Find out if a file is open in another program

Created by: Kristinn Magnusson

If you have a process which fails when a file is open and locked in another program, you can use PowerShell in exMon to monitor and notify you when that happens.

1. Create a new Query in exMon Data Governance by right-clicking the Tests folder
2. Create a new query & name it Powershell Demo
3. Select the PowerShell Data Provider
   
   
4. Add the following PowerShell script to the Query window:

   # The file to check for
   $path = 'C:\temp\test.xlsx'
   
   # Check if we can get an exclusive read on a file
   # Returns the exception if unsuccessful
   # Returns empty results if it reads successfully
   
   # Create the result DataTable
   $exMonResult= New-Object system.Data.DataTable
   $col1 = New-Object system.Data.DataColumn Error,([string])
   $exMonResult.columns.add($col1)
   
   # Read the file
   $text = $null
   try {
       $file = [System.io.File]::Open($path, 'Open', 'Read', 'None')
       $reader = New-Object System.IO.StreamReader($file)
       $a = $reader.ReadLine()
       $reader.Close()
       $file.Close()
   } catch [Exception] { $text = $_.Exception.Message }
   
   # Succeeded?
   if($text -eq $null) {
       # Yes, no error message
   } else {
       # Add Row
       $row = $exMonResult.NewRow();
       $row.Error = $text;
       $exMonResult.Rows.Add($row)
   }

5. Change the $path variable to the file to monitor
6. Configure email settings and schedule as normal

Kristinn is the author of this solution article.