using readAllBytes throws "file not accessible error"

Question

I trying to read an encrypted file using the following: and getting access not allowed error.

          // would prefer to use the following instead of picker"

           // AuthFile = @"C:\vbscripts\pid.txt";   

             // if exist.....

            var AuthFile = await FilePicker.PickAsync();   

            if (AuthFile != null)

            {                    

                try

                {                        

                    byte[] readText = File.ReadAllBytes(AuthFile.FullPath);

                    foreach (byte s in readText)

                    {

--------------- the following allowed access to "pid.txt" but was was not returning the Char only Diamonds with "?"'s

            if (AuthFile != null)

                                            {

                                                using (var stream = await AuthFile.OpenReadAsync())

                                                {

                                                    using (var reader = new StreamReader(stream))                                

                                                    {

                                                        // var AllContentFromFile = await reader.ReadToEndAsync(); 

                                                        while ((line = reader.ReadLine()) != null)

TIA

Tim

Answer 1

Hello @tim ,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A!

trying to read an encrypted file using the following: and getting access not allowed error.

UWP runs in a sandbox, by default UWP cannot access files in this location(C:\vbscripts\pid.txt). If you want to continue to access files directly through the path, you need to declare restricted capabilities for this, and open file permission in Settings. Or use the Windows.Storage.FileIO.ReadBufferAsync.

var picker = new Windows.Storage.Pickers.FileOpenPicker();
picker.ViewMode = Windows.Storage.Pickers.PickerViewMode.Thumbnail;        
picker.FileTypeFilter.Add(".txt");
      
Windows.Storage.StorageFile file = await picker.PickSingleFileAsync();
if (file != null)
{
                
    var buffer = await Windows.Storage.FileIO.ReadBufferAsync(file);
    byte[] readText = buffer.ToArray();
    foreach (byte s in readText)
    {

    }
}

the following allowed access to "pid.txt" but was was not returning the Char only Diamonds with "?"'s

This problem may be related to StreamReader reading. It is recommended that you refer to the sample reading file in the official documentation.

Thank you.

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