System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException: There is a file sharing conflict. The file cannot be accessed as requested

Question

I get this error when I attempt to open a Visio document and save it as a pdf:

protected void ViewVisio(string url)
{
    string pdfFile = Server.MapPath("/Files/test.pdf");

    Microsoft.Office.Interop.Visio.Application visApp =
        new Microsoft.Office.Interop.Visio.Application();
    Microsoft.Office.Interop.Visio.Document visDoc = 
        visApp.Documents.Open(url.ToString());            // error occurs here

    visDoc.ExportAsFixedFormat(
        Microsoft.Office.Interop.Visio.VisFixedFormatTypes.visFixedFormatPDF,
        pdfFile,
        Microsoft.Office.Interop.Visio.VisDocExIntent.visDocExIntentScreen,
        Microsoft.Office.Interop.Visio.VisPrintOutRange.visPrintAll, 1, -1,
        false, true, true, true, false, System.Reflection.Missing.Value);

    Response.Clear();
    Response.ClearContent();
    Response.ClearHeaders();
    Response.ContentType = "application/pdf";
    Response.TransmitFile(pdfFile);
    Response.Flush();
    Response.End();
}

This is the error I'm getting:

System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException: There is a file sharing conflict. The file cannot be accessed as requested.

Stack trace:

Stack Trace:

[COMException (0x86db097e):

There is a file sharing conflict. The file cannot be accessed as requested.]

Microsoft.Office.Interop.Visio.DocumentsClass.Open(String FileName) +0

...

Anyone know what this issue is? I can't find any details on it.

Answer 1

It simply means that another application has your file open and therefore has a lock on it. Do you have the document open in Visio when you are running your program?

You can verify which process has a hold on the file by running the SysInternals Handle tool for file ownership: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896655