Check if files exists (given by command line arguments) - c

Question

I have to a do C program that uses the unix environment. I have already purchased the "Advancing Programming in the Unix Environment" book and it has helped out a lot so far. However, some of my questions have gone unanswered and I'm looking for some help.
I'm trying to write a program that can verify if the first and second arguments entered if a copy program exist. If the first argument does not exist, then an error message and exit must occur. If the second argument does exist, then an overwrite prompt must be displayed. I'm not exactly sure how to verify if a file already exists or not basically.
I have seen a few people saying that you can do (!-e) or something like that to verify the file existing/not existing.
If anyone could help me, I'd really appreciate it.

Answer 1

The access() function is designed to tell you if a file exists (or is readable, writeable or executable).
#include <unistd.h>
int result;
const char *filename = "/tmp/myfile";
result = access (filename, F_OK); // F_OK tests existence also (R_OK,W_OK,X_OK).
// for readable, writeable, executable
if ( result == 0 )
{
printf("%s exists!!\n",filename);
}
else
{
printf("ERROR: %s doesn't exist!\n",filename);
}

Answer 2

in your int main(int argc, char** argv) { block.
if (argc == 3) {
// then there were 3 arguments, the program name, and two parameters
} else if (argc == 2) {
// then prompt for the "second" argument, as the program name and one
// parameter exists
} else {
// just print out the usage, as we have a non-handled number of arguments
}
now if you want to verify that the file exists, that's different than verifying that the program argument exists. Basically attempt to open the file and read from it, but pay close attention to catching the integer error codes and checking them for errors. This will prevent your program from progressing into bits where those critical operations are assumed to have worked.
There is a common, yet misguided conception among new programmers when dealing with files in C. Basically, one really wants to make sure that a specific block of code works (the copying block in your case), so they check, check, and double-check conditions before the block is executed. Check if the file exists, check if it has correct permissions, check that it isn't a directory, etc. My recommendation is that you not do this.
Your copying block should be able to fail properly, just as properly as it should be able to succeed. If it fails, then typically you have all the information necessary to print out a meaningful error message. Should you check first and then act there will always be a small time gap between the check and action, and that time gap will eventually see the file removed or altered after the checks have passed, yet before it is read. Under such a scenario all of the pre-checking code failed to provide any benefit.
Code without benefit is just a nesting ground for future bugs and architectural problems. Don't waste your time writing code that has dubious (or no) benefit. When you suspect that some code you have written has little benefit, you need to restructure your code to put it in the right place. When you suspect that code someone else has written has little benefit, you need to first doubt your suspicions. It is trivially easy to not see the motivations behind a piece of code, and even more so when just starting out in a new language.
Good Luck!
--- code for the weary ---
#include <errorno.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
extern int errno;
int main(int argc, char** argv) {
// to hold our file descriptor
FILE *fp;
// reset any possible previously captured errors
errno = 0;
// open the file for reading
fp = fopen(argv[1], "r");
// check for an error condition
if ( fp == 0 && errno != 0 ) {
// print the error condition using the system error messages, with the
// additional message "Error occurred while opening file"
perror("Error occurred while opening file.\n");
// terminate the program with a non-successful status
exit(1);
}
}