Copy file using service account

Question

User919378809 posted

Hi All,

I have a requirement to copy a file to a share location using service account because only service account has access to that folder.  Is there is any way to copy the file using service account?  

The network team only provide the service account and not password.  Is it possible to impersonate just using service account for copying a file?

Thanks

Selvakumar R

Answer 1

User509211905 posted

Hi there,

If your network team doesn't give you the service account password, then even you do impersonation through code I think you still need the password.

If your running in ASP.NET, you might want to consider to use a service account in your Application Pool in IIS. Once you have the service account set up by your network team, they can allow that service account to give write access to the share location.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

User919378809 posted

Finally I implemented file uploading or downloading using web service and service account.  This code may help some one.

1. Data Contract

[DataContract]
    public class AttachmentDataContract
    {
        [DataMember]
        public int Id { get; set; } //Identity key

        [DataMember]
        public int? AccountId { get; set; } //Reference Id

        [DataMember]
        public string FileName { get; set; }

        [DataMember]
        public string FileExtension { get; set; }

        [DataMember]
        public string FileDescription { get; set; }

        [DataMember]
        public byte[] FileStream { get; set; } // this property is used to transfer file from client to service or viceversa

        [DataMember]
        public string FilePath { get; set; }

        [DataMember]
        public DateTime? CreatedDate { get; set; }

        [DataMember]
        public string CreatedBy { get; set; }
    }

2. For uploading,

Add following code in web service

//Create new target folder, if necessary. And Copy file to target folder.
if (!System.IO.Directory.Exists(targetPath))
{
     System.IO.Directory.CreateDirectory(targetPath);
}
              
var FilePosition = 0;
System.IO.File.Create(destFile).Close();
using (System.IO.FileStream fileStream = new System.IO.FileStream(destFile, System.IO.FileMode.Open,
                                     System.IO.FileAccess.ReadWrite, System.IO.FileShare.Read))
{
     fileStream.Seek(FilePosition, System.IO.SeekOrigin.Begin);
     fileStream.Write(request.Contract.FileStream, 0, request.Contract.FileStream.Length);
}

 Add following code to client like web or windows application

var fileInfo = new FileInfo(sourcePath);
if (fileInfo.Length > (10*1024*1024)) throw new FileLoadException("File size exceeds 10 MB");

var attachment = new AttachmentDataContract
{
    FileName = "Source File Name",
    FileDescription = "File Description,
    CreatedDate = DateTime.Now,
    CreatedBy = "User Name",
    FileExtension = "Source File Extension",
    FileStream = System.IO.File.ReadAllBytes(sourcePath) //Convert file into bytes
};

//Call service for transferring data
proxy.UploadAttachment(attachment)

3. For downloading or opening attachment

Add following code to web service

var attachment = new AttachmentDataContract()

attachment.FileExtension = System.IO.Path.GetExtension(attachmentFilePath);

if (System.IO.File.Exists(attachmentFilePath))
     attachment.FileStream = System.IO.File.ReadAllBytes(attachmentFilePath);

return attachment;

Add following code to the client like web or windows application

var response = proxy.OpenAttachment(request); //request contain attachment id, path etc

var fileStream = response.Contract.FileStream;
var fileExtension = response.Contract.FileExtension;
var fileName = System.IO.Path.GetTempFileName() + fileExtension;

if (fileStream == null)
{
    ShowErrorMessage("File not found! Please contact administrator.", "Attachments", DialogButton.OK, DialogImage.Information);
    return;
}

File.WriteAllBytes(fileName, fileStream);
var process = System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(fileName);
process.Exited += (s, e) => System.IO.File.Delete(fileName);

4. MOST IMPORTANT STEP IS, If the file is uploading through a hosted web service then the service account or account configured in the service need to added in the IIS_IUSR group.

I hope this will help someone :)

Thanks

Selvakumar R