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Unable to delete zipped files

I'm using SharpZipLib (http://www.icsharpcode.net/OpenSource/SharpZipLib/) library to zip a file(System.IO.Compression is not suit able for files bigger that 4 GB and doesn't support x64).

After zipping the file I couldn't delete it from windows explorer. I'm new to VB so I could miss something.

I'm sending;
Dim A As String = "C:\bck\backup.xxx"
Dim B As String = "C:\zip\backup.zip"
SimpleZip(A, B)

My code is below

Thanks,

Private Sub SimpleZip(ByVal strFileToZip As String, ByVal strZippedFile As String)
 
            Break up the new file location to extract the filename without the path
 
            Dim zipparts() As String = strFileToZip.Split("\"c)
 
            Dim zipfile As String = zipparts(zipparts.Length - 1)
 
            Dim strmZipOutputStream As ZipOutputStream
 
            strmZipOutputStream = New ZipOutputStream(File.Create(strZippedFile))
 
            'strmZipOutputStream.UseZip64 = UseZip64.On
 
            REM Compression Level: 0-9
 
            REM 0: no(Compression)
 
            REM 9: maximum compression
 
            strmZipOutputStream.SetLevel(5)
 
            Dim objZipEntry As ZipEntry = New ZipEntry(Path.GetFileName(strFileToZip))
 
            objZipEntry.DateTime = DateTime.Now
 
            'objZipEntry.Size = strmFile.Length
 
            strmZipOutputStream.PutNextEntry(objZipEntry)
 
            Dim strmFile As FileStream = File.OpenRead(strFileToZip)
 
            Dim abyBuffer(4096) As Byte
 
            Dim sourcebytes As Integer
            sourcebytes = strmFile.Read(abyBuffer, 0, abyBuffer.Length)
 
            While sourcebytes > 0
 
                strmZipOutputStream.Write(abyBuffer, 0, sourcebytes)
 
                sourcebytes = strmFile.Read(abyBuffer, 0, abyBuffer.Length)
            End While
 
 
            objZipEntry = Nothing
 
            strmZipOutputStream.CloseEntry()
 
            strmZipOutputStream.Finish()
 
            strmZipOutputStream.Close()
 
            strmZipOutputStream = Nothing
 
            strmFile.Close()
 
            strmFile = Nothing
        End Sub

Open in new window

Joel Coehoorn

Give this a shot.

Private Sub SimpleZip(ByVal FileToZip As String, ByVal ZippedFile As String)
    If Not IO.File.Exists(FileToZip) Then
        'You may want to thrown an exception here'
        Exit Sub 
    End If
 
    Dim ZipFileName As String = New IO.FileInfo(FileToZip).Name
    Dim ZipOutputStream As New ZipOutputStream(File.Create(ZippedFile))
 
    'ZipOutputStream.UseZip64 = UseZip64.On '
 
    REM Compression Level: 0-9
    REM 0: no(Compression)
    REM 9: maximum compression
    ZipOutputStream.SetLevel(5)
 
    Dim ZipEntry As New ZipEntry(ZipFileName)
    ZipEntry.DateTime = Now
 
    Dim ZipFile As New FileStream(FileToZip, IO.FileMode.Open, IO.FileAccess.Read, IO.FileShare.Delete) 
    '^^the IO.FileShare.Delete is what will fix your problem'
    'Unfortunately, it also makes it possible for your file to be deleted mid-zip.  You''ve been warned.'
 
    'ZipEntry.Size = ZipFile.Length'
 
    ZipOutputStream.PutNextEntry(ZipEntry)
       
    Dim Buffer(4096) As Byte
    Dim sourcebytes As Integer
    sourcebytes = ZipFile.Read(Buffer, 0, Buffer.Length)
 
    While sourcebytes > 0
        ZipOutputStream.Write(Buffer, 0, sourcebytes)
         sourcebytes = ZipFile.Read(Buffer, 0, Buffer.Length)
    End While
 
    ZipOutputStream.CloseEntry()
    ZipOutputStream.Finish()
    ZipOutputStream.Dispose()
    ZipFile.Dispose()
    
    ZipEntry = Nothing
End Sub

Open in new window

Joel Coehoorn

I don't have your zip library so I wasn't able to test that. Therefore, there are likely to still be some issues with that code, maybe even a typo or two. But, it should be enough to show you how to fix your problem. If you need an explanation for any of the other code changes, just ask.

Umut Şeker

ASKER

Hi jcoehoorn,
I'm tring your code. In 5 minutes I will return a reply.
In mean while you could download just the dll from;

http://www.icsharpcode.net/OpenSource/SharpZipLib/Download.aspx

Thanks,

Umut Şeker

ASKER

No jcoehoorn
I couldn't also delete the file your code generated.

The error is;
"Cannot delete backup.zip : It is being used by another person or program. Close any programs that might be using the file and try again."

But when I looked by third party software(WhoLockMe). I saw that "explorer" locks the file.

Please help me about that because now I'm working overtime for 2 hours and this problem seem not to be solved by me :))
Thanks,

Joel Coehoorn

Okay, I misunderstood. I thought you wanted to delete the original, not the created file. See if this does any better:

Private Sub SimpleZip(ByVal FileToZip As String, ByVal ZippedFile As String)
    If Not IO.File.Exists(FileToZip) Then
        'You may want to thrown an exception here'
        Exit Sub 
    End If
 
    Dim ZipFileName As String = New IO.FileInfo(FileToZip).Name
    'Keep the file stream handle, specifically allow delete when creating'
    Dim fs As New IO.FileStream(ZippedFile, IO.FileMode.CreateNew, IO.FileAccess.Write, IO.FileShare.Delete)
    Dim ZipOutputStream As New ZipOutputStream(fs)
 
    'ZipOutputStream.UseZip64 = UseZip64.On '
 
    REM Compression Level: 0-9
    REM 0: no(Compression)
    REM 9: maximum compression
    ZipOutputStream.SetLevel(5)
 
    Dim ZipEntry As New ZipEntry(ZipFileName)
    ZipEntry.DateTime = Now
 
    Dim ZipFile As New FileStream(FileToZip, IO.FileMode.Open, IO.FileAccess.Read, IO.FileShare.Delete) 
    '^^the IO.FileShare.Delete is what will fix your problem'
    'Unfortunately, it also makes it possible for your file to be deleted mid-zip.  You''ve been warned.'
 
    'ZipEntry.Size = ZipFile.Length'
 
    ZipOutputStream.PutNextEntry(ZipEntry)
       
    Dim Buffer(4096) As Byte
    Dim sourcebytes As Integer
    sourcebytes = ZipFile.Read(Buffer, 0, Buffer.Length)
 
    While sourcebytes > 0
        ZipOutputStream.Write(Buffer, 0, sourcebytes)
         sourcebytes = ZipFile.Read(Buffer, 0, Buffer.Length)
    End While
 
    ZipOutputStream.CloseEntry()
    ZipOutputStream.Finish()
    ZipOutputStream.Dispose()
    ZipFile.Dispose()
 
    'Specifically dispose the filestream underlying your zipstream'
    fs.Dispose()
    
    ZipEntry = Nothing
End Sub

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Umut Şeker

ASKER

No. After I zipped the original file(backup.dat) to a zipped one(backup.zip), I wanted to delete the zipped one from Windows Explorer(file system) by simply right clicking on it and choosing delete file. But The error is;
"Cannot delete backup.zip : It is being used by another person or program. Close any programs that might be using the file and try again."
Thanks,

Joel Coehoorn

This is with the new version as well? In that case, IO.FileStream has an UnLock() you could use, and you could also try Flush()ing it first.

Umut Şeker

ASKER

Ok I added;
fs.Unlock(0, ZippedFile.Length)
'Specifically dispose the filestream underlying your zipstream'
fs.Dispose()

ZipEntry = Nothing
and trying again.
Thanks,

Umut Şeker

ASKER

I couldn't find where I could flush or unlock the fs :( I'm getting errors.
Could you download the dll from;
http://dfn.dl.sourceforge.net/sourceforge/sharpdevelop/SharpZipLib_0854_Bin.zip
and make a small application?
Thanks,

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Joel Coehoorn

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Joel Coehoorn

Here are the key differences between the new code and what went before:
1) Using blocks instead of a .Dispose() call. A Using block is like putting .Dispose inside a Finally block- it guarantees disposal of the object, even if an exception is thrown. It also takes the object out of scope, which may be the big difference here.
2) Added " Or FileShare.ReadWrite" to the access permissions. If you allow delete, read/write shouldn't be necessary, but since what we were doing wasn't working it was worth a shot.

This was the first thing I tried. You might try removing the FileShare.ReadWrite to see if the Using blocks alone were good enough, and if that works try removing FileShare.Delete as well, since allowing these permissions while the zip is still in progress is dangerous.

Umut Şeker

ASKER

Good Morning jcoehoorn,

You are perfect but my computer not :)))

Yesterday I tried using the new function(Sub) on my application and today I tried your console application and both didn't worked(Worked but couldn't success to delete zipped file).
Ok now it's clear that there is some thing wrong with my computer. :))

You know when I looked by third party software(WhoLockMe), I saw that "C:\Windows\explorer.exe" locks the file so I'll try to focus on that.

Thanks very much for your perfect support and expertise.

Umut Şeker

ASKER

Yeah! At last I found the problem;
I like using freeware, beta, shareware programs so I was using Zip Genius zip program. I thought that it could lock the files. I uninstall it and now everything is fine. I have installed WinRar(trial) instead :))
Thanks,

Umut Şeker

ASKER

great! Thank you so much!