Upload Files To Folder Using C#

Here, we are going to learn how to upload files to a folder using C# code. This will help you to understand the file upload concept in C#.

In this blog, I will show how to upload files to a folder using C# code. This will help you to understand the file upload feature in C#.

 

First, we have to create a WinForm like in the given image.

 

 

Here is the code for FileUpload.Designer.cs file.

namespace FileUploads
{
    partial class FileUpload
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// Required designer variable.
        /// </summary>
        private System.ComponentModel.IContainer components = null;

        /// <summary>
        /// Clean up any resources being used.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="disposing">true if managed resources should be disposed; otherwise, false.</param>
        protected override void Dispose(bool disposing)
        {
            if (disposing && (components != null))
            {
                components.Dispose();
            }
            base.Dispose(disposing);
        }

        #region Windows Form Designer generated code

        /// <summary>
        /// Required method for Designer support - do not modify
        /// the contents of this method with the code editor.
        /// </summary>
        private void InitializeComponent()
        {
            this.btnFile = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
            this.dgvFile = new System.Windows.Forms.DataGridView();
            this.fileName = new System.Windows.Forms.DataGridViewTextBoxColumn();
            this.filePath = new System.Windows.Forms.DataGridViewTextBoxColumn();
            this.fileSavePath = new System.Windows.Forms.DataGridViewTextBoxColumn();
            this.btnSave = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
            this.btnClear = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
            ((System.ComponentModel.ISupportInitialize)(this.dgvFile)).BeginInit();
            this.SuspendLayout();
            //
            // btnFile
            //
            this.btnFile.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Segoe UI", 9.75F, System.Drawing.FontStyle.Regular, System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(0)));
            this.btnFile.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(289, 3);
            this.btnFile.Name = "btnFile";
            this.btnFile.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(97, 31);
            this.btnFile.TabIndex = 10;
            this.btnFile.Text = "....Choose File";
            this.btnFile.UseVisualStyleBackColor = true;
            this.btnFile.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.btnFile_Click);
            //
            // dgvFile
            //
            this.dgvFile.AllowUserToAddRows = false;
            this.dgvFile.AllowUserToDeleteRows = false;
            this.dgvFile.BackgroundColor = System.Drawing.SystemColors.Control;
            this.dgvFile.ColumnHeadersHeight = 28;
            this.dgvFile.ColumnHeadersHeightSizeMode = System.Windows.Forms.DataGridViewColumnHeadersHeightSizeMode.DisableResizing;
            this.dgvFile.Columns.AddRange(new System.Windows.Forms.DataGridViewColumn[] {
            this.fileName,
            this.filePath,
            this.fileSavePath});
            this.dgvFile.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(2, 39);
            this.dgvFile.Name = "dgvFile";
            this.dgvFile.ReadOnly = true;
            this.dgvFile.RowHeadersVisible = false;
            this.dgvFile.RowHeadersWidth = 30;
            this.dgvFile.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(693, 258);
            this.dgvFile.TabIndex = 1;
            //
            // fileName
            //
            this.fileName.DataPropertyName = "cname";
            this.fileName.HeaderText = "Name";
            this.fileName.Name = "fileName";
            this.fileName.ReadOnly = true;
            this.fileName.Width = 150;
            //
            // filePath
            //
            this.filePath.DataPropertyName = "cpath";
            this.filePath.HeaderText = "Path";
            this.filePath.Name = "filePath";
            this.filePath.ReadOnly = true;
            this.filePath.Width = 250;
            //
            // fileSavePath
            //
            this.fileSavePath.DataPropertyName = "csaveto";
            this.fileSavePath.HeaderText = "Save To";
            this.fileSavePath.Name = "fileSavePath";
            this.fileSavePath.ReadOnly = true;
            this.fileSavePath.Width = 300;
            //
            // btnSave
            //
            this.btnSave.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Segoe UI Semibold", 9.75F, System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold, System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(0)));
            this.btnSave.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(351, 304);
            this.btnSave.Name = "btnSave";
            this.btnSave.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(98, 32);
            this.btnSave.TabIndex = 9;
            this.btnSave.Text = "Save";
            this.btnSave.UseVisualStyleBackColor = true;
            this.btnSave.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.btnSave_Click);
            //
            // btnClear
            //
            this.btnClear.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Segoe UI Semibold", 9.75F, System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold, System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(0)));
            this.btnClear.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(247, 304);
            this.btnClear.Name = "btnClear";
            this.btnClear.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(98, 32);
            this.btnClear.TabIndex = 10;
            this.btnClear.Text = "Clear";
            this.btnClear.UseVisualStyleBackColor = true;
            this.btnClear.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.btnClear_Click);
            //
            // FileUpload
            //
            this.AutoScaleDimensions = new System.Drawing.SizeF(7F, 17F);
            this.AutoScaleMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoScaleMode.Font;
            this.BackColor = System.Drawing.SystemColors.Control;
            this.ClientSize = new System.Drawing.Size(697, 345);
            this.Controls.Add(this.btnFile);
            this.Controls.Add(this.btnClear);
            this.Controls.Add(this.btnSave);
            this.Controls.Add(this.dgvFile);
            this.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Segoe UI", 9.75F, System.Drawing.FontStyle.Regular, System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(0)));
            this.Margin = new System.Windows.Forms.Padding(3, 4, 3, 4);
            this.MaximizeBox = false;
            this.Name = "FileUpload";
            this.StartPosition = System.Windows.Forms.FormStartPosition.CenterScreen;
            this.Text = "File Upload";
            this.Load += new System.EventHandler(this.FileUpload_Load);
            ((System.ComponentModel.ISupportInitialize)(this.dgvFile)).EndInit();
            this.ResumeLayout(false);

        }

        #endregion
        private System.Windows.Forms.DataGridView dgvFile;
        private System.Windows.Forms.Button btnSave;
        private System.Windows.Forms.Button btnFile;
        private System.Windows.Forms.Button btnClear;
        private System.Windows.Forms.DataGridViewTextBoxColumn fileName;
        private System.Windows.Forms.DataGridViewTextBoxColumn filePath;
        private System.Windows.Forms.DataGridViewTextBoxColumn fileSavePath;
    }
}

Then, we have to declare two variables. One is to where you want to save the file and another one is a data table where we store the uploaded file details.

string strSavePath = @"D:\MyFolder\";
DataTable dtData;

Now, on the page load event, initialize that data table by calling the "CreateTable" method.

private void FileUpload_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    dtData = CreateTable();
}

private DataTable CreateTable()
{
    DataTable dtReturn = new DataTable();
    dtReturn.Columns.Add("cname", typeof(string));
    dtReturn.Columns.Add("cpath", typeof(string));
    dtReturn.Columns.Add("csaveto", typeof(string));
    return dtReturn;
}

Here, we choose one file or multiple files to save to MyFolder.

OpenFileDialog fdlg = new OpenFileDialog();
fdlg.Title = "Select file";
fdlg.InitialDirectory = Environment.SpecialFolder.Desktop.ToString();
fdlg.Filter = string.Format("{0}{1}{2} ({3})|{3}", fdlg.Filter, "", "All Files", "*.*");
// Code for image filter
ImageCodecInfo[] codecs = ImageCodecInfo.GetImageEncoders();
foreach (ImageCodecInfo c in codecs)
{
    string codecName = c.CodecName.Substring(8).Replace("Codec", "Files").Trim();
    fdlg.Filter = string.Format("{0}{1}{2} ({3})|{3}", fdlg.Filter, "|", codecName, c.FilenameExtension);
}
// Code for files filter
fdlg.Filter = fdlg.Filter + "|CSV Files (*.csv)|*.csv";
fdlg.Filter = fdlg.Filter + "|Excel Files (.xls ,.xlsx)|  *.xls ;*.xlsx";
fdlg.Filter = fdlg.Filter + "|PDF Files (.pdf)|*.pdf";
fdlg.Filter = fdlg.Filter + "|Text Files (*.txt)|*.txt";
fdlg.Filter = fdlg.Filter + "|Word Files (.docx ,.doc)|*.docx;*.doc";
fdlg.Filter = fdlg.Filter + "|XML Files (*.xml)|*.xml";

fdlg.FilterIndex = 1;
fdlg.RestoreDirectory = true;
fdlg.Multiselect = true;
if (fdlg.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK)
{
    foreach (string file in fdlg.FileNames)
    {
        if (file != string.Empty)
        {
            DataRow drRow = dtData.NewRow();
            drRow["cname"] = Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(file);
            drRow["cpath"] = file;
            drRow["csaveto"] = strSavePath + RenameFile(file);
            dtData.Rows.Add(drRow);
        }
    }
}
dgvFile.DataSource = dtData;

Now, let us save them to a folder using File.Copy.

File.Copy(oldPath, newPath, true);

Here is the complete code for FileUpload.cs file.

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing.Imaging;
using System.Windows.Forms;

namespace FileUploads
{
    public partial class FileUpload : Form
    {
        string strSavePath = @"D:\MyFolder\";
        DataTable dtData;

        public FileUpload()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }

        private void FileUpload_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            dtData = CreateTable();
        }

        private DataTable CreateTable()
        {
            DataTable dtReturn = new DataTable();
            dtReturn.Columns.Add("cname", typeof(string));
            dtReturn.Columns.Add("cpath", typeof(string));
            dtReturn.Columns.Add("csaveto", typeof(string));
            return dtReturn;
        }

        private void btnSave_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            if (dgvFile.Rows.Count > 0)
            {
                if (!Directory.Exists(strSavePath))
                {
                    Directory.CreateDirectory(strSavePath);
                }
                int numRes = 0;
                for (int i = 0; i < dgvFile.Rows.Count; i++)
                {
                    try
                    {
                        string oldPath = dgvFile.Rows[i].Cells["filePath"].Value.ToString();
                        string fileSavePath = dgvFile.Rows[i].Cells["fileSavePath"].Value.ToString();
                        File.Copy(oldPath, fileSavePath, true);
                        numRes++;
                    }
                    catch { }
                }
                MessageBox.Show(numRes.ToString() + " nos of file saved !");
                dtData.Rows.Clear();
                dgvFile.DataSource = dtData;
            }
        }

        private void btnClear_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            dtData.Rows.Clear();
            dgvFile.DataSource = dtData;
        }

        private void btnFile_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            OpenFileDialog fdlg = new OpenFileDialog();
            fdlg.Title = "Select file";
            fdlg.InitialDirectory = Environment.SpecialFolder.Desktop.ToString();
            fdlg.Filter = string.Format("{0}{1}{2} ({3})|{3}", fdlg.Filter, "", "All Files", "*.*");
            // Code for image filter
            ImageCodecInfo[] codecs = ImageCodecInfo.GetImageEncoders();
            foreach (ImageCodecInfo c in codecs)
            {
                string codecName = c.CodecName.Substring(8).Replace("Codec", "Files").Trim();
                fdlg.Filter = string.Format("{0}{1}{2} ({3})|{3}", fdlg.Filter, "|", codecName, c.FilenameExtension);
            }
            // Code for files filter
            fdlg.Filter = fdlg.Filter + "|CSV Files (*.csv)|*.csv";
            fdlg.Filter = fdlg.Filter + "|Excel Files (.xls ,.xlsx)|  *.xls ;*.xlsx";
            fdlg.Filter = fdlg.Filter + "|PDF Files (.pdf)|*.pdf";
            fdlg.Filter = fdlg.Filter + "|Text Files (*.txt)|*.txt";
            fdlg.Filter = fdlg.Filter + "|Word Files (.docx ,.doc)|*.docx;*.doc";
            fdlg.Filter = fdlg.Filter + "|XML Files (*.xml)|*.xml";

            fdlg.FilterIndex = 1;
            fdlg.RestoreDirectory = true;
            fdlg.Multiselect = true;
            if (fdlg.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK)
            {
                foreach (string file in fdlg.FileNames)
                {
                    if (file != string.Empty)
                    {
                        DataRow drRow = dtData.NewRow();
                        drRow["cname"] = Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(file);
                        drRow["cpath"] = file;
                        drRow["csaveto"] = strSavePath + RenameFile(file);
                        dtData.Rows.Add(drRow);
                    }
                }
            }
            dgvFile.DataSource = dtData;
        }

        public string RenameFile(string filePath)
        {
            string strExt = Path.GetExtension(filePath);
            string fileName = Guid.NewGuid().ToString("N") + strExt;
            return fileName;
        }
    }
}

If you want to upload files from URL, then you can use WebClient.

WebClient webClient = new WebClient();
webClient.DownloadFileAsync(new Uri(oldPath), newPath);

Before that, you have to check if the given URL exists or not. For this, just call the URLExists method.

public bool URLExists(string url)
{
    bool result = true;
    try
    {
        WebRequest webRequest = WebRequest.Create(url);
        webRequest.Timeout = 1200; // miliseconds
        webRequest.Method = "HEAD";
        webRequest.GetResponse();
    }
    catch
    {
        result = false;
    }
    return result;
}

By using these easy methods, we can upload a file or multiple files to a specific folder.

These simple tips may help beginner level readers to understand the concepts of uploading files to a folder.

Hope this will help you.