Finding a directory using a partial path name

[Sigmathaar]

Hi, while making an XML parser for the creation of an entire directory
list I got this problem and I'm having trouble solving it. The program
(not yet written) goes through an XML Schema Instance to create some
directories (about 5000).

While creating the directories the XML file that I'm parsing is
alphabetically ordered not hierarchically and I can't allow the program
to stock the path names for each brach on the directory tree.

The XML file looks something like this :

<Object>
<term>America</term>
<topTerm>Continents</topTerm>
<broaderTerm>Continents</broaderTerm>
<narrowerTerm>USA</narrowerTerm>
<narrowerTerm>Mexico</narrowerTerm>
</Object>
<Object>
<term>Colorado</term>
<topTerm>Continents</topTerm>
<broaderTerm>USA</broaderTerm>
<narrowerTerm>Denver</narrowerTerm>
</Object>
<Object>
<term>Continents</term>
<narrowerTerm>America</narrowerTerm>
<narrowerTerm>Europe</narrowerTerm>
</Object>
<Object>
<term>Denver</term>
<topTerm>Continents</topTerm>
<broaderTerm>Colorado</broaderTerm>
</Object>
<Object>
<term>USA</term>
<topTerm>Continents</topTerm>
<broaderTerm>America</broaderTerm>
<narrowerTerm>Colorado</narrowerTerm>
<narrowerTerm>Detroit</narrowerTerm>
<narrowerTerm>Los Angeles</narrowerTerm>
</Object>

The topTerm is the root of my directory tree, each term can have a
generic node (parent) and a specific node (child) without any limits of
depth. On the example we have :

Contients->America->USA->Colorado->Denver

This is the algorith we came with for creating the directory tree :

Get list of objects
Go to first object
While there are any objects
If topTerm != NULL
If directory "topTerm" exists
If directory "broaderTerm" exists somewhere in "topTerm"
directory
Create directory "term" in "broaderTerm"
Destroy object
End If
Else
Create directory "topTerm"
End If
Else
If directory "term" doesn't exist // If you are here term is
the root of the tree
Create directory "term"
End If
End If
Go to next object
End While

As you can see whenever I try to create a new directory I just have
partial path name,I can't use the usual mkdir POSIX function and this
for every directory exept the root. If somebody knows of a fonction
that allows to find a directory using a partial path name I could use
it to create the directory tree, if not I may change the algorith for
something less practical unless you got a better idea.

Tanks.

 

[mlimber]

Hi, while making an XML parser for the creation of an entire directory
list I got this problem and I'm having trouble solving it. The program
(not yet written) goes through an XML Schema Instance to create some
directories (about 5000).

[snip]

All this is off-topic here. See the FAQ for what is on-topic:

http://www.parashift.com/c++-faq-lite/how-to-post.html#faq-5.9

As you can see whenever I try to create a new directory I just have
partial path name,I can't use the usual mkdir POSIX function and this
for every directory exept the root. If somebody knows of a fonction
that allows to find a directory using a partial path name I could use
it to create the directory tree, if not I may change the algorith for
something less practical unless you got a better idea.

You might look into Boost's filesystem library
(http://boost.org/libs/filesystem/doc/index.htm). Not sure if it will
do what you want, as I didn't wade through your post in detail.

Cheers! --M

 

[Sigmathaar]

mlimber wroter :

All this is off-topic here.

I don't get you, why is my post off topic? The question is about C++
not XML, my problem basically is that I can't use the POSIX mkdif
function since I don't know the entire path name of the directory I
want to create.

Can you explain me why do you think my post is off topic?

 

[Sigmathaar]

mlomber wrote :

All this is off-topic here. See the FAQ for what is on-topic:

I don't get you, why is my post of topic? I've read the FAQ and I don't
really see any problem in my topic. The question is not about XML, it's
about C++, I'm trying to create a directory without knowing his entire
name. I have someting like this :

root/.../something/mydir

My problem is that since I don't know what is in the "..." I can not
use the POSIX mkdir function. Can you please explain me why do you
think my post is of topic so I can't go somewhere else to get help with
my problem??

 

[Ben Pope]

mlimber wroter :

I don't get you, why is my post off topic? The question is about C++
not XML, my problem basically is that I can't use the POSIX mkdif
function since I don't know the entire path name of the directory I
want to create.

Can you explain me why do you think my post is off topic?

POSIX extensions are off-topic.

This group is for C++ language issues. Unfortunately external libraries
are not topical. Boost is an oft mentioned library here, but it's
specifics are also off-topic.

HTH

Ben Pope

 

[mlimber]

mlomber wrote :

I don't get you, why is my post of topic? I've read the FAQ and I don't
really see any problem in my topic.

From the cited FAQ: "[Y]our question must be answerable by looking into

the C++ language definition as determined by the ISO/ANSI C++ Standard
document, and by planned extensions and adjustments."

The question is not about XML, it's about C++,

Actually, it's about doing something that the standard C++ language
doesn't innately support, so it's *not* about C++ proper, which is the
sole topic of this newsgroup. (Of course there is some leeway, but
algorithms like the one you posted are generally also outside the scope
of this group.)

I'm trying to create a directory without knowing his entire
name. I have someting like this :

root/.../something/mydir

My problem is that since I don't know what is in the "..." I can not
use the POSIX mkdir function. Can you please explain me why do you
think my post is of topic so I can't go somewhere else to get help with
my problem??

This is a much simpler description of the problem, and it is probably
what you should have posted in the first place. You could always add
detail if it is needed. However, it is still off-topic in this C++
*language* forum, but here's a brief answer:

You can't access a file or directory by absolute pathname if you don't
know the whole path. It's simply non-sensical to try. You might
consider using relative pathnames instead by changing to (or storing)
each subdirectory as it comes up.

Try comp.programming or an OS-specific newsgroup if that doesn't
suffice.

Cheers! --M

 

[Sigmathaar]

Thanks for the answer, I guess it is off topic, I'll try to find some
help somewhere else.