How to Implement Timeouts with WebClient.DownloadFile()?

Setting Timeouts for WebClient.DownloadFile()

Downloading remote files using WebClient.DownloadFile() can be slow, especially with inaccessible files. A timeout mechanism is crucial to avoid indefinite waits.

Implementation:

The most effective way to implement a timeout is by creating a custom class inheriting from WebRequest. This allows setting the Timeout property directly on the underlying request. Here's an example:

<code class="language-csharp">using System;
using System.Net;

public class TimedWebClient : WebClient
{
    public int TimeoutMilliseconds { get; set; }

    public TimedWebClient() : this(60000) { } // Default 60-second timeout

    public TimedWebClient(int timeoutMilliseconds)
    {
        TimeoutMilliseconds = timeoutMilliseconds;
    }

    protected override WebRequest GetWebRequest(Uri address)
    {
        WebRequest request = base.GetWebRequest(address);
        if (request != null)
        {
            request.Timeout = TimeoutMilliseconds;
        }
        return request;
    }
}</code>

This TimedWebClient class functions like the standard WebClient, but adds a configurable timeout. Use it as a drop-in replacement, specifying the timeout in milliseconds. This ensures that all download attempts respect the defined timeout, preventing long delays for unavailable files.

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