 | Creating Fixed-Width Data Files
Fixed-width data files are an alternative to comma-separated values (CSV) for storing and sharing tabular data. The information in a fixed-width data set tends to use more storage or bandwidth than CSV but is more readable to humans. |
| Interrogating Printers with PrinterSettings
When creating an application that can print information, or send drawings to a plotter, it may be necessary to obtain information about all connected printing devices. Most of the information that is required can be read from the PrinterSettings class. |
| Enabling and Disabling File Compression
Microsoft Windows allows files to be compressed on disk to save space, at the expense of some performance. Using the .NET framework and Platform Invocation Services, the compression status can be changed programmatically. |
| Encrypting and Decrypting Files
The Microsoft Windows operating system's New Technology File System (NTFS) includes the facility to encrypt files to reduce the risk that their contents are seen by unauthorised people. The encryption status of files can be controlled via .NET. |
| Reading Fixed-Width Data
Fixed-width formats provide an alternative to comma-separated values (CSV) when text files must be used to transfer information between systems. When reading such files, field data is extracted according to its horizontal position in the text. |
| Creating CSV Files
Comma-separated values (CSV) files can be used to transfer information between systems that support no other common interface. CSV files can be read using standard functionality from the .NET framework but creating them requires a custom class. |
| Reading CSV Data
CSV files are useful for transferring information between systems that cannot be connected by another method. Reading the data from CSV files, or strings containing CSV information, is made easy with standard .NET framework classes. |
| Folder Recursion with C#
Some applications must read the folder structure beneath an existing folder or for an entire disk or attached device. The standard method in the Directory class can cause problems when used for this purpose. An alternative is to recursively read the folde |
| File and Folder Timestamps
Microsoft Windows maintains three timestamps for all files and folders. These are the creation time and the times that the item was last accessed and updated. These timestamps can be accessed and updated using the .NET framework. |
| Controlling File Attribute Flags
Microsoft Windows allows a number of Boolean attributes to be assigned to each file in the file system. These flags provide information such as indicating that a file is hidden or read-only. The properties can be read and changed using the .NET framework. |