Develop Reference

C# How to dispose of OpenFileDialog file

I use OpenFileDialog to get the path of an image and then set it to my image source property imgSelected.Source = new BitmapImage(new Uri(filenameSteg, UriKind.Absolute)); in a WPF application.
The thing is, I need to open that file again later but I can't open it since the file is being used by another process ( System.IO.IOException -> The process cannot access the file pathToFile because it is being used by another process.).
The code that needs to access it later it as follow :
bitmapSource = JpegBitmapDecoder.Create(File.Open(filenameSteg, FileMode.Open),
BitmapCreateOptions.None, BitmapCacheOption.OnLoad).Frames[0];
This bitmapSource is used to give that image to a WriteableBitmap and from there I go through the pixels.
Is there any way to dispose of a File opened with an OpenFileDialog ?
I tried to cast to to IDisposable, to use a using block and so on but this thing is persistent.
EDIT :
1 - I tried this (#ctacke answer) :
using (var stream = File.Open(filenameSteg, FileMode.Open)){
bitmapSource = JpegBitmapDecoder.Create(stream, BitmapCreateOptions.None,
BitmapCacheOption.OnLoad).Frames[0];}
But it still gives me the error about the process being already in used by another process because even though it will be disposed after, I still am trying to open the same file (filenameSteg) than I opened in the OpenFileDialog. (Or at least, that's how I see it.)
2 - I then tried this (based on #ctacke recommended link:
using (FileStream fileStream = new FileStream(filenameSteg+1, FileMode.Create)){
MemoryStream memoryStream = new MemoryStream();
BitmapImage bi = new BitmapImage();
byte[] fileBytes = File.ReadAllBytes(filenameSteg);
memoryStream.Write(fileBytes, 0, fileBytes.Length);
memoryStream.Position = 0;
bi.BeginInit();
bi.StreamSource = memoryStream;
bi.EndInit();
bitmapSource = bi;}
Note : Notice that I here ask for filenameSteg +1. That is because I wanted to test the rest of my method so I create a copy the file and simply added a 1 to its name. That being said, when using filenameSteg for real, it gave me the same error about being already in used which I again suspect is that I still am asking to open the same image that was previously opened in the OpenFileDialog.
3 - I thought of another approach which does not require me to dispose the opened image :
When I open the image for the first time in the OpenFileDialog, I store the byte array of the image in a variable so I could create the WriteableBitmap using the BitmapFactory and the byte array.
// This is in the OpenFileDialog. It is where I stock the image "pixels" in a byte array.
bytesArrayImage = File.ReadAllBytes(filenameSteg);
//And then later when I needed the WriteableBitmap, I used the byte array and the BitmapFactory
//imgSelected being the Image containing the image I opened in the OpenFileDialog, I used it's
//width and height
wb = BitmapFactory.New(Convert.ToInt32(imgSelected.Width),
Convert.ToInt32(imgSelected.Height)).FromByteArray(bytesArrayImage);
The problem with this approach is that, some pictures works fine and I can use the byte array to create the WriteableBitmap and go through it's pixels but in other cases it gives me an AccessViolationException stating : Attempted to read or write protected memory. This is often an indication that other memory is corrupt.. In other words, trying to bypass the dispose problem got me into another problem.

You should release the original image, something like this:
if(imgSelected.Source != null)
{
imgSelected.Source.Dispose;
}
imgSelected.Source = new BitmapImage(new Uri(filenameSteg, UriKind.Absolute));
Next, File.Open returns a stream, which you need to explicitly release.
using(var stream = File.Open(filenameSteg, FileMode.Open))
{
var bitmapSource = JpegBitmapDecoder.Create(stream,
BitmapCreateOptions.None, BitmapCacheOption.OnLoad).Frames[0];
}
See also: Load a BitmapSource and save using the same name in WPF -> IOException

A Generic error occurs at GDI+ at Bitmap.Save() after using SaveFileDialog

I use the following code block with some more code inside the using block:
using (System.Drawing.Bitmap tempImg =
(System.Drawing.Bitmap)tempObj.GetData(System.Windows.Forms.DataFormats.Bitmap))
{
// ...
tempImg.Save("..\\..\\testdata\\tempImg.bmp", ImageFormat.Bmp);
// ...
}
But I still get the error:
A Generic Error occured at GDI+
only after I make some action which is not related to the code inside the using block. In other times this works well.
Also the tempImg.bmp is a temporary file, so I delete the tempImg.bmp within the using block itself.
Since the tempImg is inside the using and this it's disposed, I think the locking problem should be solved.
Can someone please let me know what is the mistake in this code?
Edit:
System.Drawing.Image to System.Drawing.Bitmap as the type of tempImg.
Edit:
I have identified I get this error only after SaveFileDialog is created and user clicks on 'Save'.

Finally I could find what was wrong in my code and would like to mention it here as I think it may be useful to someone....
As I have given a relative path in tempImg.Save, and after the user clicks 'Save' in SaveFileDialog, the actual path for tempImg.Save become :
Path specified by SaveFileDialog + the relative path
automatically.
Thus if the path does not exist, this error occurs.
Thanks every one for the answers.

I also had once this problem- it happens because the bitmap locks and you can't save it( if you want I can find the exact explanation) so anyway a fix around is this:
Create a new bitmap the size of the original bitmap you have- copy the original bitmap to the new created bitmap and then dispose the original bitmap and save the new one.
Bitmap bm3 = new Bitmap(bm2);
And then save.

This is usually an indicator that something else, potentially some other thread in your own application, already has the target file that you're trying to save locked at the file system level. If you look at the inner exception I believe it should mention this. If it's not directly in the InnerException Another way to confirm this (or discover what it might really be instead) is to turn on first chance exceptions in the debugger and watch for what exception is being thrown "underneath" Save and then being turned into this generic exception.

Tried all the solutions given here, but in vain. Found the solution eventually.
Dispose any Graphics applied on image: g.dispose();
Make sure save path exists: System.IO.Directory.Exists(dir);

Is this an ASP.NET application?
A Generic Error occured at GDI+ in asp.net mostly because of missing target folder / access permissions.
Also your code could be simplified to :
using (Image image= dataObject.GetImage())
{
if (image != null)
{
image.Save("test.bmp");
}
}

In my case it was an ASP.NET application in which I replaced a single DLL, and I had to simply re-start the application pool after deployment. Then it worked fine.

This is code sample from Microsoft Forums.
// new image with transparent Alpha layer
using (var bitmap = new Bitmap(330, 18, PixelFormat.Format32bppArgb))
{
using (var graphics = Graphics.FromImage(bitmap))
{
// add some anti-aliasing
graphics.SmoothingMode = SmoothingMode.AntiAlias;
using (var font = new Font("Arial", 14.0f, GraphicsUnit.Pixel))
{
using (var brush = new SolidBrush(Color.White))
{
// draw it
graphics.DrawString(user.Email, font, brush, 0, 0);
}
}
}
// setup the response
Response.Clear();
Response.ContentType = "image/png";
Response.BufferOutput = true;
// write it to the output stream
bitmap.Save(Response.OutputStream, ImageFormat.Png);
Response.Flush();
}

I am trying to save image from resource and it gives me too GDI error when I directly use the method Bitmap.Save(filepath).
I think We can use the same below code for any other bitmap image by cloning it.
Private void SaveResourceImage() {
object resBmpObject = Resource.Image1.Clone();//Bitmap Image from resource file
//object resBmpObject = anyBmpImage.clone(); //for image other than resource image
Bitmap resBmpImage = (Bitmap)resBmpObject;
resBmpImage.Save(destFilePath, System.Drawing.Imaging.ImageFormat.Png);
resBmpImage.dispose();
}

Dispose your bitMap object after save image:
bitMap.Dispose()
oimg.Dispose()
bitMap = Nothing
oimg = Nothing

In my case, i was saving the bitmap file on the same location as the source,
So that's the problem.
I save the bitmap to the new location and all fine now.

I was facing the same issue, by changing image type ".bmp" to ".png" its work form me

How can I clone FileStream type?

How can I clone FileStream type?
The problem is that I using MagickNet.Image(inputStream) to get the image distentions before saving it, but it seems to closing the inputStream.
So, I can send a clone of inputStream to the function, so the function cannot edit the real inputStream object?
This is my function:
public Picture GetPictureDimension(Stream inputStream, Picture picture)
{
var img = new MagickNet.Image(inputStream);
picture.Width = img.Columns;
picture.Height = img.Rows;
return picture;
}

You could just re-open the file? But to keep a single Stream without it getting closed, you could try NonClosingStreamWrapper in MiscUtil. Just be sure to reset the Position if appropriate.

You didn't post full code, but I imagine that MagickNet.Image(inputStream) gets the full image and you only use the Size from that, and later you load the Image a second time.
So a more practical solution would be to get and hold the Image in memory just once. That gives you access to the Size.
Edit:
You don't seem to realize it but you are asking how to load the Image twice (w/o reopening the stream). I do think it is more efficient to load it just once.
Picture is a XNA class, right? I don't know to much about that but you could try something like:
public Picture GetPictureDimension(Stream inputStream, ref Picture picture)
{
var img = new MagickNet.Image(inputStream);
picture = new Picture(img); // just guessing here
//picture.Width = img.Columns;
//picture.Height = img.Rows;
return picture;
}

Problems overwriting (re-saving) image when it was set as image source

Good day all,
I am having some trouble with image permissions.
I am loading an image from file, resizing it and then saving it out to another folder.
I am then displaying this like so:
uriSource = new Uri(Combine(imagesDirectoryTemp, generatedFileName), UriKind.Absolute);
imgAsset.Source = new BitmapImage(uriSource);
This is working fine, the trouble comes if the user then selects another image immediately after and tries to save it over the original file.
An exception is generated upon saving my image "ExternalException: A generic error occurred in GDI+."
After some playing around i have narrowed the error down to imgAsset.Source = new BitmapImage(uriSource); as removing this line and not setting the imagesource will allow me to overwrite this file many times.
I have also tried setting the source to something else, before re-saving in the hope that the old reference would be disposed, this was not the case.
How can i get past this error?
Thanks,
Kohan
Edit
Now using this code i am not getting the exception however the image source is not updating. Also since i am not using a SourceStream, im not sure what i need to dispose of to get this working.
uriSource = new Uri(Combine(imagesDirectoryTemp, generatedFileName), UriKind.Absolute);
imgTemp = new BitmapImage();
imgTemp.BeginInit();
imgTemp.CacheOption = BitmapCacheOption.OnLoad;
imgTemp.UriSource = uriSource;
imgTemp.EndInit();
imgAsset.Source = imgTemp;

You're almost there.
Using BitmapCacheOption.OnLoad was the best solution to keep your file from being locked.
To cause it to reread the file every time you also need to add BitmapCreateOptions.IgnoreImageCache.
Adding one line to your code should do it:
imgTemp.CreateOption = BitmapCreateOptions.IgnoreImageCache;
thus resulting in this code:
uriSource = new Uri(Combine(imagesDirectoryTemp, generatedFileName), UriKind.Absolute);
imgTemp = new BitmapImage();
imgTemp.BeginInit();
imgTemp.CacheOption = BitmapCacheOption.OnLoad;
imgTemp.CreateOptions = BitmapCreateOptions.IgnoreImageCache;
imgTemp.UriSource = uriSource;
imgTemp.EndInit();
imgAsset.Source = imgTemp;

When you load an Image in any WPF control it let's handle to your image and doesn't release it until you close your application. The reason for this... I dont know exactly, problably is relaying on some DirectX code behind the scene which never knows when the WPF application releases the image..
Use this code to load the image..
MemoryStream mstream = new MemoryStream();
System.Drawing.Bitmap bitmap = new Bitmap(imgName);
bitmap.Save(mstream, System.Drawing.Imaging.ImageFormat.Jpeg);
bitmap.Dispose(); // Releases the file.
mstream.Position = 0;
image.BeginInit();
image.StreamSource = mstream;
image.EndInit();
this.img.Source = image ;
it worked for me..

Sounds very much like the problem I had developing Intuipic, where WPF would not dispose of the image, thus locking the file. Check out this converter I wrote to deal with the problem.

Saving a modified image to the original file using GDI+

I was loading a Bitmap Image from a File. When I tried to save the Image to another file I got the following error "A generic error occurred in GDI+". I believe this is because the file is locked by the image object.
Ok so tried calling the Image.Clone function. This still locks the file.
hmm. Next I try loading a Bitmap Image from a FileStream and load the image into memory so GDI+ doesn't lock the file. This works great except I need to generate thumbnails using Image.GetThumbnailImage method it throws an out of memory exception. Apparently I need to keep the stream open to stop this exception but if I keep the stream open then the file remains locked.
So no good with that method. In the end I created a copy of the file. So now I have 2 versions of the file. 1 I can lock and manipulate in my c# program. This other original file remains unlocked to which I can save modifications to. This has the bonus of allowing me to revert changes even after saving them because I'm manipulating the copy of the file which cant change.
Surely there is a better way of achieving this without having to have 2 versions of the image file. Any ideas?

Well if you're looking for other ways to do what you're asking, I reckon it should work to create a MemoryStream, and read out the FileStream to it, and load the Image from that stream...
var stream = new FileStream("original-image", FileMode.Open);
var bufr = new byte[stream.Length];
stream.Read(bufr, 0, (int)stream.Length);
stream.Dispose();
var memstream = new MemoryStream(bufr);
var image = Image.FromStream(memstream);
Or something prettier to that extent.
Whether or not that's the way you should go about solving that problem, I don't know. :)
I've had a similar problem and wound up fixing it like this.

I have since found an alternative method to clone the image without locking the file. Bob Powell has it all plus more GDI resources.
//open the file
Image i = Image.FromFile(path);
//create temporary
Image t=new Bitmap(i.Width,i.Height);
//get graphics
Graphics g=Graphics.FromImage(t);
//copy original
g.DrawImage(i,0,0);
//close original
i.Dispose();
//Can now save
t.Save(path)

I had a similar problem. But I knew, that I will save the image as a bitmap-file. So I did this:
public void SaveHeightmap(string path)
{
if (File.Exists(path))
{
Bitmap bitmap = new Bitmap(image); //create bitmap from image
image.Dispose(); //delete image, so the file
bitmap.Save(path); //save bitmap
image = (Image) bitmap; //recreate image from bitmap
}
else
//...
}
Sure, thats not the best way, but its working :-)