[c#] How to download a file from a URL in C#?

What is a simple way of downloading a file from a URL path?

This question is related to c# downloadfile

The answer is


Include this namespace

using System.Net;

Download Asynchronously and put a ProgressBar to show the status of the download within the UI Thread Itself

private void BtnDownload_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    using (WebClient wc = new WebClient())
    {
        wc.DownloadProgressChanged += wc_DownloadProgressChanged;
        wc.DownloadFileAsync (
            // Param1 = Link of file
            new System.Uri("http://www.sayka.com/downloads/front_view.jpg"),
            // Param2 = Path to save
            "D:\\Images\\front_view.jpg"
        );
    }
}
// Event to track the progress
void wc_DownloadProgressChanged(object sender, DownloadProgressChangedEventArgs e)
{
    progressBar.Value = e.ProgressPercentage;
}

Check for a network connection using GetIsNetworkAvailable() to avoid creating empty files when not connected to a network.

if (System.Net.NetworkInformation.NetworkInterface.GetIsNetworkAvailable())
{
    using (System.Net.WebClient client = new System.Net.WebClient())
    {                        
          client.DownloadFileAsync(new Uri("http://www.examplesite.com/test.txt"),
          "D:\\test.txt");
    }                  
}

using (var client = new WebClient())
{
    client.DownloadFile("http://example.com/file/song/a.mpeg", "a.mpeg");
}

Try using this:

private void downloadFile(string url)
{
     string file = System.IO.Path.GetFileName(url);
     WebClient cln = new WebClient();
     cln.DownloadFile(url, file);
}

Use System.Net.WebClient.DownloadFile:

string remoteUri = "http://www.contoso.com/library/homepage/images/";
string fileName = "ms-banner.gif", myStringWebResource = null;

// Create a new WebClient instance.
using (WebClient myWebClient = new WebClient())
{
    myStringWebResource = remoteUri + fileName;
    // Download the Web resource and save it into the current filesystem folder.
    myWebClient.DownloadFile(myStringWebResource, fileName);        
}

using (var client = new WebClient())
{
    client.DownloadFile("http://example.com/file/song/a.mpeg", "a.mpeg");
}

Also you can use DownloadFileAsync method in WebClient class. It downloads to a local file the resource with the specified URI. Also this method does not block the calling thread.

Sample:

    webClient.DownloadFileAsync(new Uri("http://www.example.com/file/test.jpg"), "test.jpg");

For more information:

http://csharpexamples.com/download-files-synchronous-asynchronous-url-c/


using (var client = new WebClient())
{
    client.DownloadFile("http://example.com/file/song/a.mpeg", "a.mpeg");
}

Below code contain logic for download file with original name

private string DownloadFile(string url)
    {

        HttpWebRequest request = (HttpWebRequest)HttpWebRequest.Create(url);
        string filename = "";
        string destinationpath = Environment;
        if (!Directory.Exists(destinationpath))
        {
            Directory.CreateDirectory(destinationpath);
        }
        using (HttpWebResponse response = (HttpWebResponse)request.GetResponseAsync().Result)
        {
            string path = response.Headers["Content-Disposition"];
            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(path))
            {
                var uri = new Uri(url);
                filename = Path.GetFileName(uri.LocalPath);
            }
            else
            {
                ContentDisposition contentDisposition = new ContentDisposition(path);
                filename = contentDisposition.FileName;

            }

            var responseStream = response.GetResponseStream();
            using (var fileStream = File.Create(System.IO.Path.Combine(destinationpath, filename)))
            {
                responseStream.CopyTo(fileStream);
            }
        }

        return Path.Combine(destinationpath, filename);
    }

using System.Net;

WebClient webClient = new WebClient();
webClient.DownloadFile("http://mysite.com/myfile.txt", @"c:\myfile.txt");

You may need to know the status and update a ProgressBar during the file download or use credentials before making the request.

Here it is, an example that covers these options. Lambda notation and String interpolation has been used:

using System.Net;
// ...

using (WebClient client = new WebClient()) {
    Uri ur = new Uri("http://remotehost.do/images/img.jpg");

    //client.Credentials = new NetworkCredential("username", "password");
    String credentials = Convert.ToBase64String(Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes("Username" + ":" + "MyNewPassword"));
    client.Headers[HttpRequestHeader.Authorization] = $"Basic {credentials}";

    client.DownloadProgressChanged += (o, e) =>
    {
        Console.WriteLine($"Download status: {e.ProgressPercentage}%.");

        // updating the UI
        Dispatcher.Invoke(() => {
            progressBar.Value = e.ProgressPercentage;
        });
    };

    client.DownloadDataCompleted += (o, e) => 
    {
        Console.WriteLine("Download finished!");
    };

    client.DownloadFileAsync(ur, @"C:\path\newImage.jpg");
}

Complete class to download a file while printing status to console.

using System;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.IO;
using System.Net;
using System.Threading;

class FileDownloader
{
    private readonly string _url;
    private readonly string _fullPathWhereToSave;
    private bool _result = false;
    private readonly SemaphoreSlim _semaphore = new SemaphoreSlim(0);

    public FileDownloader(string url, string fullPathWhereToSave)
    {
        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(url)) throw new ArgumentNullException("url");
        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(fullPathWhereToSave)) throw new ArgumentNullException("fullPathWhereToSave");

        this._url = url;
        this._fullPathWhereToSave = fullPathWhereToSave;
    }

    public bool StartDownload(int timeout)
    {
        try
        {
            System.IO.Directory.CreateDirectory(Path.GetDirectoryName(_fullPathWhereToSave));

            if (File.Exists(_fullPathWhereToSave))
            {
                File.Delete(_fullPathWhereToSave);
            }
            using (WebClient client = new WebClient())
            {
                var ur = new Uri(_url);
                // client.Credentials = new NetworkCredential("username", "password");
                client.DownloadProgressChanged += WebClientDownloadProgressChanged;
                client.DownloadFileCompleted += WebClientDownloadCompleted;
                Console.WriteLine(@"Downloading file:");
                client.DownloadFileAsync(ur, _fullPathWhereToSave);
                _semaphore.Wait(timeout);
                return _result && File.Exists(_fullPathWhereToSave);
            }
        }
        catch (Exception e)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Was not able to download file!");
            Console.Write(e);
            return false;
        }
        finally
        {
            this._semaphore.Dispose();
        }
    }

    private void WebClientDownloadProgressChanged(object sender, DownloadProgressChangedEventArgs e)
    {
        Console.Write("\r     -->    {0}%.", e.ProgressPercentage);
    }

    private void WebClientDownloadCompleted(object sender, AsyncCompletedEventArgs args)
    {
        _result = !args.Cancelled;
        if (!_result)
        {
            Console.Write(args.Error.ToString());
        }
        Console.WriteLine(Environment.NewLine + "Download finished!");
        _semaphore.Release();
    }

    public static bool DownloadFile(string url, string fullPathWhereToSave, int timeoutInMilliSec)
    {
        return new FileDownloader(url, fullPathWhereToSave).StartDownload(timeoutInMilliSec);
    }
}

Usage:

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    var success = FileDownloader.DownloadFile(fileUrl, fullPathWhereToSave, timeoutInMilliSec);
    Console.WriteLine("Done  - success: " + success);
    Console.ReadLine();
}

Check for a network connection using GetIsNetworkAvailable() to avoid creating empty files when not connected to a network.

if (System.Net.NetworkInformation.NetworkInterface.GetIsNetworkAvailable())
{
    using (System.Net.WebClient client = new System.Net.WebClient())
    {                        
          client.DownloadFileAsync(new Uri("http://www.examplesite.com/test.txt"),
          "D:\\test.txt");
    }                  
}

Also you can use DownloadFileAsync method in WebClient class. It downloads to a local file the resource with the specified URI. Also this method does not block the calling thread.

Sample:

    webClient.DownloadFileAsync(new Uri("http://www.example.com/file/test.jpg"), "test.jpg");

For more information:

http://csharpexamples.com/download-files-synchronous-asynchronous-url-c/


Use System.Net.WebClient.DownloadFile:

string remoteUri = "http://www.contoso.com/library/homepage/images/";
string fileName = "ms-banner.gif", myStringWebResource = null;

// Create a new WebClient instance.
using (WebClient myWebClient = new WebClient())
{
    myStringWebResource = remoteUri + fileName;
    // Download the Web resource and save it into the current filesystem folder.
    myWebClient.DownloadFile(myStringWebResource, fileName);        
}

Below code contain logic for download file with original name

private string DownloadFile(string url)
    {

        HttpWebRequest request = (HttpWebRequest)HttpWebRequest.Create(url);
        string filename = "";
        string destinationpath = Environment;
        if (!Directory.Exists(destinationpath))
        {
            Directory.CreateDirectory(destinationpath);
        }
        using (HttpWebResponse response = (HttpWebResponse)request.GetResponseAsync().Result)
        {
            string path = response.Headers["Content-Disposition"];
            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(path))
            {
                var uri = new Uri(url);
                filename = Path.GetFileName(uri.LocalPath);
            }
            else
            {
                ContentDisposition contentDisposition = new ContentDisposition(path);
                filename = contentDisposition.FileName;

            }

            var responseStream = response.GetResponseStream();
            using (var fileStream = File.Create(System.IO.Path.Combine(destinationpath, filename)))
            {
                responseStream.CopyTo(fileStream);
            }
        }

        return Path.Combine(destinationpath, filename);
    }

Use System.Net.WebClient.DownloadFile:

string remoteUri = "http://www.contoso.com/library/homepage/images/";
string fileName = "ms-banner.gif", myStringWebResource = null;

// Create a new WebClient instance.
using (WebClient myWebClient = new WebClient())
{
    myStringWebResource = remoteUri + fileName;
    // Download the Web resource and save it into the current filesystem folder.
    myWebClient.DownloadFile(myStringWebResource, fileName);        
}

You may need to know the status and update a ProgressBar during the file download or use credentials before making the request.

Here it is, an example that covers these options. Lambda notation and String interpolation has been used:

using System.Net;
// ...

using (WebClient client = new WebClient()) {
    Uri ur = new Uri("http://remotehost.do/images/img.jpg");

    //client.Credentials = new NetworkCredential("username", "password");
    String credentials = Convert.ToBase64String(Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes("Username" + ":" + "MyNewPassword"));
    client.Headers[HttpRequestHeader.Authorization] = $"Basic {credentials}";

    client.DownloadProgressChanged += (o, e) =>
    {
        Console.WriteLine($"Download status: {e.ProgressPercentage}%.");

        // updating the UI
        Dispatcher.Invoke(() => {
            progressBar.Value = e.ProgressPercentage;
        });
    };

    client.DownloadDataCompleted += (o, e) => 
    {
        Console.WriteLine("Download finished!");
    };

    client.DownloadFileAsync(ur, @"C:\path\newImage.jpg");
}

Complete class to download a file while printing status to console.

using System;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.IO;
using System.Net;
using System.Threading;

class FileDownloader
{
    private readonly string _url;
    private readonly string _fullPathWhereToSave;
    private bool _result = false;
    private readonly SemaphoreSlim _semaphore = new SemaphoreSlim(0);

    public FileDownloader(string url, string fullPathWhereToSave)
    {
        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(url)) throw new ArgumentNullException("url");
        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(fullPathWhereToSave)) throw new ArgumentNullException("fullPathWhereToSave");

        this._url = url;
        this._fullPathWhereToSave = fullPathWhereToSave;
    }

    public bool StartDownload(int timeout)
    {
        try
        {
            System.IO.Directory.CreateDirectory(Path.GetDirectoryName(_fullPathWhereToSave));

            if (File.Exists(_fullPathWhereToSave))
            {
                File.Delete(_fullPathWhereToSave);
            }
            using (WebClient client = new WebClient())
            {
                var ur = new Uri(_url);
                // client.Credentials = new NetworkCredential("username", "password");
                client.DownloadProgressChanged += WebClientDownloadProgressChanged;
                client.DownloadFileCompleted += WebClientDownloadCompleted;
                Console.WriteLine(@"Downloading file:");
                client.DownloadFileAsync(ur, _fullPathWhereToSave);
                _semaphore.Wait(timeout);
                return _result && File.Exists(_fullPathWhereToSave);
            }
        }
        catch (Exception e)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Was not able to download file!");
            Console.Write(e);
            return false;
        }
        finally
        {
            this._semaphore.Dispose();
        }
    }

    private void WebClientDownloadProgressChanged(object sender, DownloadProgressChangedEventArgs e)
    {
        Console.Write("\r     -->    {0}%.", e.ProgressPercentage);
    }

    private void WebClientDownloadCompleted(object sender, AsyncCompletedEventArgs args)
    {
        _result = !args.Cancelled;
        if (!_result)
        {
            Console.Write(args.Error.ToString());
        }
        Console.WriteLine(Environment.NewLine + "Download finished!");
        _semaphore.Release();
    }

    public static bool DownloadFile(string url, string fullPathWhereToSave, int timeoutInMilliSec)
    {
        return new FileDownloader(url, fullPathWhereToSave).StartDownload(timeoutInMilliSec);
    }
}

Usage:

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    var success = FileDownloader.DownloadFile(fileUrl, fullPathWhereToSave, timeoutInMilliSec);
    Console.WriteLine("Done  - success: " + success);
    Console.ReadLine();
}

Use System.Net.WebClient.DownloadFile:

string remoteUri = "http://www.contoso.com/library/homepage/images/";
string fileName = "ms-banner.gif", myStringWebResource = null;

// Create a new WebClient instance.
using (WebClient myWebClient = new WebClient())
{
    myStringWebResource = remoteUri + fileName;
    // Download the Web resource and save it into the current filesystem folder.
    myWebClient.DownloadFile(myStringWebResource, fileName);        
}

using System.Net;

WebClient webClient = new WebClient();
webClient.DownloadFile("http://mysite.com/myfile.txt", @"c:\myfile.txt");

Try using this:

private void downloadFile(string url)
{
     string file = System.IO.Path.GetFileName(url);
     WebClient cln = new WebClient();
     cln.DownloadFile(url, file);
}

As per my research I found that WebClient.DownloadFileAsync is the best way to download file. It is available in System.Net namespace and it supports .net core as well.

Here is the sample code to download the file.

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Net;
using System.ComponentModel;

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        new Program().Download("ftp://localhost/test.zip");
    }
    public void Download(string remoteUri)
    {
        string FilePath = Directory.GetCurrentDirectory() + "/tepdownload/" + Path.GetFileName(remoteUri); // path where download file to be saved, with filename, here I have taken file name from supplied remote url
        using (WebClient client = new WebClient())
        {
            try
            {
                if (!Directory.Exists("tepdownload"))
                {
                    Directory.CreateDirectory("tepdownload");
                }
                Uri uri = new Uri(remoteUri);
                //password username of your file server eg. ftp username and password
                client.Credentials = new NetworkCredential("username", "password");
                //delegate method, which will be called after file download has been complete.
                client.DownloadFileCompleted += new AsyncCompletedEventHandler(Extract);
                //delegate method for progress notification handler.
                client.DownloadProgressChanged += new DownloadProgressChangedEventHandler(ProgessChanged);
                // uri is the remote url where filed needs to be downloaded, and FilePath is the location where file to be saved
                client.DownloadFileAsync(uri, FilePath);
            }
            catch (Exception)
            {
                throw;
            }
        }
    }
    public void Extract(object sender, AsyncCompletedEventArgs e)
    {
        Console.WriteLine("File has been downloaded.");
    }
    public void ProgessChanged(object sender, DownloadProgressChangedEventArgs e)
    {
        Console.WriteLine($"Download status: {e.ProgressPercentage}%.");
    }
}

With above code file will be downloaded inside tepdownload folder of the project's directory. Please read comment in code to understand what above code do.


Include this namespace

using System.Net;

Download Asynchronously and put a ProgressBar to show the status of the download within the UI Thread Itself

private void BtnDownload_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    using (WebClient wc = new WebClient())
    {
        wc.DownloadProgressChanged += wc_DownloadProgressChanged;
        wc.DownloadFileAsync (
            // Param1 = Link of file
            new System.Uri("http://www.sayka.com/downloads/front_view.jpg"),
            // Param2 = Path to save
            "D:\\Images\\front_view.jpg"
        );
    }
}
// Event to track the progress
void wc_DownloadProgressChanged(object sender, DownloadProgressChangedEventArgs e)
{
    progressBar.Value = e.ProgressPercentage;
}

using (var client = new WebClient())
{
    client.DownloadFile("http://example.com/file/song/a.mpeg", "a.mpeg");
}