C# Copy .EXE to %APPDATA%

Question

Hello C-Sharpcorner

I'm currently making a program in C#. It's a Windows Forms Application.

For an example, i have my .EXE, when I open the program it needs to copy it self to the %APPDATA% folder under a custom folder that i choose. This must be done silently so you can't see it acutally doing the copy (the program isn't that big yet)

I have a code for adding it to startup already, just need a common folder on Windows OS so it will work on every giving computer :)

//Gert

Gert Hasen · Answer

Hey Vulpes The code you gave me second time also worked perfectly :) It only whines if the .exe already is in the new path :p Thanks again, you have been a great help to me :D //Gert

Vulpes · Answer

Incidentally, Gert, if there's any chance that the copy could be run directly from its present location, then you'll need to add some code to make sure that it doesn't create another copy or try to copy over itself. To do that, you could replace this line: File.Copy(exePath, copyPath); with this (or something similar): if (!File.Exists(copyPath) && !exePath.EndsWith("_2.exe") File.Copy(exePath, copyPath);

Vulpes · Answer

I just put the code in the context of a Program class because that's the usual place for the Main() method when you create a Windows Forms application in Visual Studio but it doesn't matter if you have it somewhere else. I'd change the name when you make the copy rather than renaming the file later. For example, in this line: copyPath += "\CustomFolderName\" + Path.GetFileName(exePath); you could replace Path.GetFileName(exePath) with a suitable name for the copy. Alternatively, if you wanted to append "_2" (say) to the file name, so that myapp.exe would become myapp_2.exe after copying, you could insert this further line after the one above: copyPath = copyPath.Replace(".exe", "_2.exe");

Gert Hasen · Answer

Thank you so much, it works perfectly Would you know how to make it change name after it has copied the file to my new location? Thanks again for the help //Gert EDIT: " class Program" shouldn't be there, when i add it i get a error :P

Vulpes · Answer

Try this: // ... using System.IO; // ... class Program { static void Main(string[] args) { string exePath = Application.ExecutablePath; string copyPath = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ApplicationData); copyPath += "\CustomFolderName\" + Path.GetFileName(exePath); File.Copy(exePath, copyPath); // rest of code } }

C# Copy .EXE to %APPDATA%

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