file opening problem

Its been awhile im trying to refresh myself as i just started a c++ class and already i have a problem.

Code:

#include <stdio.h>

FILE* open(const char filename[]);

int main() {
    const char filename[11] = "prefix.dat";
    open(filename);
}

FILE* open(const char filename[]) {
      FILE* fp;
      printf(filename);
      fp = fopen(filename, "r");
      if (fp == NULL) {
         printf(" cannot open");
      }
      if (fp != NULL) {
         printf(" opened");
      } 
      fclose(fp);          
}

i have the prefix.dat in the same directory but it still says cannot open and also the function "FILE* open(const char filename[])" we are supposed to use and i was wondering can i use file* open to open the file or is that just a function like "int calculate(int number);"

I guess I'll just make a list.

1. Don't make a function called "open" -- there is already a common function on many platforms with that name, and you are shadowing it.

2. Using C stdio in a C++ program?

3. Redundant if(fp != NULL) -- how could it be otherwise? Just say "else"

4. You fclose() the handle immediately.

5. If the fopen() failed, you will fclose() a NULL pointer, resulting in an explosion

6. You never actually return the darn thing.

Why are you using C file I/O in a C++ program?

Originally Posted by brewbuck

I guess I'll just make a list.

1. Don't make a function called "open" -- there is already a common function on many platforms with that name, and you are shadowing it.

2. Using C stdio in a C++ program?

3. Redundant if(fp != NULL) -- how could it be otherwise? Just say "else"

4. You fclose() the handle immediately.

5. If the fopen() failed, you will fclose() a NULL pointer, resulting in an explosion

6. You never actually return the darn thing.

for 1. thats what the prof wants it named, i dont know why
this is what he wants:

Code:

a function that receives the address of a C-style, null-terminated string containing the name of the file that holds the prefix table

 FILE* open(const char filename[]);

This function opens the named file for read access and returns the address of the file pointer, if successful; NULL otherwise.

3. i had "else" but it gave me the same output so i thought i should change it

Do you actually have a file called "prefix.dat" in the same directory? If not, there's no way it will ever work.

yes its in the same directory

Just because it is in the same directory doesn't mean it will work. Does it work if you use an absolute path?

^^ true because it opens now
this works, but why?

Code:

const char filename[100] = "C:\\Documents and Settings\\matt\\Desktop\\a1\\prefix.dat";

Originally Posted by bigmac(rexdale)

^^ true because it opens now
this works, but why?

Code:

const char filename[100] = "C:\\Documents and Settings\\matt\\Desktop\\a1\\prefix.dat";

That's funny. I tried this code to see what happened, and if the executable and file were in the same directory, it worked just fine - but if I ran from the debugger (and had the file in the executable output directory), it wouldn't read it. Maybe that's part of your problem?

I used this exact code:

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <cstdio>

FILE* OpenFile(const char filename[]);

int main()
{
	const char* filename = "prefix.dat";
	FILE* fp;
    
	if ((fp = OpenFile(filename)) != NULL)
	{
		std::cout << "File* Address: " << &fp << std::endl;
	}
	else
	{
		std::cout << "File* is NULL." << std::endl;
	}

	std::cin.get();
}

FILE* OpenFile(const char filename[])
{
	FILE* fp = fopen(filename, "r");

	if (fp == NULL)
	{
		std::cout << "Cannot open file: " << filename << std::endl;
		return(NULL);
	}
	else
	{
		std::cout << "Opened file: " << filename << std::endl;
		return(fp);
	}        
}

Without an absolute path, the working directory is used. Sometimes that working directory is different than the directory that includes the executable (examples may include running from an IDE or running from a command prompt starting in a different directory).

It's difficult to progammatically ensure the proper working directory in a platform independent way. You could just make it a prerequisite of the application that the file be in the same folder as the application, and then fix the way you are running your program to look in the right directory. For example, if you are running it from an IDE, the IDE will often have an option to set the default working directory. If you set that to the place you put your file it should work better with the relative path.

Originally Posted by Lithorien

That's funny. I tried this code to see what happened, and if the executable and file were in the same directory, it worked just fine - but if I ran from the debugger (and had the file in the executable output directory), it wouldn't read it. Maybe that's part of your problem?

I used this exact code:

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <cstdio>

FILE* OpenFile(const char filename[]);

int main()
{
	const char* filename = "prefix.dat";
	FILE* fp;
    
	if ((fp = OpenFile(filename)) != NULL)
	{
		std::cout << "File* Address: " << &fp << std::endl;
	}
	else
	{
		std::cout << "File* is NULL." << std::endl;
	}

	std::cin.get();
}

FILE* OpenFile(const char filename[])
{
	FILE* fp = fopen(filename, "r");

	if (fp == NULL)
	{
		std::cout << "Cannot open file: " << filename << std::endl;
		return(NULL);
	}
	else
	{
		std::cout << "Opened file: " << filename << std::endl;
		return(fp);
	}        
}

ya its working now moved it to a next folder and its working good, but i was wondering can i use "FILE* open" to open the prefix.dat instead of using fp?
nothing changed much:

Code:

#include <cstdio>

FILE* open(const char filename[]);

int main() {
    const char filename[100] = "prefix.dat";
    open(filename);
}

FILE* open(const char filename[]) {
      FILE* fp;
      char c[10];
      printf(filename);
      fp = fopen(filename, "r");
      if (fp == NULL) {
         printf(" cannot open");
      }
      else {
         printf(" opened");
         fscanf(fp, "&#37;s", c);
         printf("%s", c);
         fclose(fp);
      }        
}

and ya daved that was my problem command promt was working in the wrong directory

Originally Posted by bigmac(rexdale)

i was wondering can i use "FILE* open" to open the prefix.dat instead of using fp?

...What? You're calling the function open() which returns a FILE*. fp is just a pointer to your FILE handle.

Originally Posted by Lithorien

...What? You're calling the function open() which returns a FILE*. fp is just a pointer to your FILE handle.

oh i see, so i should put return fp; to end it

Originally Posted by bigmac(rexdale)

oh i see, so i should put return fp; to end it

...Yes, assuming you want to return the file pointer to the calling function. Which I think is what you need to do here. Right now with your code, all you're doing is returning null.

Though if you're just closing the file anyway in your function, returning fp won't do a lot of good because it's a null pointer and if anyone tries to use it their application will likely crash.



Edit: Let me explain, using your code.

Code:

#include <cstdio> // stdio.h, for file access.

/* This is a function declaration. What this means is that this line
declares a function (called open, that takes a const char[] called filename
as an argument) that will be defined later in code. */
FILE* open(const char filename[]);

int main() {
    const char filename[100] = "prefix.dat"; // Why are you allocating a string like this? Try const char* filename.
    open(filename);
}

// Here's your function defination. This defines the function you declared before main().
FILE* open(const char filename[]) {
      FILE* fp; // Create a FILE* called fp.
      char c[10];
      printf(filename);
      fp = fopen(filename, "r"); // Try to open the file, and return the file handle to your FILE* called fp.
      if (fp == NULL) { // If fopen() fails, fp is NULL...
         printf(" cannot open");
      }
      else { // ...else it succeeded and fp is valid.
         printf(" opened");
         fscanf(fp, "&#37;s", c);
         printf("%s", c);
		 /* Why are you closing your file handle? This invalidates fp, and there's no reason
		 to return a FILE* from open() if you do this. It will always be NULL. */
         fclose(fp);

		 // You can return() fp here, or...
      }        

	  // ...here, but ONLY if you keep fp valid and don't use fclose().
}

Originally Posted by Lithorien

...Yes, assuming you want to return the file pointer to the calling function. Which I think is what you need to do here. Right now with your code, all you're doing is returning null.

Though if you're just closing the file anyway in your function, returning fp won't do a lot of good because it's a null pointer and if anyone tries to use it their application will likely crash.



Edit: Let me explain, using your code.

Code:

#include <cstdio> // stdio.h, for file access.

/* This is a function declaration. What this means is that this line
declares a function (called open, that takes a const char[] called filename
as an argument) that will be defined later in code. */
FILE* open(const char filename[]);

int main() {
    const char filename[100] = "prefix.dat"; // Why are you allocating a string like this? Try const char* filename.
    open(filename);
}

// Here's your function defination. This defines the function you declared before main().
FILE* open(const char filename[]) {
      FILE* fp; // Create a FILE* called fp.
      char c[10];
      printf(filename);
      fp = fopen(filename, "r"); // Try to open the file, and return the file handle to your FILE* called fp.
      if (fp == NULL) { // If fopen() fails, fp is NULL...
         printf(" cannot open");
      }
      else { // ...else it succeeded and fp is valid.
         printf(" opened");
         fscanf(fp, "&#37;s", c);
         printf("%s", c);
		 /* Why are you closing your file handle? This invalidates fp, and there's no reason
		 to return a FILE* from open() if you do this. It will always be NULL. */
         fclose(fp);

		 // You can return() fp here, or...
      }        

	  // ...here, but ONLY if you keep fp valid and don't use fclose().
}

oh ok, so do i ever need to fclose then if i want to return fp?