.Net library to move / copy a file while preserving timestamps

Question

Does anyone know of a .Net library where a file can be copied / pasted or moved without changing any of the timestamps. The functionality I am looking for is contained in a program called robocopy.exe, but I would like this functionality without having to share that binary.

Thoughts?

score 22 · Accepted Answer · edited Apr 25 '15 at 09:40

22

public static void CopyFileExactly(string copyFromPath, string copyToPath)
{
    var origin = new FileInfo(copyFromPath);

    origin.CopyTo(copyToPath, true);

    var destination = new FileInfo(copyToPath);
    destination.CreationTime = origin.CreationTime;
    destination.LastWriteTime = origin.LastWriteTime;
    destination.LastAccessTime = origin.LastAccessTime;
}

edited Apr 25 '15 at 09:40

Uwe Keim

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answered Aug 23 '11 at 17:58

Roy Goode

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@Paul Ruane : You are right - I have updated the answer accordingly, thank you. – Roy Goode Aug 23 '11 at 19:09

score 14 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 25 '15 at 09:42

When executing without administrative privileges Roy's answer will throw an exception (UnauthorizedAccessException) when attempting to overwrite existing read only files or when attempting to set the timestamps on copied read only files.

The following solution is based on Roy's answer but extends it to overwrite read only files and to change the timestamps on copied read only files while preserving the read only attribute of the file all while still executing without admin privilege.

public static void CopyFileExactly(string copyFromPath, string copyToPath)
{
    if (File.Exists(copyToPath))
    {
        var target = new FileInfo(copyToPath);
        if (target.IsReadOnly)
            target.IsReadOnly = false;
    }

    var origin = new FileInfo(copyFromPath);
    origin.CopyTo(copyToPath, true);

    var destination = new FileInfo(copyToPath);
    if (destination.IsReadOnly)
    {
        destination.IsReadOnly = false;
        destination.CreationTime = origin.CreationTime;
        destination.LastWriteTime = origin.LastWriteTime;
        destination.LastAccessTime = origin.LastAccessTime;
        destination.IsReadOnly = true;
    }
    else
    {
        destination.CreationTime = origin.CreationTime;
        destination.LastWriteTime = origin.LastWriteTime;
        destination.LastAccessTime = origin.LastAccessTime;
    }
}

score 4 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 23 '11 at 17:55

4

You can read and write all the timestamps there are, using the FileInfo class:

answered Aug 23 '11 at 17:55

Daniel Hilgarth

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score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 23 '11 at 17:55

2

You should be able to read the values you need, make whatever changes you wish and then restore the previous values by using the properties of FileInfo.

answered Aug 23 '11 at 17:55

Paul Ruane

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.Net library to move / copy a file while preserving timestamps

4 Answers4