How to check if file exist with while loop ?

Question

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.IO;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading;
using System.Threading.Tasks;

namespace Tests
{
    class Program
    {
        static long oldFileSize;
        static bool firstTimeSaveGame = false;
        static string rootSaveGameDirectory;

        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            FileSystemWatcher fileWatcher = new FileSystemWatcher(@"C:\Program Files (x86)\saves");

            // Enable events
            fileWatcher.EnableRaisingEvents = true;

            rootSaveGameDirectory = @"C:\Program Files (x86)\saves";
            if (!Directory.Exists(rootSaveGameDirectory))
            {
                Directory.CreateDirectory(rootSaveGameDirectory);
            }

            string fileToWatch = @"C:\Program Files (x86)\MySave";

            while (!File.Exists(fileToWatch))
            {
                if (File.Exists(fileToWatch))
                {
                    FileInfo fi = new FileInfo(fileToWatch);
                    oldFileSize = fi.Length;
                    firstTimeSaveGame = true;
                    CopyFileOnChanged(fileToWatch, fileToWatch);
                    Console.WriteLine("File copied first time...");

                    break;
                }
            }

            fileWatcher.Path = Path.GetDirectoryName(fileToWatch);
            fileWatcher.Filter = Path.GetFileName(fileToWatch);

            // Add event watcher
            fileWatcher.Changed += FileWatcher_Changed;
            fileWatcher.Created += FileWatcher_Changed;
            fileWatcher.Deleted += FileWatcher_Changed;
            fileWatcher.Renamed += FileWatcher_Changed;

            var maxThreads = 4;

            // Times to as most machines have double the logic processers as cores
            ThreadPool.SetMaxThreads(maxThreads, maxThreads * 2);

            Console.WriteLine("Listening");
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }
}

Even if if the file exist when i create it it's never get inside and reaching the lines :

FileInfo fi = new FileInfo(fileToWatch);
oldFileSize = fi.Length;
firstTimeSaveGame = true;
CopyFileOnChanged(fileToWatch, fileToWatch);
Console.WriteLine("File copied first time...");

It's jumping right to the line :

Console.WriteLine("Listening");

How the conditions in the while loop should be like ?

Answer 1

Maybe put delay in there to allow the file to create before the if statement. If you use Task.Delay it wont lock up the app while waiting

         while (!File.Exists(fileToWatch))
         {
             var t = Task.Run(async 
              {
                   await Task.Delay(1000);
               });
             t.Wait();
             if (File.Exists(fileToWatch))
             {
                 FileInfo fi = new FileInfo(fileToWatch);
                 oldFileSize = fi.Length;
                 firstTimeSaveGame = true;
                 CopyFileOnChanged(fileToWatch, fileToWatch);
                 Console.WriteLine("File copied first time...");

                 break;
             }
         }

Answer 2

This code makes no sense

while (!File.Exists(fileToWatch))
{
      if (File.Exists(fileToWatch))
       {
            ….
       }
}

The while loop only executes the if statement if no file exists. If a file exists it does enter the loop and execute the if. So the if is only executed when it is false.