How can I literally OPEN a file using a C++ program?

Soybeanio · #1 12-Jul-2008, 16:55

All of you here actually really helped me by your answers. I didn't know you even CAN delete files from existence. Or string.find() erase() insert() and replace() functions. They should be useful.

Anyways. By literally OPEN a file, I mean actually having the same result as double-clicking it in windows. I know there is a way to do that, but I don't know how or if it is too complicated.

Thanks for any help, and I hope this is related to the thread.

Soybeanio · #2 12-Jul-2008, 18:34

From what I know, I can only access a file if it's located in the same directory as the program I'm running. Is there a way to choose it using a directory or something? And if this is related, how can I make folders?

Thanks a lot for any help

Peter_APIIT · #3 12-Jul-2008, 23:24

Don't know what you talking here. Can you rephrase your question ?

Soybeanio · #4 13-Jul-2008, 09:26

Sorry for the unclear questions, and sorry for making a new question at an already made thread.

Anyways, the first question I don't really need an answer to anyways. This is the second one:

When I write a program, such as the following:

CPP / C++ / C Code:

// testing with files
#include <fstream>
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
    fstream file("test.txt");           // same as file.open("test.txt");   
    file << "this is a test file\n";    // writes to file
}

That would make a file called test.txt which has 'this is a test file' written in it
in the same folder / directory as the program itself because there's nowhere else it was told to make it. My question is how do I tell the program to read, write, or make a file in a different directory from the program? Can I do that?

Thanks for any help

ocicat · #5 13-Jul-2008, 11:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soybeanio

My question is how do I tell the program to read, write, or make a file in a different directory from the program?

...by specifying the pathname (either relative or absolute...) as the filename. Consider the following:

CPP / C++ / C Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>

using namespace std;

int
main() {
    fstream fin;

    fin.open("../log");
    cout << (fin.is_open() ? "is open" : "is not open") << endl;

    return 0;
}

Where ever you create the application, create a file in the parent directory (in this case, "log"...).
Execute the application.
Delete the file in the parent directory.
Execute the application again.

When confronted with questions like this, it is useful to create simple test cases which exercise the feature which is unclear. Learning to use the language to clarify your own questions is a very useful skill to develop.

Soybeanio · #6 13-Jul-2008, 12:26

Thank you very much. This is a lot of help

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Open, Read, Write to text file	lanz	C++ Forum	3	11-Apr-2008 13:58
Double linked List & File System	NatsoumiMaya	C Programming Language	1	10-Feb-2008 09:23
How to use the data obtain in one C file to another C file?	TommyC	C Programming Language	12	15-Jan-2008 10:51
malloc/free usage, and general good programming behavior	lavaka	C Programming Language	7	14-Jun-2007 20:50
Open file and print to a different file	alex18	C++ Forum	7	06-Oct-2006 17:11

How can I literally OPEN a file using a C++ program?

File directories

Re: How can I literally OPEN a file using a C++ program?

Using File Directories in Windows to access Files in a different directory

Re: Using File Directories in Windows to access Files in a different directory

Re: How can I literally OPEN a file using a C++ program?