[C#] How to use File.OpenRead Method

The OpenRead method opens a file for reading. The method returns a FileStream object that is used to read a file using its Read method.

string fileName = @"C:fileName.txt";
FileInfo fi = new FileInfo(fileName);
FileStream fs = fi.OpenRead();

The file is read into a byte array. The following code snippet uses the FileStream.Read method and gets text into a byte array and then it is converted to a string using UTF8Encoding.GetString method.

using (FileStream fs = fi.OpenRead())
{
	byte[] byteArray = new byte[1024];
	UTF8Encoding fileContent = new UTF8Encoding(true);
	while (fs.Read(byteArray, 0, byteArray.Length) > 0)
	{
		Console.WriteLine(fileContent.GetString(byteArray));
	}
}

The following lists the complete code sample.

string fileName = @"C:TempMaheshTXFITx.txt";
FileInfo fi = new FileInfo(fileName);
// If file does not exist, create file
if (!fi.Exists)
{
	//Create the file.
	using (FileStream fs = fi.Create())
	{
		Byte[] info = new UTF8Encoding(true).GetBytes("File Start");
		fs.Write(info, 0, info.Length);
	}
}
try
{
	using (FileStream fs = fi.OpenRead())
	{
		byte[] byteArray = new byte[1024];
		UTF8Encoding fileContent = new UTF8Encoding(true);
		while (fs.Read(byteArray, 0, byteArray.Length) > 0)
		{
			Console.WriteLine(fileContent.GetString(byteArray));
		}
	} 
}
catch (Exception Ex)
{
	Console.WriteLine(Ex.ToString());
}

NOTE:
A File must be opened using an IO resource before it can be read or write to. A file can be opened to read and/or write purpose. The FileInfo class provides four methods to open a file.

+ Open
+ OpenRead
+ OpenText
+ OpenWrite