ArgumentException: 'Illegal characters in path' in C#

Question

The error I am receiving upon executing my code is: 'ArgumentException was unhandled. Illegal characters in path.'

I am using the following code to access my .xml file.

string appPath = Path.GetDirectoryName(System.Environment.CommandLine);
FileInfo fi = new FileInfo(appPath + @"\Books.xml");

I am doing this for a console application, as opposed to a WinForm. I have been exhaustively googling, as well as searching SO, for some time.

This is part of a homework project. This is the only problem I am running into however.

Print appPath to the console and see what it is

David Heffernan
– David Heffernan

2012-10-05 19:38:21 +00:00
Commented Oct 5, 2012 at 19:38 — David Heffernan
– David Heffernan, Commented Oct 5, 2012 at 19:38
What is the path that you are passing in on the CommandLine

Mark Hall
– Mark Hall

2012-10-05 19:39:31 +00:00
Commented Oct 5, 2012 at 19:39 — Mark Hall
– Mark Hall, Commented Oct 5, 2012 at 19:39

Furqan Safdar · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-05 19:41:24Z

3

string appPath = Path.GetDirectoryName(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location);
FileInfo fi = new FileInfo(Path.Combine(appPath, "Books.xml"));

answered Oct 5, 2012 at 19:41

Furqan Safdar

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2 Comments

Joachim Isaksson Over a year ago

This will only work if the code above is in the exe, which is probably good enough. Don't do it from a DLL though unless it's in the same directory :)

user1721879 Over a year ago

Works great! Thank you! A note in case anyone comes across this solution...make sure to include 'using System.Reflection;' =P

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 11:56:17Z

1

System.Environment.CommandLine does not return a path - it returns the value of the command line that was executed to run the application.

You probably need to use Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location (as Furqan Safdar posted in his answer) instead.

edited May 23, 2017 at 11:56

CommunityBot

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answered Oct 5, 2012 at 19:38

Oded

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2 Comments

David Heffernan Over a year ago

Be careful though. Current directory is not necessarily the same as the directory containing the executable file.

Oded Over a year ago

@DavidHeffernan - True, though I can't ever recall the recommended way to get the application path.

kprobst · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-05 19:43:16Z

0

The format of the EXE path returned by CommandLine is funky, so you need to do something like this:

string appPath = Path.GetDirectoryName(System.Environment.CommandLine.Trim('"', ' '));

That should work.

answered Oct 5, 2012 at 19:43

kprobst

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Comments

xtmq · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-05 19:53:30Z

0

Use this code to get application directory:

var rootDirectory = AppDomain.Current.BaseDirectory;

Good luck!

answered Oct 5, 2012 at 19:53

xtmq

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