File.Move Method

Definition

Overloads

Move(String, String)

Moves a specified file to a new location, providing the option to specify a new file name.

Move(String, String, Boolean)

Moves a specified file to a new location, providing the options to specify a new file name and to replace the destination file if it already exists.

Move(String, String)

Moves a specified file to a new location, providing the option to specify a new file name.

public:
 static void Move(System::String ^ sourceFileName, System::String ^ destFileName);
public static void Move (string sourceFileName, string destFileName);
static member Move : string * string -> unit
Public Shared Sub Move (sourceFileName As String, destFileName As String)

Parameters

sourceFileName
String

The name of the file to move. Can include a relative or absolute path.

destFileName
String

The new path and name for the file.

Exceptions

destFileName already exists.

-or-

An I/O error has occurred, e.g. while copying the file across disk volumes.

sourceFileName was not found.

sourceFileName or destFileName is null.

.NET Framework and .NET Core versions older than 2.1: sourceFileName or destFileName is a zero-length string, contains only white space, or contains invalid characters. You can query for invalid characters by using the GetInvalidPathChars() method.

The caller does not have the required permission.

The specified path, file name, or both exceed the system-defined maximum length.

The path specified in sourceFileName or destFileName is invalid, (for example, it is on an unmapped drive).

sourceFileName or destFileName is in an invalid format.

Examples

The following example moves a file.

using namespace System;
using namespace System::IO;

int main()
{
   String^ path = "c:\\temp\\MyTest.txt";
   String^ path2 = "c:\\temp2\\MyTest.txt";
   try
   {
      if (  !File::Exists( path ) )
      {
         
         // This statement ensures that the file is created,
         // but the handle is not kept.
         FileStream^ fs = File::Create( path );
         if ( fs )
                  delete (IDisposable^)fs;
      }
      
      // Ensure that the target does not exist.
      if ( File::Exists( path2 ) )
            File::Delete( path2 );
      
      // Move the file.
      File::Move( path, path2 );
      Console::WriteLine( "{0} was moved to {1}.", path, path2 );
      
      // See if the original exists now.
      if ( File::Exists( path ) )
      {
         Console::WriteLine( "The original file still exists, which is unexpected." );
      }
      else
      {
         Console::WriteLine( "The original file no longer exists, which is expected." );
      }
   }
   catch ( Exception^ e ) 
   {
      Console::WriteLine( "The process failed: {0}", e );
   }
}
using System;
using System.IO;

class Test
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        string path = @"c:\temp\MyTest.txt";
        string path2 = @"c:\temp2\MyTest.txt";
        try
        {
            if (!File.Exists(path))
            {
                // This statement ensures that the file is created,
                // but the handle is not kept.
                using (FileStream fs = File.Create(path)) {}
            }

            // Ensure that the target does not exist.
            if (File.Exists(path2))	
            File.Delete(path2);

            // Move the file.
            File.Move(path, path2);
            Console.WriteLine("{0} was moved to {1}.", path, path2);

            // See if the original exists now.
            if (File.Exists(path))
            {
                Console.WriteLine("The original file still exists, which is unexpected.");
            }
            else
            {
                Console.WriteLine("The original file no longer exists, which is expected.");
            }			
        }
        catch (Exception e)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("The process failed: {0}", e.ToString());
        }
    }
}
open System.IO

let path = @"c:\temp\MyTest.txt"
let path2 = @"c:\temp2\MyTest.txt"

if File.Exists path |> not then
    // This statement ensures that the file is created,
    // but the handle is not kept.
    use _ = File.Create path
    ()

// Ensure that the target does not exist.
if File.Exists path2 then
    File.Delete path2

// Move the file.
File.Move(path, path2)
printfn $"{path} was moved to {path2}."

// See if the original exists now.
if File.Exists path then
    printfn "The original file still exists, which is unexpected."
else
    printfn "The original file no longer exists, which is expected."
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Text

Public Class Test
    Public Shared Sub Main()
        Dim path As String = "c:\temp\MyTest.txt"
        Dim path2 As String = "c:\temp2\MyTest.txt"

        Try
            If File.Exists(path) = False Then
                ' This statement ensures that the file is created,
                ' but the handle is not kept.
                Dim fs As FileStream = File.Create(path)
                fs.Close()
            End If

            ' Ensure that the target does not exist.
            If File.Exists(path2) Then
                File.Delete(path2)
            End If

            ' Move the file.
            File.Move(path, path2)
            Console.WriteLine("{0} moved to {1}", path, path2)

            ' See if the original file exists now.
            If File.Exists(path) Then
                Console.WriteLine("The original file still exists, which is unexpected.")
            Else
                Console.WriteLine("The original file no longer exists, which is expected.")
            End If
        Catch e As Exception
            Console.WriteLine("The process failed: {0}", e.ToString())
        End Try
    End Sub
End Class

Remarks

This method works across disk volumes, and it does not throw an exception if the source and destination are the same.

Note that if you attempt to replace a file by moving a file of the same name into that directory, an IOException is thrown. To avoid this problem:

  • In .NET Core 3.0 and later versions, you can call Move(String, String, Boolean) setting the parameter overwrite to true, which will replace the file if it exists.

  • In all .NET versions, you can call Copy(String, String, Boolean) to copy with overwrite, then call Delete to remove the excess source file. This strategy is advisable if the file being copied is small, and you are looking for an "atomic" file operation. If you Delete the file first, and the system or program crashes, the destination file will no longer exist.

  • In all .NET versions, you can call Delete(String) before calling Move, which will only delete the file if it exists.

The sourceFileName and destFileName arguments can include relative or absolute path information. Relative path information is interpreted as relative to the current working directory. To obtain the current working directory, see GetCurrentDirectory.

Moving the file across disk volumes is equivalent to copying the file and deleting it from the source if the copying was successful.

If you try to move a file across disk volumes and that file is in use, the file is copied to the destination, but it is not deleted from the source.

For a list of common I/O tasks, see Common I/O Tasks.

See also

Applies to

Move(String, String, Boolean)

Moves a specified file to a new location, providing the options to specify a new file name and to replace the destination file if it already exists.

public:
 static void Move(System::String ^ sourceFileName, System::String ^ destFileName, bool overwrite);
public static void Move (string sourceFileName, string destFileName, bool overwrite);
static member Move : string * string * bool -> unit
Public Shared Sub Move (sourceFileName As String, destFileName As String, overwrite As Boolean)

Parameters

sourceFileName
String

The name of the file to move. Can include a relative or absolute path.

destFileName
String

The new path and name for the file.

overwrite
Boolean

true to replace the destination file if it already exists; false otherwise.

Exceptions

destFileName already exists and overwrite is false.

-or-

An I/O error has occurred, e.g. while copying the file across disk volumes.

sourceFileName was not found.

sourceFileName or destFileName is null.

.NET Framework and .NET Core versions older than 2.1: sourceFileName or destFileName is a zero-length string, contains only white space, or contains invalid characters. You can query for invalid characters by using the GetInvalidPathChars() method.

The caller does not have the required permission.

-or-

The Operating System has failed to acquire an exclusive access to the destination file.

The specified path, file name, or both exceed the system-defined maximum length.

The path specified in sourceFileName or destFileName is invalid, (for example, it is on an unmapped drive).

sourceFileName or destFileName is in an invalid format.

Examples

The following example moves a file.

using namespace System;
using namespace System::IO;

int main()
{
   String^ path = "c:\\temp\\MyTest.txt";
   String^ path2 = "c:\\temp2\\MyTest.txt";
   try
   {
      if (  !File::Exists( path ) )
      {
         
         // This statement ensures that the file is created,
         // but the handle is not kept.
         FileStream^ fs = File::Create( path );
         if ( fs )
                  delete (IDisposable^)fs;
      }
      
      // Ensure that the target does not exist.
      if ( File::Exists( path2 ) )
            File::Delete( path2 );
      
      // Move the file.
      File::Move( path, path2 );
      Console::WriteLine( "{0} was moved to {1}.", path, path2 );
      
      // See if the original exists now.
      if ( File::Exists( path ) )
      {
         Console::WriteLine( "The original file still exists, which is unexpected." );
      }
      else
      {
         Console::WriteLine( "The original file no longer exists, which is expected." );
      }
   }
   catch ( Exception^ e ) 
   {
      Console::WriteLine( "The process failed: {0}", e );
   }
}
using System;
using System.IO;

class Test
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        string path = @"c:\temp\MyTest.txt";
        string path2 = @"c:\temp2\MyTest.txt";
        try
        {
            if (!File.Exists(path))
            {
                // This statement ensures that the file is created,
                // but the handle is not kept.
                using (FileStream fs = File.Create(path)) {}
            }

            // Ensure that the target does not exist.
            if (File.Exists(path2))	
            File.Delete(path2);

            // Move the file.
            File.Move(path, path2);
            Console.WriteLine("{0} was moved to {1}.", path, path2);

            // See if the original exists now.
            if (File.Exists(path))
            {
                Console.WriteLine("The original file still exists, which is unexpected.");
            }
            else
            {
                Console.WriteLine("The original file no longer exists, which is expected.");
            }			
        }
        catch (Exception e)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("The process failed: {0}", e.ToString());
        }
    }
}
open System.IO

let path = @"c:\temp\MyTest.txt"
let path2 = @"c:\temp2\MyTest.txt"

if File.Exists path |> not then
    // This statement ensures that the file is created,
    // but the handle is not kept.
    use _ = File.Create path
    ()

// Ensure that the target does not exist.
if File.Exists path2 then
    File.Delete path2

// Move the file.
File.Move(path, path2)
printfn $"{path} was moved to {path2}."

// See if the original exists now.
if File.Exists path then
    printfn "The original file still exists, which is unexpected."
else
    printfn "The original file no longer exists, which is expected."
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Text

Public Class Test
    Public Shared Sub Main()
        Dim path As String = "c:\temp\MyTest.txt"
        Dim path2 As String = "c:\temp2\MyTest.txt"

        Try
            If File.Exists(path) = False Then
                ' This statement ensures that the file is created,
                ' but the handle is not kept.
                Dim fs As FileStream = File.Create(path)
                fs.Close()
            End If

            ' Ensure that the target does not exist.
            If File.Exists(path2) Then
                File.Delete(path2)
            End If

            ' Move the file.
            File.Move(path, path2)
            Console.WriteLine("{0} moved to {1}", path, path2)

            ' See if the original file exists now.
            If File.Exists(path) Then
                Console.WriteLine("The original file still exists, which is unexpected.")
            Else
                Console.WriteLine("The original file no longer exists, which is expected.")
            End If
        Catch e As Exception
            Console.WriteLine("The process failed: {0}", e.ToString())
        End Try
    End Sub
End Class

Remarks

This method works across disk volumes, and it does not throw an exception if the source and destination are the same.

The sourceFileName and destFileName arguments can include relative or absolute path information. Relative path information is interpreted as relative to the current working directory. To obtain the current working directory, see GetCurrentDirectory.

Moving the file across disk volumes is equivalent to copying the file and deleting it from the source if the copying was successful.

If you try to move a file across disk volumes and that file is in use, the file is copied to the destination, but it is not deleted from the source.

For a list of common I/O tasks, see Common I/O Tasks.

See also

Applies to