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c#windows-7permissionsdirectoryuserappdatapath

Question: Using Windows 7, Unauthorized Access Exception when running my application


My application is raising an unauthorized access error. While running my application, I try to access a directory in the following location: Application.UserAppDataPath.

The Problem: It says I do not have permission to access the Application.UserAppDataPath directory

Is there a way to set permissions within my application source code?

Something like:

Application.UserAppDataPath.SetPermissions()

Solution

  • Looking at your comment, you say this is your code:

    StreamReader sr = new StreamReader(Application.UserAppDataPath);
    

    Application.UserAppDataPath is a directory, not a file. If you try to open that directly, it's the same as trying to open a file one level below the AppData folder, which you really don't have permission to do.

    Use Path.Combine to construct a path to a file inside the AppData folder, i.e.

    string fileName = Path.Combine(Application.UserAppDataPath, "settings.xml");
    StreamReader sr = new StreamReader(fileName);
    

    Of course this is just an example - in reality you should probably be using a sub-folder inside AppData specific to your application.