FileSystemEventArgs Class

Definition

Provides data for the directory events: Changed, Created, Deleted.

public ref class FileSystemEventArgs : EventArgs
public class FileSystemEventArgs : EventArgs
type FileSystemEventArgs = class
    inherit EventArgs
Public Class FileSystemEventArgs
Inherits EventArgs
Inheritance
FileSystemEventArgs
Derived

Examples

The following example shows how to create a FileSystemWatcher to monitor file changes (creates, deletes, renames, changes) occurring on a disk drive. The example also shows how to properly receive error notifications.

using System;
using System.IO;

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        //  Create a FileSystemWatcher to monitor all files on drive C.
        FileSystemWatcher fsw = new FileSystemWatcher("C:\\");

        //  Watch for changes in LastAccess and LastWrite times, and
        //  the renaming of files or directories.
        fsw.NotifyFilter = NotifyFilters.LastAccess | NotifyFilters.LastWrite
            | NotifyFilters.FileName |NotifyFilters.DirectoryName;

        //  Register a handler that gets called when a
        //  file is created, changed, or deleted.
        fsw.Changed += new FileSystemEventHandler(OnChanged);

        fsw.Created += new FileSystemEventHandler(OnChanged);

        fsw.Deleted += new FileSystemEventHandler(OnChanged);

        //  Register a handler that gets called when a file is renamed.
        fsw.Renamed += new RenamedEventHandler(OnRenamed);

        //  Register a handler that gets called if the
        //  FileSystemWatcher needs to report an error.
        fsw.Error += new ErrorEventHandler(OnError);

        //  Begin watching.
        fsw.EnableRaisingEvents = true;

        Console.WriteLine("Press \'Enter\' to quit the sample.");
        Console.ReadLine();
    }

    //  This method is called when a file is created, changed, or deleted.
    private static void OnChanged(object source, FileSystemEventArgs e)
    {
        //  Show that a file has been created, changed, or deleted.
        WatcherChangeTypes wct = e.ChangeType;
        Console.WriteLine("File {0} {1}", e.FullPath, wct.ToString());
    }

    //  This method is called when a file is renamed.
    private static void OnRenamed(object source, RenamedEventArgs e)
    {
        //  Show that a file has been renamed.
        WatcherChangeTypes wct = e.ChangeType;
        Console.WriteLine("File {0} {2} to {1}", e.OldFullPath, e.FullPath, wct.ToString());
    }

    //  This method is called when the FileSystemWatcher detects an error.
    private static void OnError(object source, ErrorEventArgs e)
    {
        //  Show that an error has been detected.
        Console.WriteLine("The FileSystemWatcher has detected an error");
        //  Give more information if the error is due to an internal buffer overflow.
        if (e.GetException().GetType() == typeof(InternalBufferOverflowException))
        {
            //  This can happen if Windows is reporting many file system events quickly
            //  and internal buffer of the  FileSystemWatcher is not large enough to handle this
            //  rate of events. The InternalBufferOverflowException error informs the application
            //  that some of the file system events are being lost.
            Console.WriteLine(("The file system watcher experienced an internal buffer overflow: " + e.GetException().Message));
        }
    }
}
Imports System.IO

Module Module1
    Sub Main()
        ' Create a FileSystemWatcher to monitor all files on drive C.
        Dim fsw As New FileSystemWatcher("C:\")

        ' Watch for changes in LastAccess and LastWrite times, and
        ' the renaming of files or directories. 
        fsw.NotifyFilter = (NotifyFilters.LastAccess Or NotifyFilters.LastWrite _ 
            Or NotifyFilters.FileName Or NotifyFilters.DirectoryName)

        ' Register a handler that gets called when a 
        ' file is created, changed, or deleted.
        AddHandler fsw.Changed, New FileSystemEventHandler(AddressOf OnChanged)

        ' The commented line of code below is a shorthand of the above line.
        ' AddHandler fsw.Changed, AddressOf OnChanged

        ' NOTE: The shorthand version is used in the remainder of this code.
        ' FileSystemEventHandler
        AddHandler fsw.Created, AddressOf OnChanged 
        ' FileSystemEventHandler
        AddHandler fsw.Deleted, AddressOf OnChanged

        ' Register a handler that gets called when a file is renamed.
        ' RenamedEventHandler
        AddHandler fsw.Renamed, AddressOf OnRenamed

        ' Register a handler that gets called if the 
        ' FileSystemWatcher needs to report an error.
        ' ErrorEventHandler
        AddHandler fsw.Error, AddressOf OnError

        ' Begin watching.
        fsw.EnableRaisingEvents = True

        ' Wait for the user to quit the program.
        Console.WriteLine("Press 'Enter' to quit the sample.")
        Console.ReadLine()
    End Sub

    ' This method is called when a file is created, changed, or deleted.
    Private Sub OnChanged(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As FileSystemEventArgs)

        ' Show that a file has been created, changed, or deleted.
        Dim wct As WatcherChangeTypes = e.ChangeType
        Console.WriteLine("File {0} {1}", e.FullPath, wct.ToString())
    End Sub

    ' This method is called when a file is renamed.
    Private Sub OnRenamed(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As RenamedEventArgs)

        ' Show that a file has been renamed.
        Dim wct As WatcherChangeTypes = e.ChangeType
        Console.WriteLine("File {0} {2} to {1}", e.OldFullPath, e.FullPath, wct.ToString())
    End Sub

    ' This method is called when the FileSystemWatcher detects an error.
    Private Sub OnError(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As ErrorEventArgs)

        ' Show that an error has been detected.
        Console.WriteLine("The FileSystemWatcher has detected an error")

        ' Give more information if the error is due to an internal buffer overflow.
        If TypeOf e.GetException Is InternalBufferOverflowException Then
            ' This can happen if Windows is reporting many file system events quickly 
            ' and internal buffer of the  FileSystemWatcher is not large enough to handle this
            ' rate of events. The InternalBufferOverflowException error informs the application
            ' that some of the file system events are being lost.
            Console.WriteLine( _
                "The file system watcher experienced an internal buffer overflow: " _
                + e.GetException.Message)
        End If
    End Sub
End Module

Remarks

The FileSystemEventArgs class is passed as a parameter to event handlers for these events:

Constructors

FileSystemEventArgs(WatcherChangeTypes, String, String)

Initializes a new instance of the FileSystemEventArgs class.

Properties

ChangeType

Gets the type of directory event that occurred.

FullPath

Gets the fully qualified path of the affected file or directory.

Name

Gets the name of the affected file or directory.

Methods

Equals(Object)

Determines whether the specified object is equal to the current object.

(Inherited from Object)
GetHashCode()

Serves as the default hash function.

(Inherited from Object)
GetType()

Gets the Type of the current instance.

(Inherited from Object)
MemberwiseClone()

Creates a shallow copy of the current Object.

(Inherited from Object)
ToString()

Returns a string that represents the current object.

(Inherited from Object)

Applies to

See also