C#•4w ago

Where can i put files so they will be in the same folder as the exe?

I've tried /bin, but this doesn't work.

61 Replies

(i am trying to store my custom settings file there, but it doesent update anymore...)

u put the file in the project folder and then set them to copy if newer the result is when u run or build or publish those files with be with the exe alternatively u can make them resources which will embed the files in the assembly and u can read / use them as reources for a settings file my recommendation is to use a common app folder and when ur app first runs it creates the default settings there

hutonahill•4w ago

ok. so is there i way i can tell it to copy the files back to the project folder when its done? My app has its own method for manipulating its settings, and i want to be able to watch that happen

leowest•4w ago

var appData = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ApplicationData);
var appFolder = Path.Combine(appData, "MyApp");

var appData = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ApplicationData);
var appFolder = Path.Combine(appData, "MyApp");

hutonahill•4w ago

what does this do exactly? this is the filepath of the .exe?

jcotton42•4w ago

It's AppData\Roaming\MyApp

leowest•4w ago

no, its a common OS folder for apps to save data to which is the indicated way to store those like cotton said

jcotton42•4w ago

C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\MyApp that is.

leowest•4w ago

that is usually where u should be storing things like that if for development purposes u want that file to be in your project list so u can easily modify it u can but I strongly advise u to use the above for the user. U would need to do something like

../../../../myappserttings.json

../../../../myappserttings.json

as the path, the amount of fallback "../" will depend on the type of project for example

\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows

\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows

that would be ../../../ to reach the project folder. usually you shouldn't need to manually modify the settings file, u would do it via code and serialize it. Meaning the modifications should be done in code not manually

public class MySetting
{
    public string Name {get;set;}
    public bool IsAutoSaveEnabled {get;set;}
    public bool ShouldUseThis {get;set;}
    public int CloseInSeconds {get;set;}
}

public class MySetting
{
    public string Name {get;set;}
    public bool IsAutoSaveEnabled {get;set;}
    public bool ShouldUseThis {get;set;}
    public int CloseInSeconds {get;set;}
}

and by serializing an instance of that u would get a well formatted json file with your settings in the appropriated directory

hutonahill•4w ago

okk. let me explane a little more Ive got an app i am developing. Its got some files, this settings file and a few others including my .db file, which it expects to find in its folder. during development i need a to be able to see these files, manipulate them with other tools and see them update when my program runs. This used to be /bin i don't know how this changed, but the old versions of the default states of these files made it into this folder somehow. when i deploy this app i am expecting these files to already be in the same place as the exe and they wont change when i update my application. is ther any solution other than storeing these files in this mess of a folder? idealy in /bin?

leowest•4w ago

what I said initially u put the files inside your solution explorer's project then set it to copy if newer it will be right next to the executable when u run, build or deploy and u modify the files in the project not in the bin

hutonahill•4w ago

but if my program makes changes to the file i wont see those changes.

leowest•4w ago

u said it wont make changes

hutonahill•4w ago

they update when my program runs

...see them update when my program runs. ...

leowest•4w ago

and they wont change when i update my application.

Gaming

Programming

Where can i put files so they will be in the same folder as the exe?