Reading Embedded Xml File C#

I can't read my embedded XML file from my second C# project

You've to refer to Windows Service project Assembly to make it work

The problem with your code is This.GetType().Assesmbly gives current Assembly In your case WPF Assembly and obviously you'll not find what you need there.

Try this

Assembly windowsServiceAssembly = typeof(SomeTypeFromThatAssembly).Assembly;
string[] names = windowsServiceAssembly.GetManifestResourceNames();

Hope this helps.

How to read embedded resource text file

You can use the Assembly.GetManifestResourceStream Method:

1. Add the following usings

    using System.IO;
    using System.Reflection;
   

2. Set property of relevant file:
   
   Parameter Build Action with value Embedded Resource

3. Use the following code

    var assembly = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly();
    var resourceName = "MyCompany.MyProduct.MyFile.txt";
   
    using (Stream stream = assembly.GetManifestResourceStream(resourceName))
    using (StreamReader reader = new StreamReader(stream))
    {
        string result = reader.ReadToEnd();
    }
   

   resourceName is the name of one of the resources embedded in assembly.
   For example, if you embed a text file named "MyFile.txt" that is placed in the root of a project with default namespace "MyCompany.MyProduct", then resourceName is "MyCompany.MyProduct.MyFile.txt".
   You can get a list of all resources in an assembly using the Assembly.GetManifestResourceNames Method.

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A no brainer astute to get the resourceName from the file name only (by pass the namespace stuff):

string resourceName = assembly.GetManifestResourceNames()
  .Single(str => str.EndsWith("YourFileName.txt"));

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A complete example:

public string ReadResource(string name)
{
    // Determine path
    var assembly = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly();
    string resourcePath = name;
    // Format: "{Namespace}.{Folder}.{filename}.{Extension}"
    if (!name.StartsWith(nameof(SignificantDrawerCompiler)))
    {
        resourcePath = assembly.GetManifestResourceNames()
            .Single(str => str.EndsWith(name));
    }

    using (Stream stream = assembly.GetManifestResourceStream(resourcePath))
    using (StreamReader reader = new StreamReader(stream))
    {
        return reader.ReadToEnd();
    }
}

or as an async extension method:

internal static class AssemblyExtensions
{
    public static async Task<string> ReadResourceAsync(this Assembly assembly, string name)
    {
        // Determine path
        string resourcePath = name;
        // Format: "{Namespace}.{Folder}.{filename}.{Extension}"
        if (!name.StartsWith(nameof(SignificantDrawerCompiler)))
        {
            resourcePath = assembly.GetManifestResourceNames()
                .Single(str => str.EndsWith(name));
        }

        using Stream stream = assembly.GetManifestResourceStream(resourcePath)!;
        using StreamReader reader = new(stream);
        return await reader.ReadToEndAsync();
    }
}

// Usage
string resourceText = await Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().ReadResourceAsync("myResourceName");

How to load an XML file from a file in the solution, build with Embedded Resource?

Use GetManifestResourceStream():

var asm = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly();
using(var stream = asm.GetManifestResourceStream("Namespace.Champions.xml"))
{
    // ...
}

The exact names used to reference resources can be found by calling GetManifestResourceNames().

how to embed an xml file to a resource file

If you add the XML file to a Visual Studio project and, in the Property window for it, select Build Action: Embedded resource, the file will be embedded into the build output artifact for that project.

To access it from code, use something like:

string resourceName = "Namespace.Prefix.FileName.xml";
Assembly someAssembly = LoadYourAssemblyContainingTheResource();
XmlDocument xml = new XmlDocument();
using (Stream resourceStream = someAssembly.GetManifestResourceStream(resourceName))
{
    xml.Load(resourceStream);
}
// The embedded XML resource is now available in: xml

If the resource you're loading is embedded in your own assembly, you can do something like Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly() to achieve what I listed as LoadYourAssemblyContainingTheResource() above, or possibly typeof(SomeTypeInYourResourceAssembly).Assembly

It's unclear what you mean by "want to modify the contents" - you cannot modify the resource inside the assembly at run-time, but whenever you change the XML file and recompile, the new version will be embedded.

How can I retrieve an embedded xml resource?

The MSDN page for GetManifestResourceStream makes this note:

This method returns a null reference
(Nothing in Visual Basic) if a private
resource in another assembly is
accessed and the caller does not have
ReflectionPermission with the
ReflectionPermissionFlag.MemberAccess
flag.

Have you marked the resource as "public" in your assembly?

How to query an embedded XML file using LINQ?

Open the embedded resource as a stream:

XElement doc;
using (var stream = typeof(SomeTypeInTheAssembly).Assembly
                        .GetManifestResourceStream("MyXML.xml"))
{
    doc = XElement.Load(stream);
}

There's no need to go via an intermediate string representation.

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