Error copying a file with different extensions in C

Question

I'm new on stackoverflow ! I have a problem with my code. I would have liked to know how can I improve my code so that it copies all kinds of files without error? For example, only .log files get copied without worry. But I would like to copy also the files .JPG, .zip, .... When I try with this kind of extension, the copy always gets an error. Thank you in advance for your answers

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

#define MAX_CHAR 255

int main(int argc, char * argv[])
{
    FILE * sourceFile = fopen(argv[1], "r");    
    FILE * destFile = fopen(argv[2], "w");    
    char line[MAX_CHAR];

    while (fgets(line, MAX_CHAR, sourceFile) != NULL)
    {
        fputs(line, destFile);
    }

    fclose(sourceFile);
    fclose(destFile);
}

You need to open the file in binary mode https://stackoverflow.com/a/5263102/7034621 — orhtej2, Dec 04 '21 at 12:05
*But I would like to copy also the files .JPG, .zip,* Those aren't text files with lines.... — Andrew Henle, Dec 04 '21 at 12:06
Ah, you're opening binary files like text ones. You need the `rb`/`wb` flags. — Cid, Dec 04 '21 at 12:06
@orhtej2 If OP is on Linux (or any other platform that doesn't differentiate text and binary streams) that won't matter. — Andrew Henle, Dec 04 '21 at 12:06
These should be helpful: https://www.google.com/search?q=c+copy+binary+file+site%3Astackoverflow.com — Andrew Henle, Dec 04 '21 at 12:08

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 04 '21 at 12:17

2

The problem is that binary files typically have strings of bytes larger than 255 bytes before a null character. Processing binary files as text simply does not work. Do not use the string functions.

answered Dec 04 '21 at 12:17

ojblass

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Error copying a file with different extensions in C

1 Answers1