File or Folder rename to lower case In C# using DirectoryInfo/FileInfo.MoveTo()

Question

I have a program that renames files or folders to lower case names. I have written this code:

    private void Replace(string FolderLocation, string lastText, string NewText)
    {
        if (lastText == "")
        {
            lastText = " ";
        }
        if (NewText == "")
        {
            NewText = " ";
        }

        DirectoryInfo i = new DirectoryInfo(FolderLocation);
        string NewName = "";
        if (checkBox2.Checked)
        {
            if (i.Parent.FullName[i.Parent.FullName.Length - 1].ToString() != "\\") //For parents like E:/
            {
                NewName = i.Parent.FullName + "\\" + i.Name.Replace(lastText, NewText);
            }
            else
            {
                NewName = i.Parent.FullName + i.Name.Replace(lastText, NewText);
            }

                NewName = NewName.ToLower();


            if (NewName != i.FullName)
            {
                 i.MoveTo(NewName);
            }
            foreach (DirectoryInfo sd in i.GetDirectories())
            {
                Replace(sd.FullName, lastText, NewText);
            }
        }
        if (checkBox1.Checked)
        {
            foreach (FileInfo fi in i.GetFiles())
            {
                NewName = fi.Directory + "\\" + fi.Name.Replace(lastText, NewText);

                    NewName = NewName.ToLower();

                if (NewName != fi.FullName)
                {
                    fi.MoveTo(NewName);
                }
            }
        }
    }

But I get the following exception:

"Source and destination path must be different."

How can I solve this issue?

Bridge

Windows is case insensitive, as far as file names are concerned. – Inexpugnable

ok.but how does it show file names? – Bridge

It uses what is saved. But when comparing filenames - "FILENAME" == "filename" == "FileName", as far as it is concerned. – Inexpugnable

I think it is not allowed by Windows OS to have a given file eg "test.txt" and "Test.txt" in the same folder. That is why your geht an exception. MoveTo copies the file to a new position and deletes the old one. Try FileSystem.Rename instead (msdn.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/…) – Galliard

@PilgerstorferFranz although in standard cases you are right Windows/NTFS actually can be configured to allow that. – Reger

Answer 1

Since Windows is case insensitive, as far as file names are concerned, you will need to rename the file to a temporary name then rename back with lowercase characters.

Inexpugnable

now I got "Access denied" eception.but I run it as administrator.what is happening?? – Bridge

@ahmadalishafiee - "access denied" always means lack of permissions. Make sure the path is permitted to the user executing the application (might be your user). – Inexpugnable

It means there is no access to files/folders for programs.But I want to publish my program.How can I fix this error? – Bridge

Most probably the directory is in use. This can be a simple Windows Explorer instance. Directory operations with DirectoryInfo are very sensible to that. – Lenzi

Answer 2

Although Windows Filesystems store names case-senstivie they behave case-insensitive on name comparison thus your renaming operation won't work...

IF you really need/want to do that you will need to first rename temporarily the file/directory to something different and unique, then rename it "back" to the "lower case name" you want.

For reference see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee681827%28v=vs.85%29.aspx and http://support.microsoft.com/kb/100108/en-us .

IF you need NTFS to be case-sensitive you can set the dword ObCaseInsensitive under HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\kernel\ to 0 (NOT RECOMMENDED!).

IF you are dealing with NFS then see http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc783185%28WS.10%29.aspx .

Reger

Answer 3

This works:

File.Move(destinationFilePath, destinationFilePath);

Karlow

Answer 4

Unfortunately this is a windows issue as it is case insensitive as Oded mentions in the comments. What you would have to do is to rename the folder twice. By moving the folder to a new temporary name then back to the lowercase of the original name.

Grayback

This is not a Windows issue, this is a .Net issue. Win32's MoveFileEx supports case-only renames; .Net gets this one wrong. – Scorpaenoid