File Monitoring Service

A Windows Service built with C# and .NET Framework that monitors a source folder for newly added files. When a new file is detected, the service automatically renames it using a GUID and moves it to a destination folder while logging all operations.

Features

• Monitor a source folder using FileSystemWatcher.
• Detect newly created files automatically.
• Rename files using a unique GUID while preserving the original extension.
• Move files to a destination folder.
• Log service events and file operations with timestamps.
• Read configuration values from App.config.
• Automatically create required directories if they do not exist.
• Retry file movement when files are temporarily locked.
• Support Console Debug Mode for easier development and testing.
• Windows Service Installer for deployment.

Technologies

• C#
• .NET Framework
• Windows Service
• FileSystemWatcher
• App.config
• Event Viewer
• Windows Service Installer

Configuration

Configure the application using App.config.

<appSettings>
    <add key="Source" value="C:\FileMonitoring\Source"/>
    <add key="Destination" value="C:\FileMonitoring\Destination"/>
    <add key="Log" value="C:\FileMonitoring\Logs"/>
</appSettings>

How It Works

1. The service monitors the source folder.
2. When a new file is detected:
   • A GUID filename is generated.
   • The original file extension is preserved.
   • The file is moved to the destination folder.
3. Every operation is logged with a timestamp.

Logging

The service logs:

• Service start
• Service stop
• File detection
• File movement
• Errors during processing

Debug Mode

The project supports Console Mode for debugging.

When running interactively, the service:

• Starts as a console application.
• Displays runtime information.
• Allows stopping the service with a key press.

Installation

The service can be installed using either:

• InstallUtil
• sc.exe

Example:

sc create FileMonitoringService binPath= "C:\Path\File Monitoring.exe" start= auto

Start the service:

sc start FileMonitoringService

Remove the service:

sc delete FileMonitoringService

Project Structure

File Monitoring
│
├── FileMonitoringService.cs
├── Installer1.cs
├── Program.cs
├── App.config
└── Properties

License

This project is for learning purposes.