Create an XML file using C#

Question

Please suggest me a method to save an XML file to the current installation directory of the application created using C#.

I would advise against saving files into the same directory as the application. Use the user's isolated storage directory instead. — Matt Hamilton
– Matt Hamilton, Commented Sep 13, 2009 at 9:39
A broad overview of things you can do with Isolated Storage: msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/8dzkff1s.aspx — Matt Hamilton
– Matt Hamilton, Commented Sep 13, 2009 at 9:51
Introduction to Isolated Storage: msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/3ak841sy.aspx — Matt Hamilton
– Matt Hamilton, Commented Sep 13, 2009 at 10:03

Community · Accepted Answer · 2020-06-20 09:12:55Z

8

Create an XML file: The easiest way is to create and populate an XmlDocument or XDocument object.
Save to the install directory: use

   string path = System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(Application.ExecutablePath);  
   string file = System.IO.Path.Combine(pathm, "myfile.xml");

But you do know that the application's folder isn't the best place to store a file, right?

Edit:

Some comments mention Isolated Storage, but that is overkill. The best way to store data is to use the appropriate DataPath. That is different under various versions of Windows, but this always works:

string path = 
    Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ApplicationData);

There are a few other values in the Environment.SpecialFolder enum, take a look.

edited Jun 20, 2020 at 9:12

CommunityBot

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answered Sep 13, 2009 at 9:53

Henk Holterman

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2 Comments

MusiGenesis Over a year ago

+1 for SpecialFolder.ApplicationData. Hope you don't mind my editing your answer, but I hate the horizontal scrollbar for code samples.

Matt Hamilton Over a year ago

Yep +1 for ApplicationData. In truth I was probably thinking of that when I suggested Isolated Storage.

Henrik P. Hessel · Accepted Answer · 2009-09-13 10:04:38Z

7

Using XDocument and LINQ:

XDocument myXml = new XDocument(new XElement("Node 1", new XElement("Node 2")));
myXml.Save(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory() + "/myXML.xml");

or

XDocument myXml = new XDocument(new XElement("Node 1", new XElement("Node 2")));
myXml.Save(Path.GetDirectoryName(Application.ExecutablePath) + "/myXML.xml");

edited Sep 13, 2009 at 10:04

answered Sep 13, 2009 at 9:57

Henrik P. Hessel

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1 Comment

MusiGenesis Over a year ago

I know the code works with /myXML.xml instead of \myXML.xml, but it sure looks wrong. I'd go with Henk's Path.Combine().

erikkallen · Accepted Answer · 2009-09-13 13:22:17Z

0

StringBuilders and HttpUtility.HtmlEncode usually work quite well.

answered Sep 13, 2009 at 13:22

erikkallen

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Comments

inked · Accepted Answer · 2009-10-28 19:49:05Z

And, after you've tried everything and are still scratching your head, wondering why it isn't working...

Make sure the folder you want to save to ALLOWS Writing by the account the Web service is running under or the user (depending on how you have security configured); this should be done at the NTFS level. Previous suggestions said that it would be bad to write in the application folder. No, it wouldn't be bad, it would be incredibly stupid to write there, not just bad. So, pick somewhere else to save the data. Ideally on another physical volume, or better still: post the XML file to another application on another server who's only lot in life is saving this data.
Assuming you know how to create an XML document in C# (strings ain't it - use the proper methods for building an XmlDocument - like by using elements and nodes and attributes), you can use the .Save method
Why not use strings??? Because you'll spend more time debugging "well-formed XML" errors than you will solving your actual problem. People are lousy at making well-formed XML. Machines are pretty good at it.

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