iotemporaryfileholder.html

---
layout: documentation 
title: Temporary File Holder 
teaser: Creates a file with specified content and deletes it on disposal.
navigation:
   - name: IO Overview
     link: io.html
   - name: Access
     link: ioaccess.html
   - name: File Paths
     link: iofilepaths.html
   - name: Temporary File Holder
     link: iotemporaryfileholder.html
---
<h1>Temporary File Holder</h1>
<h2>Motivation</h2>
<p>
Cleaning-up temporary files can be tedious.
</p>
<p>
The <code>TemporaryFileHolder</code> allows you to create a temporary file by specifying its content. When the temporary file holder is disposed, the file is deleted.
</p>

<h2>Usage</h2>
<script type="syntaxhighlighter" class="brush: csharp"><![CDATA[
Stream content = ...

using (var holder = new TemporaryFileHolder("c:\\folder\\filename.extension", content))
{
    // do something interesting
}
]]></script>
<p>
You can specify the absolute file path of the temporary file to create and its content - either with a stream or a string.
</p>
<p>
To delete the temporary file, dispose the temporary file holder.
</p>

<h3>Inside a Unit Test</h3>
<script type="syntaxhighlighter" class="brush: csharp"><![CDATA[
[TestFixture]
public class Test
{
    TemporaryFileHolder temporaryFileHolder;
    
    [SetUp]
    public void SetUp()
    {
        temporaryFileHolder = new TemporaryFileHolder(
            "c:\\temp\\file.ext", 
            "this is the content");
    }
    
    [TearDown]
    public void TearDown()
    {
        temporaryFileHolder.Dispose();
    }
}
]]></script>
<p>
Use the SetUp method (NUnit), the constructor (xUnit) or Establish (MSpec) to create the file.
</p>
<p>
Use the TearDown method (NUnit), destructor (xUnit) or CleanUp (MSpec) to delete the file.
</p>

<h3>Limitations</h3>
<p>
When the file cannot be deleted upon disposal of the temporary file holder, the file will stay and the occurred exception is swallowed.
</p>