C# || How To Save, Open & Read File As A Byte Array & Memory Stream Using C#

May 08, 2021 admin No comments

The following is a module with functions which demonstrates how to save, open and read a file as a byte array and memory stream using C#.

1. Read File – Byte Array

The example below demonstrates the use of ‘Utils.Methods.ReadFile‘ to read a file as a byte array.





		
		
			1. Read File - Byte Array
			
C#
			
			// Byte Array

var path = $@"path-to-file\file.extension";
var fileByteArray = Utils.Methods.ReadFile(path);

// Do something with the byte array
			
				
					
				
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						// Byte Array
 
var path = $@"path-to-file\file.extension";
var fileByteArray = Utils.Methods.ReadFile(path);
 
// Do something with the byte array

2. Read File – Memory Stream

The example below demonstrates the use of ‘Utils.Methods.ReadFile‘ to read a file as a memory stream.





		
		
			2. Read File - Memory Stream
			
C#
			
			// Memory Stream

var path = $@"path-to-file\file.extension";
using (var fileMS = new System.IO.MemoryStream(Utils.Methods.ReadFile(path))) {
    // Do something with the stream
}
			
				
					
				
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						// Memory Stream
 
var path = $@"path-to-file\file.extension";
using (var fileMS = new System.IO.MemoryStream(Utils.Methods.ReadFile(path))) {
    // Do something with the stream
}

3. Save File – Byte Array

The example below demonstrates the use of ‘Utils.Methods.SaveFile‘ to save the contents of a byte array to a file.





		
		
			3. Save File - Byte Array
			
C#
			
			// Byte Array

var path = $@"path-to-file\file.extension";
byte[] bytes;

Utils.Methods.SaveFile(path, bytes);
			
				
					
				
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						// Byte Array
 
var path = $@"path-to-file\file.extension";
byte[] bytes;
 
Utils.Methods.SaveFile(path, bytes);

4. Save File – Memory Stream

The example below demonstrates the use of ‘Utils.Methods.SaveFile‘ to save the contents of a memory stream to a file.





		
		
			4. Save File - Memory Stream
			
C#
			
			// Memory Stream

var path = $@"path-to-file\file.extension";
System.IO.MemoryStream fileMS;

Utils.Methods.SaveFile(path, fileMS.ToArray());
			
				
					
				
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						// Memory Stream
 
var path = $@"path-to-file\file.extension";
System.IO.MemoryStream fileMS;
 
Utils.Methods.SaveFile(path, fileMS.ToArray());

5. Utils Namespace

The following is the Utils Namespace. Include this in your project to start using!





		
		
			Utils Namespace
			
C#
			
			// ============================================================================
//    Author: Kenneth Perkins
//    Date:   May 8, 2021
//    Taken From: http://programmingnotes.org/
//    File:  Utils.cs
//    Description: Handles general utility functions
// ============================================================================
using System;

namespace Utils {
    public static class Methods {
        /// <summary>
        /// Reads a file at the given path into a byte array
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="filePath">The path of the file to be read</param>
        /// <param name="shareOption">Determines how the file will be shared by processes</param>
        /// <returns>The contents of the file as a byte array</returns>
        public static byte[] ReadFile(string filePath, System.IO.FileShare shareOption = System.IO.FileShare.None) {
            byte[] fileBytes;
            using (var fs = new System.IO.FileStream(filePath, System.IO.FileMode.Open, System.IO.FileAccess.Read, shareOption)) {
                fileBytes = new byte[fs.Length];
                fs.Read(fileBytes, 0, fileBytes.Length);
            }
            return fileBytes;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Saves a file at the given path with the contents of the byte array
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="filePath">The path of the file to be saved</param>
        /// <param name="fileBytes">The byte array containing the file contents</param>
        /// <param name="shareOption">Determines how the file will be shared by processes</param>
        public static void SaveFile(string filePath, byte[] fileBytes, System.IO.FileShare shareOption = System.IO.FileShare.None) {
            using (var fs = new System.IO.FileStream(filePath, System.IO.FileMode.Create, System.IO.FileAccess.Write, shareOption)) {
                fs.Write(fileBytes, 0, fileBytes.Length);
            }
        }
    }
}// http://programmingnotes.org/
			
				
					
				
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						// ============================================================================
//    Author: Kenneth Perkins
//    Date:   May 8, 2021
//    Taken From: http://programmingnotes.org/
//    File:  Utils.cs
//    Description: Handles general utility functions
// ============================================================================
using System;
 
namespace Utils {
    public static class Methods {
        /// <summary>
        /// Reads a file at the given path into a byte array
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="filePath">The path of the file to be read</param>
        /// <param name="shareOption">Determines how the file will be shared by processes</param>
        /// <returns>The contents of the file as a byte array</returns>
        public static byte[] ReadFile(string filePath, System.IO.FileShare shareOption = System.IO.FileShare.None) {
            byte[] fileBytes;
            using (var fs = new System.IO.FileStream(filePath, System.IO.FileMode.Open, System.IO.FileAccess.Read, shareOption)) {
                fileBytes = new byte[fs.Length];
                fs.Read(fileBytes, 0, fileBytes.Length);
            }
            return fileBytes;
        }
 
        /// <summary>
        /// Saves a file at the given path with the contents of the byte array
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="filePath">The path of the file to be saved</param>
        /// <param name="fileBytes">The byte array containing the file contents</param>
        /// <param name="shareOption">Determines how the file will be shared by processes</param>
        public static void SaveFile(string filePath, byte[] fileBytes, System.IO.FileShare shareOption = System.IO.FileShare.None) {
            using (var fs = new System.IO.FileStream(filePath, System.IO.FileMode.Create, System.IO.FileAccess.Write, shareOption)) {
                fs.Write(fileBytes, 0, fileBytes.Length);
            }
        }
    }
}// http://programmingnotes.org/

6. More Examples

Below are more examples demonstrating the use of the ‘Utils‘ Namespace. Don’t forget to include the module when running the examples!





		
		
			More Examples
			
C#
			
			// ============================================================================
//    Author: Kenneth Perkins
//    Date:   May 8, 2021
//    Taken From: http://programmingnotes.org/
//    File:  Program.cs
//    Description: The following demonstrates the use of the Utils Namespace
// ============================================================================
using System;
using System.Diagnostics;

public class Program {
    static void Main(string[] args) {
        try {
            var path = $@"path-to-file\file.extension";
            var fileByteArray = Utils.Methods.ReadFile(path);

            Utils.Methods.SaveFile(path, fileByteArray);
        } catch (Exception ex) {
            Display(ex.ToString());
        } finally {
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }

    static void Display(string message) {
        Console.WriteLine(message);
        Debug.Print(message);
    }
}// http://programmingnotes.org/
			
				
					
				
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						// ============================================================================
//    Author: Kenneth Perkins
//    Date:   May 8, 2021
//    Taken From: http://programmingnotes.org/
//    File:  Program.cs
//    Description: The following demonstrates the use of the Utils Namespace
// ============================================================================
using System;
using System.Diagnostics;
 
public class Program {
    static void Main(string[] args) {
        try {
            var path = $@"path-to-file\file.extension";
            var fileByteArray = Utils.Methods.ReadFile(path);
 
            Utils.Methods.SaveFile(path, fileByteArray);
        } catch (Exception ex) {
            Display(ex.ToString());
        } finally {
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }
 
    static void Display(string message) {
        Console.WriteLine(message);
        Debug.Print(message);
    }
}// http://programmingnotes.org/

QUICK NOTES:
The highlighted lines are sections of interest to look out for.

The code is heavily commented, so no further insight is necessary. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below.

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Posted in: C#, Console Tags: c-sharp, read byte array, save byte array

C# || How To Save, Open & Read File As A Byte Array & Memory Stream Using C#

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