Platform independent paths

G'day!

Okay, I'm writting a little portable application and I want to separate the data from the executable. What's the best way to generate/use these paths at runtime? So far I'm using the pre-processor but that's a bit ugly.

ie,

Code:

---

fp = fopen(BASE_PATH "fonts" PATH_SEP "test.fnt", "rb");

---

And BASE_PATH is generated by my makefile. Ie, on Windows it might be "C:\Program Files\xxx\" or "/usr/share/xxx/" on Linux.

Or generating them at runtime, but then I need to free them if I use the heap!

Thanks!
Zac

PS: This is the board of best fit, General didn't make sense. Nor did the Linux or Windows boards :-)

How about...?

Code:

---

fp = fopen(BASE_PATH "fonts/test.fnt", "rb");

---

You don't need to. The Windows API handles '/' and converts it to '\' for you. Give it a try.
But of course the command line doesn't handle '/', so if you're using the system() call you'd need to make the paths correct.

Hmm thanks :-)

The other solution (should you be in a situation where / isn't translated in windows, or you are moving a Windows app to Linux), is to form the path as usual, and then replace fopen() with a macro like this:

Code:

---

// 0myfopen.h or osdep.h (as you are bound to have other functions that are specific to a partciular system)
#define fopen(x, y) myfopen(x, y)
FILE *myfopen(const char *fname, const char *mode);


....

// myfopen.c or linux/win/macosdep.c
#undef fopen()
FILE *myfopen(const char *fname, const char *mode)
{
    FILE *f;
    char *tmpname = convert(fname);
    if (tmpname)
    {
        f = fopen(tmpname, mode);
        free(tmpname);
        return f;
    }
    // Error message??
    return NULL;
}

---

Convert would allocate a new copy of the string and translate as appropriate.

--
Mats

Thanks matsp :). I'll have to use that anyway when I do runtime detection of a writeable path ie a home directory or "My Documents".

I believe Windows API translates '/' to '\' due to backwards compatibility, but I don't think Microsoft will rip that out anytime soon, so I think you're safe ;)