splitting multiple paths in string

Question

I have a command, which might resemble the following:

SYNC C:\Users\Fox Mulder\SyncClient C:\Users\Fox Mulder\SyncServer

This is a command that will be entered via a Console Application. It will be read by Console.ReadLine.

How can I parse the command so that I can get the two seperate directory path's?

I am unable to split on space, because that will result in a split at "Fox Mulder".

How can I parse this easily?

Answer 1

Using " would solve it

SYNC "C:\Users\Fox Mulder\SyncClient" "C:\Users\Fox Mulder\SyncServer"

this will be interperted as two seperate strings in the argv

Answer 2

How about this?

string testString = @"SYNC C:\Users\Fox Mulder\SyncClient C:\Users\Fox Mulder\SyncServer";

int firstIndex = testString.IndexOf(Path.VolumeSeparatorChar);
int secondIndex = testString.LastIndexOf(Path.VolumeSeparatorChar);
string path1, path2;

if (firstIndex != secondIndex  && firstIndex != -1)
{
    path1 = testString.Substring(firstIndex - 1, secondIndex - firstIndex);
    path2 = testString.Substring(secondIndex - 1);

    Console.WriteLine("Path 1 = " + path1);
    Console.WriteLine("Path 2 = " + path2);
} 

Answer 3

Another option is to use a non-valid path character as a path delimeter.

SYNC C:\Users\Fox Mulder\SyncClient?C:\Users\Fox Mulder\SyncServer