Use FileSystemWatcher on a single file in C#

Question

When i try to set the watcher path to a single file like so:

watcher.Path = filePath1;

I get the error:

The directory name C:\Cromos 3.0\repository\diagnostics\dwm01_2011_06_13__09_03.LXD is invalid.

Can you only set the path to a folder directory?

Answer 1

Your error is setting the Path property with a full filename

watcher.Path = Path.GetDirectoryName(filePath1); 
watcher.Filter = Path.GetFileName(filePath1);

should work.

Not related to your proper question, but, of course, as stated in below comments, it is imperative to set the EnableRaisingEvents property to true to enable the FileSystemWatcher's functionality

Answer 2

Yes, but you can watch for specific files by setting the filter property to the filename.

eg

watcher.Filter = "dwm01_2011_06_13__09_03.LXD";