Reading A Text File From A Remote Server

[Trevor]

We currently run our web site in php and are now converting it to asp.net to
match the rest of our business that is .net based. I have tried using the
following code layout to open the file I require but get an illigal
character exception when I try and open the file.

Dim sFileName As String =
"https://www.breathecall.com/wholesa...aaaa99a9a9aa&wid=99990&action=0&account=99999"
Dim oFileStream As New IO.FileStream(sFileName, IO.FileMode.Open)
Dim oDataFile As New IO.StreamReader(oFileStream)

The file name works fine when in php. Are there specific characters that
cannot be used in a path name within the dotnet framework? If so is there a
way to get round the problem?

Thanks in advance

 

[Steven Cheng[MSFT]]

Hi Trevor,

Welcome to ASPNET newsgroup.
As for the Reading text file from remote server problem you mentiond, here
are some of my understanding and suggestinos:

The System.IO namespace's classes are target for local file storage for
remote fileshared (UNC) in the same intranet. For internet based
scenario(such as http url path), we should use the classes under System.Net
namespace to retrieve them. The System.Net.HttpWebRequest and
System.Web.WebClient classes are two useful one. And the WebClient is
especically useful and simplified, we can use it's DownloadData,
DownLoadFile to retreive file/stream from remote webserver. Here are some
tech articles and resources describing using webclient or webrequest:

#WebClient Class #HttpWebRequest Class
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/cpref/html/frlrfsystemnetwebclientcl
asstopic.asp?frame=true
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/cpref/html/frlrfSystemNetHttpWebRequ
estClassTopic.asp?frame=true

#Using WebRequest and WebResponse classes
http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/Internet/WebRequestNResponseMDB.asp

Hope helps. Thanks,

Steven Cheng
Microsoft Online Support

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