Boost C++ Libraries

...one of the most highly regarded and expertly designed C++ library projects in the world. Herb Sutter and Andrei Alexandrescu, C++ Coding Standards

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File

The File concept abstracts access to files in the underlying file system. To support other platform interfaces, users may author their own File types which meet these requirements.

Associated Types
Requirements

In this table:

Table 1.45. Valid expressions

Expression

Type

Semantics, Pre/Post-conditions

Operation

Return Type

Semantics, Pre/Post-conditions

F()

Default constructable

f.~F()

Destructible. If f refers to an open file, it is first closed as if by a call to close with the error ignored.

f.is_open()

bool

Returns true if f refers to an open file, false otherwise.

f.close(ec)

If f refers to an open file, this function attempts to close the file. Regardless of whether an error occurs or not, a subsequent call to f.is_open() will return false. The function will ensure that !ec is true if there was no error or set to the appropriate error code if an error occurred.

f.open(p,m,ec)

Attempts to open the file at the path specified by p with the mode specified by m. Upon success, a subsequent call to f.is_open() will return true. If f refers to an open file, it is first closed as if by a call to close with the error ignored. The function will ensure that !ec is true if there was no error or set to the appropriate error code if an error occurred.

f.size(ec)

std::uint64_t

If f refers to an open file, this function attempts to determine the file size and return its value. If f does not refer to an open file, the function will set ec to errc::invalid_argument and return 0. The function will ensure that !ec is true if there was no error or set to the appropriate error code if an error occurred.

f.pos(ec)

std::uint64_t

If f refers to an open file, this function attempts to determine the current file offset and return it. If f does not refer to an open file, the function will set ec to errc::invalid_argument and return 0. The function will ensure that !ec is true if there was no error or set to the appropriate error code if an error occurred.

f.seek(o,ec)

Attempts to reposition the current file offset to the value o, which represents a byte offset relative to the beginning of the file. If f does not refer to an open file, the function will set ec to errc::invalid_argument and return immediately. The function will ensure that !ec is true if there was no error or set to the appropriate error code if an error occurred.

f.read(b,n,ec)

std::size_t

Attempts to read n bytes starting at the current file offset from the open file referred to by f. Bytes read are stored in the memory buffer at address b which must be at least n bytes in size. The function advances the file offset by the amount read, and returns the number of bytes actually read, which may be less than n. If f does not refer to an open file, the function will set ec to errc::invalid_argument and return immediately. The function will ensure that !ec is true if there was no error or set to the appropriate error code if an error occurred. If an end-of-file condition is detected prior to reading any bytes, the function will ensure that !ec is true and the return value shall be 0.

f.write(c,n,ec)

std::size_t

Attempts to write n bytes from the buffer pointed to by c to the current file offset of the open file referred to by f. The memory buffer at c must point to storage of at least n bytes meant to be copied to the file. The function advances the file offset by the amount written, and returns the number of bytes actually written, which may be less than n. If f does not refer to an open file, the function will set ec to errc::invalid_argument and return immediately. The function will ensure that !ec is true if there was no error or set to the appropriate error code if an error occurred.


Exemplar
struct File
{
    /** Default constructor

        There is no open file initially.
    */
    File();

    /** Destructor

        If the file is open it is first closed.
    */
    ~File();

    /// Returns `true` if the file is open
    bool
    is_open() const;

    /// Close the file if open
    void
    close(error_code& ec);

    /// Open a file at the given path with the specified mode
    void
    open(char const* path, file_mode mode, error_code& ec);

    /// Return the size of the open file
    std::uint64_t
    size(error_code& ec) const;

    /// Return the current position in the open file
    std::uint64_t
    pos(error_code& ec) const;

    /// Adjust the current position in the open file
    void
    seek(std::uint64_t offset, error_code& ec);

    /// Read from the open file
    std::size_t
    read(void* buffer, std::size_t n, error_code& ec) const;

    /// Write to the open file
    std::size_t
    write(void const* buffer, std::size_t n, error_code& ec);
};
Models

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