Text to stream

[pdbowling]

Hi, all. I thought this was easy, but it's not happening.

I just want to write some text to a stream in memory. Here is my code. No matter when I check the stream length, it is always zero. What is wrong?

string opfHeader = "--- Header text ---";            Stream opfStream = new MemoryStream();

long x = 0;
using (StreamWriter sw = new StreamWriter(opfStream))
{
    sw.WriteLine(opfHeader);
    x = opfStream.Length;

    for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
    {
        string line = i.ToString();
        sw.WriteLine(line);
    }
 
    x = opfStream.Length;
    x = sw.BaseStream.Length;
}

Gather or post content for free.

http://www.ufo-articles.com

 

[macleod1021]

You forgot to call .Flush() on the StreamWriter before trying to access it.

Add sw.Flush(); right after the sw.WriteLine(opfHeader); line and it should work fine.

im in ur stakz, overflowin ur heapz!

 

[pdbowling]

Hmm, wow.

Thank you very much. I was using msdn to look at the streamWriter sample and they never had a sw.flush().

I appreciate your assistance. Thanks

Another quick question,

If I 'return' in the middle of a using clause, is the stream still closed by leaving the using clause or does it need to leave the using{ } brackets?

private long getlength(string myString)
{
    if(mystring.length == 0)
    {
        return 0;
    }
    Stream opfStream = new MemoryStream();
    using (StreamWriter sw = new StreamWriter(opfStream))
    {
        sw.WriteLine(myString);
        sw.flush();
        return opfStream.Length;
    }//Usually doesn't leave block before returning
}

P

Gather or post content for free.

http://www.ufo-articles.com

 

[macleod1021]

With a using clause, the framework will run the dispose method when you leave the using code block. Technically, it will get closed, but it's a sloppy way to do it. I always recommend using the close method when you're done with it. Not only does it provide "closure" but also prevents mis-understandings if someone else is reading your code.

im in ur stakz, overflowin ur heapz!

 

[jmeckley]

my $.02
I would stick with using{} over explicit Close();Dispose();

using(Stream stream = new MemoryStream())
{
   //do something and return
}

translates to

Stream stream = new MemoryStream();
try
{
   //do something and return
}
finally
{
   stream.Close();
   stream.Dispose();
}

I find 'using' easier to read and understand and fewer key strokes. If you don't use a try/finally block or the using block then the stream will remain open if an exception is thrown before it is closed/disposed. MemoryStream may not be a big deal, but objects like FileStream (and database connections) definately need to be wrapped in a try/finally

Jason Meckley
Programmer
Specialty Bakers, Inc.