Using ifstream on a Mac

pacostacos

Hi guys, I'm trying to access a file in the executable's directory. The file does not open with the code provided

std::ifstream in;
  in.open(fn.toStdString(), std::ios_base::binary | std::ios_base::in);


  msgBox.setText(QFileInfo(".").absolutePath());
  msgBox.exec();

the message box outputs
"/Users/me/Qt/QtProjects/build-Desktop-Debug/first.app/Contents"

which leads me to believe that ifstream is using the wrong directory. I have a test file under "/Users/me/Qt/QtProjects/build-Desktop-Debug/" . What should I do to access the directory of my executable? Thanks!

jsulm

Hi!

What is fn?
See http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/qcoreapplication.html#applicationDirPath

pacostacos

@pacostacos said:

fn is a parameter, type QString

jsulm

@pacostacos I mean what is its content? I guess it is the path to the file you want to open?
And please check the link I provided: this way you can get the path to the directory where your executable is residing

pacostacos

Yes, fn stands for filename. it is the path to the file I want to open.
Using QCoreApplication::applicationDirPath(), I obtain
"/Users/me/Qt/QtProjects/build-Desktop-Debug/first.app/Contents/MacOS"

I have a test file under "/Users/me/Qt/QtProjects/build-Desktop-Debug/" named test.pdf that I want to open. The first.app is in that folder.

I actually just added the file to first.app/MacOS/ and it worked.... How do I include files in QT so they end up over there? thanks

Rondog

The OS X applications (*.app) are actually folders but treated in a unique way. The function applicationDirPath() is actually returning the correct folder which is a sub folder of the application bundle where the real executable lives.

I use this to deal with this situation:

	QDir								data_location;
	QString								data_path;
	
	data_path = qApp->applicationDirPath();
	
#ifdef Q_OS_MAC
	int index = data_path.lastIndexOf(".app/");
	data_path.truncate(index);
	
	index = data_path.lastIndexOf('/');
	data_path.truncate(index);
#endif
	
	data_location.setPath(data_path);

The variable 'data_path' ends up with the location of the executable (non-OSX) or the folder of the .app bundle (OSX).

One thing that I just realized looking at this code is that it will fail if the extension '.app' is not lower case (if that is even possible?). Maybe it should be something like this instead:

int index = data_path.lastIndexOf(".app/",-1,Qt::CaseInsensitive);

SGaist

Hi,

The quick and dirty way to do such testing is to add CONFIG -= app_bundle so you don't have the application bundle created and you'll be able to run your test.

Just a side note: on OS X you should not have external resources in the same folder as the executable. It should be in folder name Resources in Contents.

micland

@pacostacos said:

I actually just added the file to first.app/MacOS/ and it worked.... How do I include files in QT so they end up over there? thanks

Depending on what you want to achieve you can integrate the file as resource into your Qt application using the Qt resource system and access the file via qrc:/... so it will be available on all platforms via the same way (but only from inside our application).
See http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/resources.html