Checking Output of File Operations: How to Open & View a Text File

In summary, the conversation discusses how to see the output of a file operation in C++. The snippet provided will create a file named a.txt in the current working directory, which can vary depending on how and where the program is run. The experts also mention that there may be differences in how the current working directory is obtained on Windows and UNIX systems. Additionally, they comment on the use of void main() instead of int main() and provide reassurance to a novice programmer who may have doubts about file operations. Finally, they address the possibility of encountering an error when opening a saved C++ program.
  • #1
jyothsna pb
42
0
how to see the output of a file operation?

eg void main()
{ int a;
cin>>a;
ofstream o("a.txt");
o<<a;
o.close();
}

does the text file "a" come into existence? can we open it?
 
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  • #2
The snippet you post there will create a file named a.txt in the "present working directory", sometimes called the "current working directory". What this directory is will depend on how and on what operating system you ran the program. If you ran the program by clicking on a .exe or something, the cwd will probably be the same directory as the exe. If you ran the program by selecting something like "Build and run" in an IDE, the cwd will be unpredictable and depend on what IDE you are using. Probably it will be inside a directory in your project directory named "build" or "debug" or something.

A program can get its own cwd but the way you do this depends on whether you are on Windows or a UNIX...
 
  • #3
If you run the program from the Unix command line, the output file will probably be in whatever your cwd is when you run the program.

Oh wow, are there still books out there that teach people to use void main() instead of int main()?
 
Last edited:
  • #4
thanx 4 all the replies i did open the file
we just started with file operations in our school so the doubts may sound a lil silly :P
 
  • #5
what if we get an initial error invalid drive or directory while opening a saved c++ program?
 

Related to Checking Output of File Operations: How to Open & View a Text File

1. How do I open a text file in my computer?

To open a text file, you can use a text editor or a programming language such as Python. Simply right-click on the file and select "Open with" to choose your preferred text editor. Alternatively, you can use the "open()" function in Python to open the text file.

2. How do I view the contents of a text file?

Once the text file is opened, you can view its contents by scrolling through the document or using the "Find" function to search for specific keywords. You can also use the "print()" function in Python to display the contents of the file in the console.

3. How can I check if a text file is empty?

To check if a text file is empty, you can use the "os.stat()" function in Python to get the file size. If the file size is 0, then the file is empty. You can also open the file and check if there is any content using the methods mentioned in the previous questions.

4. What should I do if I encounter an error while opening a text file?

If you encounter an error while opening a text file, it could be due to various reasons such as incorrect file path or file permissions. Double-check the file path and make sure you have the necessary permissions to access the file. If the issue persists, you can try using a different text editor or programming language.

5. Can I edit the contents of a text file without opening it?

No, you cannot edit the contents of a text file without opening it. Opening the file is necessary to access and modify its contents. However, you can use file handling methods in programming languages like Python to read, modify, and write the contents of the file without manually opening it.

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