Thread: Copy and Move functions?

  1. #1
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    Copy and Move functions?

    I've been trying to get a basic Copy function working (Move is what I want, but I figure I'd make a copy function first). I built the function using iostream.h, creating the file in the wanted directory, and reading the source file to the destination file. The file I'm trying to copy is a tiny 1 Kilobyte file (Just a basic Firefox plugin file), but when it copies the file from my desktop into the Firefox searchplugin folder (My destination) the file size becomes a whopping 667 Kilobytes.

    I really don't know what I'm doing wrong, but I made this basic plugin for use between the people who I play an online game with (It is a search plugin to look through the game's database). I know it wasn't nessecary but I figured I'd make a pseudo-installer for it, using command line, so that I could at least get some C++ practice in.

    At the current time I'm at school, but when I get home I'll paste my Cpp file's contents and show you what I'm working with.

  2. #2
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    Might as well not make the thread until you have the code to post, because until then this is kind of ... useless.

    If I had to guess, you take in a bit at a time, and re-write it as a byte. If that makes sense. But that's all anyone can do, is guess.

    Maybe a giant whale made it's home in your files. Just as likely without seeing the code.

    Last edited by simpleid; 10-06-2006 at 10:51 AM.

  3. #3
    Cat without Hat CornedBee's Avatar
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    I built the function using iostream.h,
    Well, that's mistake #1. iostream.h is not standard.

    Sounds like your program is platform-specific already, so why not use some system API?

    Or alternatively, you could use Boost.Filesystem's rename(), and fall back to copy_file() + remove() if that fails. (rename() is not possible across different drives in Windows).
    All the buzzt!
    CornedBee

    "There is not now, nor has there ever been, nor will there ever be, any programming language in which it is the least bit difficult to write bad code."
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  4. #4
    System Novice siavoshkc's Avatar
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    You may use iostream instead of its .h version.
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  5. #5
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    I thought iostream.h and <iostream> in the header were the same thing? Oh well, here is the code;

    Code:
    void CopyFile(char* src, char* dest) {
         FILE* s;
         FILE* d;
         s = fopen(src,"rb");
         d = fopen(dest,"wb");
         char c;    
         while (true)     
         {         
         c = fgetc(s);        
         if (c == NULL)             
           break;         
         fputc(d,c);     
         } 
    }
    Also, CornedBee, how do you use DOS commands in C++?

  6. #6
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    > char c;
    c should be declared an int.

    > if (c == NULL)
    This should be:
    Code:
         if (c == EOF)

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pobega
    I thought iostream.h and <iostream> in the header were the same thing? Oh well, here is the code;

    Code:
    void CopyFile(char* src, char* dest) {
         FILE* s;
         FILE* d;
         s = fopen(src,"rb");
         d = fopen(dest,"wb");
         char c;    
         while (true)     
         {         
         c = fgetc(s);        
         if (c == NULL)             
           break;         
         fputc(d,c);     
         } 
    }
    Also, CornedBee, how do you use DOS commands in C++?

    1. Iostream.h hasn't been part of C++ since 1998.
    2. None of your code you pasted uses iostream or C++ streams at all, you're using C functions.
    3. You never closed your files, so you could potentially have some or all of the destination file missing.
    You ever try a pink golf ball, Wally? Why, the wind shear on a pink ball alone can take the head clean off a 90 pound midget at 300 yards.

  8. #8
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    I thought that's what all of those functions like fgetc were considered, part of iostream?

    And also, I really don't know the difference between C and C++, so sorry if I put this in the wrong section. It's very confusing because I'm new to this and I'm going right into C++, so any problems I come across I put here.

  9. #9
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    No, those are C functions, from cstdio

    std::ifstream, std::ofstream, and similar classes are the C++ way (which is <fstream> not <iostream> actually).
    You ever try a pink golf ball, Wally? Why, the wind shear on a pink ball alone can take the head clean off a 90 pound midget at 300 yards.

  10. #10
    System Novice siavoshkc's Avatar
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    You need a tutorial. It is in my signature.
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  11. #11
    Frequently Quite Prolix dwks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pobega
    I thought iostream.h and <iostream> in the header were the same thing?
    No, iostream.h is the header that was prevalent before standard C++ came out. During the standardization process a new header file was created, iostream, to reflect the changes for standard C++. iostream.h is still present, although deprecated (not recommended, for it might be removed sometime in the future), to prevent breaking existing C++ code.

    Oh well, here is the code;

    Code:
    void CopyFile(char* src, char* dest) {
         FILE* s;
         FILE* d;
         s = fopen(src,"rb");
         d = fopen(dest,"wb");
         char c;    
         while (true)     
         {         
         c = fgetc(s);        
         if (c == NULL)             
           break;         
         fputc(d,c);     
         } 
    }
    fgetc() returns an int, not a char. It returns EOF on error, not NULL. (EOF can only be stored in an int, not a char.) You should also definitely check the return value of fopen() (which does return NULL on error).
    Code:
    void CopyFile(char* src, char* dest) {
         FILE* s;
         FILE* d;
         s = fopen(src,"rb");
         d = fopen(dest,"wb");
    
         // Make sure s and d aren't NULL
    
         int c;    
         while (true)     
         {
         c = fgetc(s);
         if (c == EOF)
           break;         
         fputc(d,c);     
         } 
    
         fclose(s);
         fclose(d);
    }
    [edit] And as Cat said you need to close the filestreams. [/edit]

    Also, CornedBee, how do you use DOS commands in C++?
    The system() function will execute a DOS command (at least under Windows); but it's not recommended for security reasons, speed, and portability. You shouldn't use it if you can help it.
    Last edited by dwks; 10-06-2006 at 03:30 PM.
    dwk

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  12. #12
    Cat without Hat CornedBee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dwks
    iostream.h is still present,
    Depends on where you look. Visual Studio removed it in the 2003 version.

    although deprecated
    By compilers, not the standard. The standard doesn't mention it.
    All the buzzt!
    CornedBee

    "There is not now, nor has there ever been, nor will there ever be, any programming language in which it is the least bit difficult to write bad code."
    - Flon's Law

  13. #13
    Frequently Quite Prolix dwks's Avatar
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    Odd, I thought it was deprecated. I must have been thinking of the C header files, which have turned into cheader.
    dwk

    Seek and ye shall find. quaere et invenies.

    "Simplicity does not precede complexity, but follows it." -- Alan Perlis
    "Testing can only prove the presence of bugs, not their absence." -- Edsger Dijkstra
    "The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing." -- John Powell


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  14. #14
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    >Odd, I thought it was deprecated.
    Me too. If CornedBee is saying it's not mentioned in the C++ Standard, I guess it never existed (as far as standard C++ is concerned).

  15. #15
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    Yeah, it was used in C++ before the first set of C++ standards came out. Many of the earliest standard compilers maintained it for backwards compatibility with pre-standard code, but nothing requires them to.
    Last edited by Cat; 10-06-2006 at 05:32 PM.
    You ever try a pink golf ball, Wally? Why, the wind shear on a pink ball alone can take the head clean off a 90 pound midget at 300 yards.

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