c# read byte array from resource

Question

I've been trying to figure out how to read a byte array from one of my resource files, I have tried the most popular hits on Google without clear success.

I have a file stored in the resource collection of my program, I'd like to read this file as a byte array

I'm currently just reading the file from the root directory of my program with the following code:

FileStream fs = new FileStream(Path, FileMode.Open);
BinaryReader br = new BinaryReader(fs);
byte[] bin = br.ReadBytes(Convert.ToInt32(fs.Length));
fs.Close();
br.Close();

However I want to store this file as a resource in my application, so that I don't have to ship an extra file with my program.

This file holds encrypted data that part of my program uses.

Any help or pointers would be greatly appreciated!

Pavel Radzivilovsky · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-15 16:52:31Z

28

Assuming you are talking about files that are embedded as resources in your assembly:

var assembly = System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly();
using (var stream = assembly.GetManifestResourceStream("SomeNamespace.somefile.png"))
{
    byte[] buffer = new byte[stream.Length];
    stream.Read(buffer, 0, buffer.Length);
    // TODO: use the buffer that was read
}

edited Jan 15, 2015 at 16:52

Pavel Radzivilovsky

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answered Sep 27, 2011 at 19:03

Darin Dimitrov

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1 Comment

Raskaroth Over a year ago

ssuming you are talking about files that are embedded as resources in your assembly --> Correct assumption

Panos · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-27 19:41:14Z

22

You can add resources to your application by going in the properties of the project, "Resources" tab (create one if needed), Add Resource (existing file). When your file is added, you can set its FileType (in its properties) to Binary.

Documentation

After that, you can access to your file as a byte[] easily:

var myByteArray = Properties.Resources.MyFile;

answered Sep 27, 2011 at 19:41

Panos

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3 Comments

Raskaroth Over a year ago

Thank you, It did not work for my current application. However it did help out with some other programs I made before that use the resources stuff.

Lukáš Koten Over a year ago

Where exactly can I change the FileType?

Lofrank Over a year ago

You can change the file extension from txt to bin before adding to Resources, then the type will be Binary automatically. Or just open Resources.resx with Text editor, and change System.String to System.Byte[].

lava · Accepted Answer · 2022-02-16 05:31:51Z

1

byte[] capacity = Properties.Resources.excel;

Confusion:

here we reading txt resource file .so it not return byte[] but it return string (file content).

answered Feb 16, 2022 at 5:31

lava

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Comments

Anders Gustafsson · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-27 19:03:29Z

0

maybe you can try using StreamResourceInfo. Here is a link to a Silverlight example, but if I am not mistaken you should be able to apply the same principles in any .NET application:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.windows.resources.streamresourceinfo(v=VS.95).aspx

Regards,
Anders @ Cureos

answered Sep 27, 2011 at 19:03

Anders Gustafsson

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Comments

ladenedge · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-27 19:04:15Z

Here's a little class we're using for this purpose:

static class EmbeddedResource
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Extracts an embedded file out of a given assembly.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="assemblyName">The namespace of your assembly.</param>
    /// <param name="fileName">The name of the file to extract.</param>
    /// <returns>A stream containing the file data.</returns>
    public static Stream Open(string assemblyName, string fileName)
    {
        var asm = Assembly.Load(assemblyName);
        var stream = asm.GetManifestResourceStream(assemblyName + "." + fileName);

        if (stream == null)
            throw new ConfigurationErrorsException(String.Format(
                    Strings.MissingResourceErrorFormat, fileName, assemblyName));

        return stream;
    }
}

Usage is pretty straightforward:

using (var stream = EmbeddedResource.Open("Assembly.Name", "ResourceName"))
    // do stuff

Michael Mittermair · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-13 14:09:07Z

0

var rm = new ResourceManager("RessourceFile", typeof(ClassXY).Assembly);
return Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(rm.GetString("key"));

answered Dec 13, 2012 at 14:09

Michael Mittermair

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