Msdn example code (FindFirstFile, FindNextFile

Hi guys... im trying to understand some win32api functions and i saw this code in msdn page:

Code:

#include <windows.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <strsafe.h>
#include <malloc.h>

#define BUFSIZE MAX_PATH

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
   WIN32_FIND_DATA FindFileData;
   HANDLE hFind = INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE;
   DWORD dwError;
   LPSTR DirSpec;
   size_t length_of_arg;


   DirSpec = (LPSTR) malloc (BUFSIZE);
   
   // Check for command-line parameter; otherwise, print usage.
   if(argc != 2)
   {
      printf("Usage: Test <dir>\n");
      return 2;
   }

   // Check that the input is not larger than allowed.
   StringCbLength(argv[1], BUFSIZE, &length_of_arg);
   if (length_of_arg > (BUFSIZE - 2))
   {
      printf("Input directory is too large.\n");
      return 3;
   }

   printf ("Target directory is %s.\n", argv[1]);

   // Prepare string for use with FindFile functions.  First, 
   // copy the string to a buffer, then append '\*' to the 
   // directory name.
   StringCbCopyN (DirSpec, BUFSIZE, argv[1], length_of_arg+1);
   StringCbCatN (DirSpec, BUFSIZE, "\\*", 3);

   // Find the first file in the directory.
   hFind = FindFirstFile(DirSpec, &FindFileData);

   if (hFind == INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE) 
   {
      printf ("Invalid file handle. Error is %u.\n", GetLastError());
      return (-1);
   } 
   else 
   {
      printf ("First file name is %s.\n", FindFileData.cFileName);
      
						// List all the other files in the directory.
      while (FindNextFile(hFind, &FindFileData) != 0) 
      {
         printf ("Next file name is %s.\n", FindFileData.cFileName);
      }
    
      dwError = GetLastError();
      FindClose(hFind);
      if (dwError != ERROR_NO_MORE_FILES) 
      {
         printf ("FindNextFile error. Error is %u.\n", dwError);
         return (-1);
      }
   }

   free(DirSpec);
   return (0);
}

Well, this code is for return all files in a directory... but look at the output:

Code:

Target directory is c:\test.
Fist file name is ..
Next file name is ...
Next file name is testdirectory1.
Next file name is tesfile1.bmp
Next file name is testfile2.bmp

Why the 2nd and 3rd lines of the input goes like this?
How to fix it?
Thanks =]

Originally Posted by Probose

printf ("First file name is %s.\n", FindFileData.cFileName);
printf ("Next file name is %s.\n", FindFileData.cFileName);
[/code]
Well, this code is for return all files in a directory... but look at the output:

Code:

Target directory is c:\test.
Fist file name is ..
Next file name is ...
Next file name is testdirectory1.
Next file name is tesfile1.bmp
Next file name is testfile2.bmp

Why the 2nd and 3rd lines of the input goes like this?
How to fix it?
Thanks =]

It's not a problem. The functions return all files and directories in a given directory. All directories contain a reference to themselves which is "." and a reference to their parent directory which is "..". The output contains ".." and "..." simply because the printf format specifier ends with a fullstop.

You will see these special directories with the command "dir" in a dos command window or with "ls -a" in a terminal window on Unix.

K, i got it risby =] Thanks
And sorry for posting in the wrong section.
Cya