

File.WriteAllText(AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory + @"\" + fileName, 
                  saveScene.ToString());

Keep in mind however that writing to the current folder could be problematic if the user running your application has no permission to access the folder. (And in latest OS writing to the Program Files is very limited). If it is possible change this location to the ones defined in Environment.SpecialFolder enum

I wish also to suggest using the System.IO.Path class when you need to build paths and not a string concatenation where you use the very 'OS specific' constant "\\" to separate paths.

In your example I would write

 string destPath = Path.Combine(AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory,fileName);
 File.WriteAllText(destPath, saveScene.ToString());

Answer 2

no need for the extra + @"\\" just do:

AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory + fileName

and replace the parameters

saveScene.ToString()

and

AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory + fileName

your code should be:

private void saveFileToolStripMenuItem_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        try
        {
            string fileName = Microsoft.VisualBasic.Interaction.InputBox("Please enter a save file name.", "Save Game");
            if (fileName.Equals(""))
            {
                MessageBox.Show("Please enter a valid save file name.");
            }
            else
            {
                fileName = String.Concat(fileName, ".gls");
                MessageBox.Show("Saving to " + fileName);

                System.IO.File.WriteAllText(AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory +  fileName, saveScene.ToString());
            }
        }
        catch (Exception f)
        {
            System.Diagnostics.Debug.Write(f);
        }
    }

you can read on File.WriteAllText here :

Parameters

 path Type: System.String The file to write to. contents Type: System.String The string to write to the file.

Answer 3

Instead of using AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory you can just do it this way:

    File.WriteLine("data\\Mytxt.txt", "Success!");

When you don't add anything, the basedirectory is automatically assumed.