[c#] Reading a text file using OpenFileDialog in windows forms

for this approach, you will need to add system.IO to your references by adding the next line of code below the other references near the top of the c# file(where the other using ****.** stand).

using System.IO;

this next code contains 2 methods of reading the text, the first will read single lines and stores them in a string variable, the second one reads the whole text and saves it in a string variable(including "\n" (enters))

both should be quite easy to understand and use.

    string pathToFile = "";//to save the location of the selected object
    private void openToolStripMenuItem_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        OpenFileDialog theDialog = new OpenFileDialog();
        theDialog.Title = "Open Text File";
        theDialog.Filter = "TXT files|*.txt";
        theDialog.InitialDirectory = @"C:\";
        if (theDialog.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK)
        {
            MessageBox.Show(theDialog.FileName.ToString());
            pathToFile = theDialog.FileName;//doesn't need .tostring because .filename returns a string// saves the location of the selected object

        }

        if (File.Exists(pathToFile))// only executes if the file at pathtofile exists//you need to add the using System.IO reference at the top of te code to use this
        {
            //method1
            string firstLine = File.ReadAllLines(pathToFile).Skip(0).Take(1).First();//selects first line of the file
            string secondLine = File.ReadAllLines(pathToFile).Skip(1).Take(1).First();

            //method2
            string text = "";
            using(StreamReader sr =new StreamReader(pathToFile))
            {
                text = sr.ReadToEnd();//all text wil be saved in text enters are also saved
            }
        }
    }

To split the text you can use .Split(" ") and use a loop to put the name back into one string. if you don't want to use .Split() then you could also use foreach and ad an if statement to split it where needed.

to add the data to your class you can use the constructor to add the data like:

  public Employee(int EMPLOYEENUM, string NAME, string ADRESS, double WAGE, double HOURS)
        {
            EmployeeNum = EMPLOYEENUM;
            Name = NAME;
            Address = ADRESS;
            Wage = WAGE;
            Hours = HOURS;
        }

or you can add it using the set by typing .variablename after the name of the instance(if they are public and have a set this will work). to read the data you can use the get by typing .variablename after the name of the instance(if they are public and have a get this will work).