[VB.NET]Copy File with progress bar

[GoodOlClint]

I'm attempting to make a program that will copy files reclusively in VB.NET.

basically I have a function that calculates the total size of every file in the directory and sub directories then goes through all of them and calls the CopyFile function.

this works alright in that my progress bar actually updates while the file is being copied instead of using filenames like I had been. It just seams to be going a lot slower. Five seconds for a 156k file as opposed to bellow three.

Is there a better way?

Clint

        Private Function CopyFile(ByVal OldFile As String, ByVal NewFile As String)
            Me.FileProgressbar.Value = 0
            Dim FS As New FileStream(OldFile, FileMode.Open)
            Dim FW As New FileStream(NewFile, FileMode.CreateNew)
            Dim Buffer() As Byte
            'Get the bytes from file to a byte array
            ReDim Buffer(FS.Length - 1)
            Me.FileProgressbar.Maximum = FS.Length
            FS.Read(Buffer, 0, Buffer.Length)
            'Do your stuff :-)
            For i As Int32 = 0 To Buffer.Length - 1
                Me.FileProgressbar.Value += 1
                FW.WriteByte(Buffer(i))
                Me.TotalProgressbar.Value += 1
            Next
            FS.Close()
            FW.Close()
        End Function

[Vorenus]

You need to use threading.

Here is a very good example in C#. It's fairly straightforward. Use Reflector for .NET to convert the code to VB.NET.

[GoodOlClint]

I'm already using basic multi threading.

Per another board I changed it to write and update the progressbars every kb and that helped a lot.

It copied a 75.5 Meg file 1.53125 Seconds faster then File.Copy :)

I will try and get this "Proper Threading" thing figured out in the morning after I've had some rest. :p

Clint

[Winston]

lol are you manually opening the file up and copying byte by byte into a new file?

[GoodOlClint]

Yes I was, now it copies each Kb

My Code with a single progressbar took 42.374 seconds to copy a 483,005 kb file, File.Copy took 46.343 seconds

two progressbars:

My Code: 68.28 Seconds

File.Copy: 37.343 Seconds

No Progressbars:

Mine: 23.796 Seconds

.NET: 41.499 Seconds

that last one surprised me.

figured that at best mine would be just as fast as File.Copy, but apparently not...

Clint

[Elagizy]

  GoodOlClint said:

Yes I was, now it copies each Kb

My Code with a single progressbar took 42.374 seconds to copy a 483,005 kb file, File.Copy took 46.343 seconds

two progressbars:

My Code: 68.28 Seconds

File.Copy: 37.343 Seconds

No Progressbars:

Mine: 23.796 Seconds

.NET: 41.499 Seconds

that last one surprised me.

figured that at best mine would be just as fast as File.Copy, but apparently not...

Clint

586183376[/snapback]

You seems calculating the time taken by using codes WHICH slows the copying process, if so then you should remove this codes and see the difference ;)

[GoodOlClint]

  Elagizy said:

You seems calculating the time taken by using codes WHICH slows the copying process, if so then you should remove this codes and see the difference  ;)

no I used this to get how long it took:

Sub debug()
        Dim copy As New clsCopyFiles(Me.ProgressBar2, Me.ProgressBar1, Me.Label8, Me.Label7)
        Dim start1 As Date = Now
        copy.CopyFile("C:\largefile.wmv", "C:\video1.wmv")
        Dim finish1 As Date = Now
        Dim start2 As Date = Now
        File.Copy("C:\largefile.wmv:\video2.wmv")
        Dim finish2 As Date = Now
        MsgBox(finish1.TimeOfDay.TotalSeconds - start1.TimeOfDay.TotalSeconds & vbNewLine & finish2.TimeOfDay.TotalSeconds - start2.TimeOfDay.TotalSeconds)
    End Sub

so I wasn't calculating untill after the copying was done.

Clint

[Vorenus]

  GoodOlClint said:

no I used this to get how long it took:

Sub debug()
        Dim copy As New clsCopyFiles(Me.ProgressBar2, Me.ProgressBar1, Me.Label8, Me.Label7)
        Dim start1 As Date = Now
        copy.CopyFile("C:\largefile.wmv", "C:\video1.wmv")
        Dim finish1 As Date = Now
        Dim start2 As Date = Now
        File.Copy("C:\largefile.wmv:\video2.wmv")
        Dim finish2 As Date = Now
        MsgBox(finish1.TimeOfDay.TotalSeconds - start1.TimeOfDay.TotalSeconds & vbNewLine & finish2.TimeOfDay.TotalSeconds - start2.TimeOfDay.TotalSeconds)
    End Sub

so I wasn't calculating untill after the copying was done.

Clint

586183620[/snapback]

The problem with your method, though, is that you can only transfer files that can fit in memory. Unless you are now implementing a buffer that outputs every megabyte or so.

[Winston]

It's strange that you're like trying to reinvent the wheel, i mean yeah the base class library offers a static file copy method for you to use, why try to do it all over again, and furthermore, i'm sure their implementation of file copy is much more efficient.

[GoodOlClint]

  Winston said:

It's strange that you're like trying to reinvent the wheel, i mean yeah the base class library offers a static file copy method for you to use, why try to do it all over again, and furthermore, i'm sure their implementation of file copy is much more efficient.

586185592[/snapback]

hehe I'm one of those people who can't stand knowing things work. I have to know why it works.

I learn best by reinventing the wheel. :-p

Besides, I'm in highschool, I can do anything right :shifty: ?

Clint

[Winston]

  GoodOlClint said:

hehe I'm one of those people who can't stand knowing things work. I have to know why it works.

I learn best by reinventing the wheel. :-p

Besides, I'm in highschool, I can do anything right :shifty: ?

Clint

586185657[/snapback]

Yeah i guess it's good to understand how things work. But i think that's how you'd do it in general, however, i think the file.copy in which the framework provides, invokes a Win32 API, and i'm pretty sure MS does the file copy a little different, peraps more efficient, since they made the OS after all.

[GoodOlClint]

  Winston said:

Yeah i guess it's good to understand how things work. But i think that's how you'd do it in general, however, i think the file.copy in which the framework provides, invokes a Win32 API, and i'm pretty sure MS does the file copy a little different, peraps more efficient, since they made the OS after all.

586186072[/snapback]

Oh I have no doubt that it is extremly more efficient. after all, they are a mega corp with billions to spend and I'm a 17 year old with $5 in my pocket...

Clint