File create datetime getting duplicated for different files and times

Question

I have written a service that monitors a file drop location for files from a scanner. The scanner drops all files with the exact same file name (eg. Test.tif) unless that file already exists and then it appends on a timestamp on the end (eg. Test_0809200915301900.tif).

So when I process these files I attach a 'tag' to the db entry to reflect this specific file which is the filename plus the file creation timestamp in ticks. Each scanner can produce 1 scan every few seconds at best so precision to the second is sufficient.

Here is the code that generates this supposedly unique tag:

FileInfo fileInfo = new FileInfo(filePath);
string tag = string.Format("{0}_{1}", filename,
  fileInfo.CreationTimeUtc.Ticks.ToString());

The generated tag would look something like: Test1.tif_633931295923017954

For some reason though when a bunch of scans come in from the same scanner say over the course of 20 seconds (eg. 1 scan, then 5 seconds later another, then 5 seconds later another, etc) the are getting the exact same file creation time stamp.

Eg.

1. File in: Test1.tif
2. Picked up and stored with tag Test1.tif_633931295923017954
3. Test1.tif is deleted.
4. File in: Test1.tif (5 seconds later)
5. Picked up and fail to be stored because generated tag is a duplicate with Test1.tif_633931295923017954

How is this possible? The ticks are identical. I inspected the creation time object and it is identical as well even though I physically saw it created 5 seconds after the first one.

Edit: Can anyone recommend a solution to ensuring I am dealing with a unique file? I thought that filename + creation timestamp should be a good enough check but obviously it is not. I don't have the ability to turn off the 'Tunnelling' functionality that Windows is preforming.

Edit: I ended up having the process rename each file and appending a guid. The process that then processed the files looked for files with the guid attached only. This ensured only unique files were processed.

Answer 1

This is a feature of Windows called File System Tunneling, and is expected behavior. Essentially this is an operating system working around for software that deletes a file and writes a new one when a user edits and save a file. The user expects the file creation time of the edited file to be the same as the original, and the software may require that the "short" version of the file name to remain the same before and after the edit so Windows fakes it.

For more details, please see: The apocryphal history of file system tunnelling for more details.

Edit: I'm surprised that FileSystemInfo.LastWriteTime as Feaderne suggested didn't work. Can you leave File1.tif as-is and watch for the creation of the unique files in the directory using FileSystemWatcher, pattern match the newly created files, and copy them using your naming scheme?

Answer 2

Would LastWriteTime give you the timestamp you want?