Reference (text) files in compiled MacOS app (application file)

Question

I'm working with Avalonia to create a MacOS desktop program using c#. I can run the program locally or output it to a final app file using dotnet.bundle. Attached image shows the contents of the app file using Mac's "show package contents".

There are files that are deployed to the app bundle that I would like to read when running the app, but don't know how to reference them. Since this is in C#, I can't find any docs similar to what apple provides here https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/CoreFoundation/Conceptual/CFBundles/AccessingaBundlesContents/AccessingaBundlesContents.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/10000123i-CH104-SW1

I've tried referring to the parent directory, but this only works in design time. I've tried a variety of syntax including Environment.GetCurrentDirectory as prefix to the below path.

string path = "Repository/CreateTables.sql";
string assets = File.ReadAllText(path);

Thanks

Did you try to print the current directory when running the bundled app? It could point to the folder where your .app is. — radoslawik
– radoslawik, Commented Nov 29, 2022 at 8:47

RLU · Accepted Answer · 2022-11-30 02:53:52Z

1

Thanks for the tip, yes I have been trying to print out paths but oftentimes they were blank when run from the .app (for example, Environment.CurrentDirectory returns ""). I did find a way to get at the path here https://github.com/AvaloniaUI/Avalonia/issues/5443#issuecomment-775906396, and it was not the path I was expecting. I thought the location of the file would start at myapp.app, but you need the path to myapp.app as well.

/Applications/MyApp.app/Contents/MacOS/Repository/CreateTables.sql

answered Nov 30, 2022 at 2:53

RLU

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