{"id":1211,"date":"2023-03-29T07:54:11","date_gmt":"2023-03-29T00:54:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/csharptutorial.net\/?page_id=1211"},"modified":"2023-03-29T07:54:42","modified_gmt":"2023-03-29T00:54:42","slug":"csharp-copyto","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.csharptutorial.net\/csharp-file\/csharp-copyto\/","title":{"rendered":"C# CopyTo"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Summary<\/strong>: in this tutorial, you’ll learn how to use the C# FileInfo<\/code> CopyTo()<\/code> to copy an existing file to a new file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction to the C# FileInfo CopyTo() method<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The FileInfo<\/code>.CopyTo()<\/code> allows you to copy an existing file to a new file:<\/p>\n\n\n

FileInfo CopyTo<\/span> (string<\/span> destFileName<\/span>)<\/span>;<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> C#<\/span> (<\/span>cs<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
If the destFileName<\/code> exists or an error occurs during the copying of the file, the CopyTo<\/code> raises an IOException<\/code>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To overwrite the destination file, you use an overload of the CopyTo()<\/code> method:<\/p>\n\n\n
FileInfo CopyTo<\/span> (string<\/span> destFileName, bool<\/span> overwrite<\/span>)<\/span>;<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> C#<\/span> (<\/span>cs<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
When you set the overwrite<\/code> argument to true<\/code>, the CopyTo()<\/code><\/code> method will overwrite the destination file if it exists. But if you set the overwrite to false<\/code>, then the CopyTo()<\/code><\/code> won’t overwrite the destination file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The CopyTo()<\/code> method returns a FileInfo<\/code> object that has methods for common file operations such as copying, deletion, moving, and opening files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Note that if you perform multiple operations on the same file, it is more efficient to use the FileInfo<\/code> object than the static method of the File class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
C# FileInfo Copy() method example<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The following example demonstrates how to use the FileInfo<\/code> Copy()<\/code> method to copy the readme.txt<\/code> file from the C:\\temp<\/code> directory to the C:\\backup<\/code> directory and overwrite if the file exists:<\/p>\n\n\n
using<\/span> static<\/span> System.Console;\n\nstring<\/span> filename = @\"C:\\temp\\readme.txt\"<\/span>;\n\nvar<\/span> file = new<\/span> FileInfo(filename);\n\ntry<\/span>\n{\n    file.CopyTo(\n         Path.Combine(@\"C:\\backup\"<\/span>, \"readme.txt\"<\/span>),\n         true<\/span>\n    );\n}\ncatch<\/span> (IOException ex)\n{\n    WriteLine(ex.Message);\n}\n<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> C#<\/span> (<\/span>cs<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
How it works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, define a path to the file to copy:<\/p>\n\n\n
string<\/span> filename = @\"C:\\temp\\readme.txt\"<\/span>;<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> C#<\/span> (<\/span>cs<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Second, create a new instance of FileInfo<\/code> object:<\/p>\n\n\n
var<\/span> file = new<\/span> FileInfo(filename);<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> C#<\/span> (<\/span>cs<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Third, copy the file using the CopyTo()<\/code> method of the FileInfo<\/code> object:<\/p>\n\n\n
try<\/span>\n{\n    file.CopyTo(\n         Path.Combine(@\"C:\\backup\"<\/span>, \"readme.txt\"<\/span>),\n         true<\/span>\n    );\n}\ncatch<\/span> (IOException ex)\n{\n    WriteLine(ex.Message);\n}<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> C#<\/span> (<\/span>cs<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Since the CopyTo()<\/code> may raise an exception, we wrap it in a try...catch<\/a><\/code> block.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  • Use the C# FileInfo<\/code> CopyTo()<\/code> to copy an existing file to a new file and overwrite it if the destination file exists.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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