using the cp command in a program in os x

ok i have this program, i want to have it so the user types in the path of a file, and then the programs copies that file to another specified location. i have this so far:

Code:

#include <stdio.h> 

int main() 
{ 
   char orig[50]; 
   char dest[50]; 
       
   printf("where is the file you would like to copy? start with desktop, with a \"/\" between each foler. \n"); 
   scanf("%s",&orig); 
   printf("where would you like this file to be copied to? use the same format \n"); 
   scanf("%s",&dest); 
    
   system("cp ~/%s ~/%s", orig, dest); 
    
   printf("DONE!"); 
    
   return(0); 
}

the problem is it comes up with an error that says "users/peter/%s isnt a directory"
how do i get it to recognize the string i have after it? or can i at all?

thanks

system doesn't take data specifiers in its argument. You have to strcat the whole thing together and send that to system().

Also, use [CODE] tags.

i thought i did use code tages...oops...and i dont know what strcat is, so either you could explain it briefly? or i can wait
thanks

Code:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>   // For string functions including strcat();

int main() {
   char str1[13] = "Hello ";
   char str2[7] = "World!";

   strcat(str1,str2);     // strcat(a,b) appends b to a.
   printf("%s", str1);

   return 0;
}

/* Output:
   Hello World! */

A bit more detail, for you. First off, system(), which by the way is actually in <stdlib.h>, is generally frowned upon. Secondly, scanf() isn't used for strings. Especially strings that may contain spaces. If the input was "C:/Documents And Settings/..." you'd end up with "C:/Documents". You should be using fgets() for strings.

Originally Posted by SlyMaelstrom

Code:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>   // For string functions including strcat();

int main() {
   char str1[7] = "Hello ";
   char str2[7] = "World!";

   strcat(str1,str2);     // strcat(a,b) appends b to a.
   printf("%s", str1);

   return 0;
}

/* Output:
   Hello World! */

Hmm?

how would i use that though?

Originally Posted by Dave_Sinkula

Hmm?

Whoops... good call. I'm a boob.

ok im lost....

Boobies.

Code:

#include <stdio.h> 

int main() 
{ 
   char orig[50]; 
   char dest[50];
   char stuff[100]; 
       
   printf("where is the file you would like to copy? start with desktop, with a \"/\" between each foler. \n"); 
   scanf("%s", orig); 
   printf("where would you like this file to be copied to? use the same format \n"); 
   scanf("%s", dest); 

   sprintf(stuff, "cp ~/%s ~/%s", orig, dest);

   system(stuff); 
   printf("DONE!"); 
    
   return(0); 
}

Also, ~ is interpreted by the shell, not the cp command.

Perform the substitution of ~ in the code itself - ideally passing to the cp command two absolute paths.

woah thanks everyone that helped. i cant try that now, but i will when i get home (school, always getting in the way)
quick question, i asked this question at the ipodlinux forums, and they said the command was snprintf(blah blah) not sprintf(blah blah), which is it?

Well snprintf() is preferable if you have it, but it is a C99 standard function. It is not a C89 function.

It's safer, but you lose some portability (basically)

thanks you guys it worked, i wouldnt have been able to figure that out. thanks a bunch, ill be back!

thanks

Originally Posted by Dave_Sinkula

Hmm?

No, he was correct before. str1 should be a size of 13 to allow Hello World!\0. Read the manual for strcat, char *s MUST be large enough to hold what it is being appended.

question, can you have more than one getchar in a program? cause everytime i have more than one getchar, with an if/else following, the if's and else's get ignored.
here's teh code:

Code:

/*
 *  copy.c
 *  
 *
 *  Created by Peter Noone on 4/6/06.
 *  Copyright 2006 __MyCompanyName__. All rights reserved.
 *
 */

#include <stdio.h>

int main()
{
	char q;
	char a;
	char original[50];
	char orig[50];
	char file[10];
	char dest[50];
	char cp[100];
		
	printf("where is the file you would like to copy? \nif the file is on the desktop, type \"y\" \nif not, type \"n\" \n");
	q=getchar();
	if(q=='y')
	{
		printf("now type the file name.\n");
		scanf("%s", &file);
		sprintf(original,"~/desktop");
		sprintf(orig,"desktop/%s",file);
	}
	
	else
	{	
		printf(" type the full path of the file, start with \"/desktop,\" with a \"/\" \n between each foler. \n");
		scanf("%s",&orig);
	}
	
	if(q=='y')
	{
		printf("would you like the copy made to the same location? (y/n)\n");
		a=getchar();
		if(a=='y')
		{
			sprintf(dest,original);
		}
	}
	else
	{
		printf("where would you like this file to be copied to?\n");
		printf("type the full path of the destination. \n");
		scanf("%s",dest);
	}
	
	sprintf(cp,"cp ~/%s ~/%s", orig, dest);
	
	system(cp);
	
	printf("DONE!");
	
	return(0);
}

and here's what i get when i run it (it only works if i chose a file that was on the desktop. i.e. if i chose "y" at the first option)

Code:

new-host-2:/users/peter/desktop/other/programming Peter$ ./copy
where is the file you would like to copy? 
if the file is on the desktop, type "y" 
if not, type "n" 
y
now type the file name.
5g.scpt
would you like the copy made to the same location? (y/n)
cp: /Users/Peter/??.?: Invalid argument
DONE!

thanks