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Yepp, like the thread says.
How to I search for a file on the system with my program?
Like if I need to open settings.txt but are not sure where it is.
(OUTSIDE the folder where the program is)
And save the the file location to a string.
So I can use it later.
Well, a simple but perhaps a bit contrived answer would be to concatinate the file name with various pathnames and try to open each of them. If the file opens, then you have a match.
Hmm thats just stupid.
Aint there any way to search for files?
Well, really, how do you think Windows does it when you use their search function? It's called brute-forcing.
If you're using windows check out this site:-
http://www.adrianxw.dk/SoftwareSite/...irstFile1.html
But if you don't know where your file might be and you have to recursively search your c: drive be prepared for a long wait?
:confused:
Yes, that type of brute-forcing would not be a good idea, and it is not how an OS searches for files.
Depending on your OS, there are file finding methods available to do the searching for you. Check the FAQ, I believe it has some options, or search the board.
As long as your careful with how you open the files, I don't see what harm you could do.Quote:
Originally Posted by Daved
...it also depends on how deep you want to get into searching... for example, is your program just a dedicated searching tool (like how google started)? then it'll be worth it to look into some hardcore searching algorithms, but if if it's just doing a quick search, don't worry too much about it.
if you're going the route of brute-forcing, I'd check each directory recursively. I don't know why you'd need to check an entire system for a file though, seeing as if you know it should/could be there, you probably know some of the most common places it'd be.
I'd ask if they have the file, if they say 'yes' or 'idk', then tell them you're going to try to find it. search common places, and if it's not there, ask them if they know where it is. if they say 'yes' and give you a valid location, yay. if they say 'yes' and give you an invalid location, tell them and give them the option to try again or create the file. if they don't know if they have it or know they don't, just create it.