Deleting a File

[kvnsmnsn]

I'm at a point in my code where I need to delete a file. For right
now I'm going to use the <system()> function like so:

system( "rm Abc.Txt");

which will work. But I'm wondering, is there a better way to do this
in C? Any information on this would be greatly appreciated.

---Kevin Simonson

"You'll never get to heaven, or even to LA,
if you don't believe there's a way."
from _Why Not_

 

[Richard Tobin]

I'm at a point in my code where I need to delete a file. For right
now I'm going to use the <system()> function like so:

system( "rm Abc.Txt");

which will work.

Well, it will work on systems where the delete is "rm".

But I'm wondering, is there a better way to do this
in C?

Yes, the remove() function.

-- Richard

 

[Ben Pfaff]

I'm at a point in my code where I need to delete a file. For right
now I'm going to use the <system()> function like so:

system( "rm Abc.Txt");

which will work. But I'm wondering, is there a better way to do this
in C? Any information on this would be greatly appreciated.

#include <stdio.h>

remove ("Abc.Txt");

 

[Flash Gordon]

I'm at a point in my code where I need to delete a file. For right
now I'm going to use the <system()> function like so:

system( "rm Abc.Txt");

which will work. But I'm wondering, is there a better way to do this
in C? Any information on this would be greatly appreciated.

remove("Abc.Txt");

You should check the value returned to see if it succeeded.

 

[Martin Ambuhl]

I'm at a point in my code where I need to delete a file. For right
now I'm going to use the <system()> function like so:

system( "rm Abc.Txt");

which will work. But I'm wondering, is there a better way to do this
in C? Any information on this would be greatly appreciated.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

int main(void)
{
return remove("Abc.Txt") ? EXIT_FAILURE : 0;
}

 

[CBFalconer]

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

int main(void)
{
return remove("Abc.Txt") ? EXIT_FAILURE : 0;
}

We can improve this:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

int main(int argc, char **argv)
{ int result;

result = 0;
while (argc > 1) {
shift(); /* questionable */
if (remove(argv[0])) result = EXIT_FAILURE;
}
return result;
}

 

[Richard Bos]

Yes, the remove() function.

And, surprise, surprise, this is in the FAQ:
<http://c-faq.com/osdep/delete.html>.

Richard

 

[kvnsmnsn]

Thanks! These replies were very helpful.

 

[zero]

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

int main(int argc, char **argv)
{ int result;

result = 0;
while (argc > 1) {
shift(); /* questionable */

What does this do, and why is it questionable?

if (remove(argv[0])) result = EXIT_FAILURE;
}
return result;
}

Isn't argv[0] the executable? I would expect something like this:

while( ++argv )
{
if ( remove( *argv ) && !result )
result = EXIT_FAILURE;
}

 

[Flash Gordon]

zero wrote, On 24/04/07 19:11:

What does this do, and why is it questionable?

It is a function that Chuck did not provide, probably deliberately.

if (remove(argv[0])) result = EXIT_FAILURE;
}
return result;
}

Isn't argv[0] the executable?

I suspect that was deliberate as well.

> I would expect something like this:

while( ++argv )
{
if ( remove( *argv ) && !result )
result = EXIT_FAILURE;
}

That would not be anywhere near as much fun

 

[Walter Roberson]

We can improve this:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

int main(int argc, char **argv)
{ int result;

result = 0;
while (argc > 1) {
shift(); /* questionable */
if (remove(argv[0])) result = EXIT_FAILURE;
}
return result;
}

It appears to me that you are expecting the undefined routine
shift() to move argv to the next argv value, decrementing argc.
Or at least shift() is not defined by C89...