According to MSDN the .NET 4 API to enumerate directories can leak handles and I may need to explicitly call the garbage collector if I want to delete directories or files after enumerating them (http:// msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd997370.aspx). I hope this is not a problem If I use foreach in C# because it should call Dispose which in turn should release the handles.
This problem seems to be particular of windows XP: " If you are running Windows XP or earlier, a delete operation on a file or directory that follows an enumeration could fail if there is an open handle that remains on one of the enumerated directories or files. If this is occurring, you must induce a garbage collection to remove the open handles. " And: " To remove open handles on enumerated directories or files Create a custom method (or function in Visual Basic) to contain your enumeration code. Apply the MethodImplAttribute attribute with the NoInlining option to the new method. For example: [MethodImplAttribute(MethodImplOptions.NoInlining)] Private void Enumerate() Include the following method calls, to run after your enumeration code: The GC.Collect() method (no parameters). The GC.WaitForPendingFinalizers() method. " I found a related question in stackoverflow: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2663574/strange-thing-about-net-4-0-filesystem-enumeration-functionality Does anybody know if there is a way to avoid that leak? perhaps using only TopDirectoryOnly instead of AllDirectories? Is it safe if I make sure I call Dispose? Can anybody test it on Windows XP? I was suspecting that the leak is caused because the handles may have been open before the enumerator is created, and thefore are kept open by the enumerable. As it turns out the enumerator and the enumerable are the same object, except if you call GetEnumerator in another thread, in which case you get a clone. Note that this information has been removed for the documentation of .NET 4.5, does that means that .NET 4.5 fixes the issue? Thanks. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "DotNetDevelopment, VB.NET, C# .NET, ADO.NET, ASP.NET, XML, XML Web Services,.NET Remoting" group. To post to this group, send email to dotnetdevelopment@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to dotnetdevelopment+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/dotnetdevelopment?hl=en?hl=en or visit the group website at http://megasolutions.net
