File.Copy
Method
Definition
Overloads
| Copy(String, String) |
Copies an existing file to a new file. Overwriting a file of the same name is not allowed. |
| Copy(String, String, Boolean) |
Copies an existing file to a new file. Overwriting a file of the same name is allowed. |
Copy(String, String)
Copies an existing file to a new file. Overwriting a file of the same name is not allowed.
public static void Copy (string sourceFileName, string destFileName);
- sourceFileName
- String
The file to copy.
- destFileName
- String
The name of the destination file. This cannot be a directory or an existing file.
The caller does not have the required permission.
sourceFileName or destFileName is a zero-length string, contains only white space, or contains one or more invalid characters as defined by InvalidPathChars.
-or-
sourceFileName or destFileName specifies a directory.
sourceFileName or destFileName is null.
The specified path, file name, or both exceed the system-defined maximum length. For example, on Windows-based platforms, paths must be less than 248 characters, and file names must be less than 260 characters.
The path specified in sourceFileName or destFileName is invalid (for example, it is on an unmapped drive).
sourceFileName was not found.
sourceFileName or destFileName is in an invalid format.
Examples
The following example copies files to the C:\archives\2008 backup folder. It uses the two overloads of the Copy method as follows:
It first uses the File.Copy(String, String) method overload to copy text (.txt) files. The code demonstrates that this overload does not allow overwriting files that were already copied.
It then uses the File.Copy(String, String, Boolean) method overload to copy pictures (.jpg files). The code demonstrates that this overload does allow overwriting files that were already copied.
string sourceDir = @"c:\current";
string backupDir = @"c:\archives\2008";
try
{
string[] picList = Directory.GetFiles(sourceDir, "*.jpg");
string[] txtList = Directory.GetFiles(sourceDir, "*.txt");
// Copy picture files.
foreach (string f in picList)
{
// Remove path from the file name.
string fName = f.Substring(sourceDir.Length + 1);
// Use the Path.Combine method to safely append the file name to the path.
// Will overwrite if the destination file already exists.
File.Copy(Path.Combine(sourceDir, fName), Path.Combine(backupDir, fName), true);
}
// Copy text files.
foreach (string f in txtList)
{
// Remove path from the file name.
string fName = f.Substring(sourceDir.Length + 1);
try
{
// Will not overwrite if the destination file already exists.
File.Copy(Path.Combine(sourceDir, fName), Path.Combine(backupDir, fName));
}
// Catch exception if the file was already copied.
catch (IOException copyError)
{
Console.WriteLine(copyError.Message);
}
}
// Delete source files that were copied.
foreach (string f in txtList)
{
File.Delete(f);
}
foreach (string f in picList)
{
File.Delete(f);
}
}
catch (DirectoryNotFoundException dirNotFound)
{
Console.WriteLine(dirNotFound.Message);
}
Dim sourceDir As String = "c:\current"
Dim backupDir As String = "c:\archives\2008"
Try
Dim picList As String() = Directory.GetFiles(sourceDir, "*.jpg")
Dim txtList As String() = Directory.GetFiles(sourceDir, "*.txt")
' Copy picture files.
For Each f As String In picList
'Remove path from the file name.
Dim fName As String = f.Substring(sourceDir.Length + 1)
' Use the Path.Combine method to safely append the file name to the path.
' Will overwrite if the destination file already exists.
File.Copy(Path.Combine(sourceDir, fName), Path.Combine(backupDir, fName), True)
Next
' Copy text files.
For Each f As String In txtList
'Remove path from the file name.
Dim fName As String = f.Substring(sourceDir.Length + 1)
Try
' Will not overwrite if the destination file already exists.
File.Copy(Path.Combine(sourceDir, fName), Path.Combine(backupDir, fName))
' Catch exception if the file was already copied.
Catch copyError As IOException
Console.WriteLine(copyError.Message)
End Try
Next
For Each f As String In txtList
File.Delete(f)
Next
For Each f As String In picList
File.Delete(f)
Next
Catch dirNotFound As DirectoryNotFoundException
Console.WriteLine(dirNotFound.Message)
End Try
Remarks
This method is equivalent to the Copy(String, String, Boolean) method overload with the overwrite parameter set to false.
The sourceFileName and destFileName parameters can specify relative or absolute path information. Relative path information is interpreted as relative to the current working directory. To obtain the current working directory, see the Directory.GetCurrentDirectory method. This method does not support wildcard characters in the parameters.
The attributes of the original file are retained in the copied file.
Copy(String, String, Boolean)
Copies an existing file to a new file. Overwriting a file of the same name is allowed.
public static void Copy (string sourceFileName, string destFileName, bool overwrite);
- sourceFileName
- String
The file to copy.
- destFileName
- String
The name of the destination file. This cannot be a directory.
- overwrite
- Boolean
true if the destination file can be overwritten; otherwise, false.
The caller does not have the required permission.
-or-
destFileName is read-only.
sourceFileName or destFileName is a zero-length string, contains only white space, or contains one or more invalid characters as defined by InvalidPathChars.
-or-
sourceFileName or destFileName specifies a directory.
sourceFileName or destFileName is null.
The specified path, file name, or both exceed the system-defined maximum length. For example, on Windows-based platforms, paths must be less than 248 characters, and file names must be less than 260 characters.
The path specified in sourceFileName or destFileName is invalid (for example, it is on an unmapped drive).
sourceFileName was not found.
sourceFileName or destFileName is in an invalid format.
Examples
The following example copies files to the C:\archives\2008 backup folder. It uses the two overloads of the Copy method as follows:
- It first uses the File.Copy(String, String) method overload to copy text (.txt) files. The code demonstrates that this overload does not allow overwriting files that were already copied.
It then uses the File.Copy(String, String, Boolean) method overload to copy pictures (.jpg files). The code demonstrates that this overload does allow overwriting files that were already copied.
string sourceDir = @"c:\current";
string backupDir = @"c:\archives\2008";
try
{
string[] picList = Directory.GetFiles(sourceDir, "*.jpg");
string[] txtList = Directory.GetFiles(sourceDir, "*.txt");
// Copy picture files.
foreach (string f in picList)
{
// Remove path from the file name.
string fName = f.Substring(sourceDir.Length + 1);
// Use the Path.Combine method to safely append the file name to the path.
// Will overwrite if the destination file already exists.
File.Copy(Path.Combine(sourceDir, fName), Path.Combine(backupDir, fName), true);
}
// Copy text files.
foreach (string f in txtList)
{
// Remove path from the file name.
string fName = f.Substring(sourceDir.Length + 1);
try
{
// Will not overwrite if the destination file already exists.
File.Copy(Path.Combine(sourceDir, fName), Path.Combine(backupDir, fName));
}
// Catch exception if the file was already copied.
catch (IOException copyError)
{
Console.WriteLine(copyError.Message);
}
}
// Delete source files that were copied.
foreach (string f in txtList)
{
File.Delete(f);
}
foreach (string f in picList)
{
File.Delete(f);
}
}
catch (DirectoryNotFoundException dirNotFound)
{
Console.WriteLine(dirNotFound.Message);
}
Dim sourceDir As String = "c:\current"
Dim backupDir As String = "c:\archives\2008"
Try
Dim picList As String() = Directory.GetFiles(sourceDir, "*.jpg")
Dim txtList As String() = Directory.GetFiles(sourceDir, "*.txt")
' Copy picture files.
For Each f As String In picList
'Remove path from the file name.
Dim fName As String = f.Substring(sourceDir.Length + 1)
' Use the Path.Combine method to safely append the file name to the path.
' Will overwrite if the destination file already exists.
File.Copy(Path.Combine(sourceDir, fName), Path.Combine(backupDir, fName), True)
Next
' Copy text files.
For Each f As String In txtList
'Remove path from the file name.
Dim fName As String = f.Substring(sourceDir.Length + 1)
Try
' Will not overwrite if the destination file already exists.
File.Copy(Path.Combine(sourceDir, fName), Path.Combine(backupDir, fName))
' Catch exception if the file was already copied.
Catch copyError As IOException
Console.WriteLine(copyError.Message)
End Try
Next
For Each f As String In txtList
File.Delete(f)
Next
For Each f As String In picList
File.Delete(f)
Next
Catch dirNotFound As DirectoryNotFoundException
Console.WriteLine(dirNotFound.Message)
End Try
Remarks
The sourceFileName and destFileName parameters can specify relative or absolute path information. Relative path information is interpreted as relative to the current working directory. This method does not support wildcard characters in the parameters.
The attributes of the original file are retained in the copied file.
For a list of common I/O tasks, see Common I/O Tasks.