Create a document in SharePoint Online using CSOM

Question

I need to create several documents in my SharePoint Online library. I am using the following code to upload an existing file to a library:

            ctx.Load(ctx.Web.Folders);
            ctx.ExecuteQuery();

            ctx.Load(ctx.Web.Folders);
            ctx.ExecuteQuery();
            Folder myLibrary = ctx.Web.Folders.GetByUrl("Shared Documents");
            String fileName = System.IO.Path.GetFileName(fileToUpload);
            FileStream fileStream = System.IO.File.OpenRead(fileToUpload);
            FileCreationInformation fci = new FileCreationInformation();
            fci.Overwrite = false;
            fci.Url = "gg.txt";
            fci.ContentStream = fileStream;
            //byte[] docstream= {134,53,53,55,75,6,5};
            //fci.Content = docstream;
            Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.File spfile = myLibrary.Files.Add(fci);

            myLibrary.Update();
            ctx.ExecuteQuery();

However, all Office documents (.docx, .xlsx, .doc) seem to be corrupt and I cannot open them in Word/Excel Online after upload. No issues with .txt files.

I have been trying to use this, which would be perfect for me:
Create a Word Document in a document library programmatically

Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.File file 
                                  = docLib.RootFolder.Files.Add(fileName, memStream, true);

but SharePoint Online doesn't accept 3 arguments for .Add() function, only FileCreationInformation.

The questions:
1) How can I adapt Files.Add() for SharePoint Online? Is there a similar function that would allow me to pass in the content of the file?

2) Why are all my Office files corrupted?

3) I expected fci.Content to create a content inside the file. Apparently it's not the case, because it doesn't seem to do anything. What does it do?

Answer 1

Create a Document and then upload it into SharePoint Online library:

var fileName = @"SharePoint User Guide.docx";
var targetUrl = "/Shared Documents";

using (var stream = new MemoryStream())
{
    //1. Create Document
    using (var document = WordprocessingDocument.Create(stream, WordprocessingDocumentType.Document, true))
    {
        document.AddMainDocumentPart();
        document.MainDocumentPart.Document = new Document(new Body(new Paragraph(new Run(new Text("Some content goes here")))));                    
    }        

     //2. Upload file into SharePoint Library
     using (var ctx = new ClientContext(webUri))
     {
         ctx.Credentials = new SharePointOnlineCredentials(userName, securePassword);
         var targetFileUrl = String.Format("{0}/{1}", targetUrl, fileName);
         stream.Position = 0;
         Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.File.SaveBinaryDirect(ctx,targetFileUrl , stream, true);
     }

 }

Key points

• Open XML SDK is used for creating Office documents
• For uploading documents File.SaveBinaryDirect Method is used. For another options of uploading documents follow this article

Result

Answer 2

Here is a working example. Code looks mostly the same as yours except for the use of the Content property.

var web = context.Web;
var list = web.Lists.GetByTitle("Project Documents");

var filePath = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.DesktopDirectory) +
    @"\Samples\Sample01.docx";

var fci = new FileCreationInformation();
fci.Content = System.IO.File.ReadAllBytes(filePath);
fci.Url = "Sample01.docx";
fci.Overwrite = true;
var file = list.RootFolder.Files.Add(fci);

context.ExecuteQuery();

BTW, this example comes from my Client Object Model and REST API Development course on Pluralsight. You can get a free trial if you want to watch the section on uploading files.