I have the following lines of code. The first chunk does a buffered reading using a 4Kb byte buffer. The other chunk does a sequential read.

When i measure the time taken by the two chunks of code i find out that unbuffered reading code takes less time then buffered reading code. While actually buffered should take less time.

Can any body tell me what i am doing wrong here.


//Buffered Read
string fileName="c:\\file";//open a 256 MB file
fileStream=new FileStream(fileName,FileMode.Open);
byte []readBuffer=new byte[4096];

while(fileStream.Read(readBuffer,0,readBuffer.Leng th)!=0)
{}



//Unbuffered Read
string fileName="c:\\file";//open a 256 MB file
fileStream=new FileStream(fileName,FileMode.Open);

int temp;
while((temp=fileStream.ReadByte())!=-1)
{}

Why should buffered reading take less time?

If you were using two threads- one reading from the drive and creating the buffer while the other does the work on the buffer, then you could see some time improvement. However, in this case your reading to the buffer and then using the buffer after the buffer is loaded. Your not getting any performance gain- and in fact your taking a hit by using the buffer - because your loading it.

The value of a buffer is when you have a read source that is slower than the proccess source.. like a buffer for internet streaming.


Hal Levy
Web Developer, PDI Inc.

NOT a Wiley/Wrox Employee

My intial apprehnsion was also what you said. Because of the fact that the byte array is getting populated the code is taking more time.

Can u suggest a method which does buffered reading without any performance overheads.

I am just trying to get Buffered and Unbuffered read rates. Kind of a harddisk bench mark.