How can i pass a string literal like ("~/test/foo") in mkdir function in C programming?

Question

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Why mkdir fails to work with tilde (~)?

i'm trying to create a directory in a C program and i use the mkdir function. My program is as follows:

 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>

 #define MKDIR(x)  mkdir(x)

 int main() {

      //If i do mkdir("foo"), the dir is created 

      mkdir("~/test/foo"); //Directory foo not created inside test dir
 }

The dir foo isn't created in Test dir.

But how can i achieve that? Thanks, in advance

score 9 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 26 '11 at 19:57

9

mkdir() function doesn't expand ~ shortcut, you'll have to pull the value from the HOME environment variable. (see man getenv).

answered Nov 26 '11 at 19:57

Michael Krelin - hacker

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Thanks, for replying. I tested with the HOME variable. In the program i have to make, i shall not create a dir in the home directory, but in a destination folder which is not in my home directory.Is there any other way to define the specific path of the mkdir function without using getenv? – programmer Nov 26 '11 at 20:06
If it's not in the home dir, then you can specify full path like `"/home/youraccount/test/foo"` as literal. – Michael Krelin - hacker Nov 26 '11 at 20:07
Yeah, it's working and i also used system("mkdir /test/foo") in order to create a dir.Is system() function slower that mkdir()? – programmer Nov 26 '11 at 20:59
1

tons slower. Of course you have the benefit of being able to run `mkdir -p`, but you have to escape the directory name if it contains spaces or something worse than that, you can, of course, use `exec*` to run `mkdir`, but, honestly, I think creating directories one by one (if you actually need `-p`) is easier. In short, if you're doing it in c — do it in c. – Michael Krelin - hacker Nov 26 '11 at 21:30

perreal · Answer 2 · 2011-11-26T20:09:11.167

check wordexp: http://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/7908799/xsh/wordexp.html

#include <wordexp.h>                                                            
#include <stdio.h>                                                              
int main() {                                                                    
  wordexp_t p;                                                                  
  if (wordexp("~/", &p, 0)==0) {                                                
    printf("%s\n", p.we_wordv[0]);                                              
    wordfree(&p);                                                               
  }                                                                             
  return 0;                                                                     
}

How can i pass a string literal like ("~/test/foo") in mkdir function in C programming?

2 Answers2