🌀 Working with files

You may want to write the results of your work to a file and/or read some data from a file.

3DCoat can do that. Use these commands:

// allows access to the file "a.txt" through variable `a`
// take a note: file will not be created here
File  a( "a.txt" );

// returns `true`, if file exists (access via `a` variable)
File  a( "a.txt" );
if ( a.exists() ) {
    // do something
}

// set a mode that allows input / output
// nor only with text symbols, but also with bytes;
// which allows you read / create your own binary files
File  a( "a.data" );
a.binary( true );

// input / output is in text format
a.binary( false );

// returnes if a file is opened in binary mode
bool  r = a.binary();

// returns file extension
File  a( "a.txt" );
string  ext = a.extension();

// returns full path (folder path and file name)
File  a( "my/folder/a.txt" );    
string  fullPath = a.fullPathFile();

// returnes file path (only folder)
File  a( "my/folder/a.txt" );
string  path = a.path();

// replaces existing file data with our text
File  a( "a.txt" );
a = "Line for demo...\n"
    "and yet one, yes!";

// adds our text to the existing data
File  a( "a.txt" );
a += "Line for demo...\n"
     "and yet one, yes!";

// replaces existing file data with our binary data
File  a( "a.bin" );
FormatBinary  bin = { 0x46, 0x4c, 0x49, 0x46 };
a = bin;

// adds our binary data to the existing file data 
File  a( "a.bin" );
FormatBinary  bin = { 0x46, 0x4c, 0x49, 0x46 };
a += bin;

// deletes file
File  a( "a.txt" );
a.remove();

You may also need to open a dialog window for file selection. Here's the list of functions available:

// Show open file dialog. List extensions like in example - *.tga;*.jpg;
// The resulting file name will be placed in result.
// Function returns true if file is successfully chosen.
DEPRECATED bool OpenDialog(string &in extensions,string &out result);

// Show save file dialog. List extensions like in example - *.tga;*.jpg;
// The resulting file name will be placed in result.
// Function returns true if file is successfully chosen.
DEPRECATED bool SaveDialog(string &in extensions,string &out result);

// Show selecting folder dialog.  The resulting file name
// will be placed in result.
// Function returns true if file is successfully chosen.
DEPRECATED bool FolderDialog(string &out result);

// Some functions in 3DCoat may engage file dialog that
// will wait user's input.
// You may skip that dialogs and provide file name
// automatically so that file dialog will return specified
// file name without waiting for user's input.
// Use empty name "" to stop automatic file dialogs skipping
// othervice all next file dialogs will be skipped and it may
// lead to loosing data.
DEPRECATED void SetFileForFileDialogs(string &in name);

// Returns true if Cancel pressed in the last file dialog.
DEPRECATED bool FileDialogCancelPressed();

Also if you prefer functional programing you may use these functions for files operations:

// Executes command, pass parameters. You may run executables,
// open webpages, open files in corresponding external editors.
DEPRECATED void Execute(const string& command, const string& parameters);
// 3DCoat script example - How to pass 3DCoat installation folder
// into python script under Linux:
    void main() {
        string instPath = installPath();
        string userFolder = homePath(); // userFolder = "/home/YourUserName"
        string pythonInterpreter = "/usr/bin/env python"; // Similar to standard "#!/usr/bin/env python"
        string pythonScript = userFolder + "/bin/testLauncher"; // Path to python script
        string arg = "-f " + "\"" + instPath + "\"";
        string app = pythonInterpreter + " " + pythonScript;
        print(app + "\n" + arg + "\n");
        Execute(app, arg);
    }

// Reads file content into the string.
DEPRECATED string ReadFromFile(const string& filename);

// Writes string content to the file.
// \param append `true` - string will be appended to file,
//               `false` - string will be overwrote a file.
DEPRECATED void WriteToFile(const string& filename,const string& text,bool append);

// Checks if file exists.
DEPRECATED bool CheckIfFileExists(const string& filename);

// Removes file from the disk.
DEPRECATED void RemoveFile(const char* filename);

// Removes a path from the `s`.
DEPRECATED string RemoveFilePath(string &in s);

// Removes a file extension from the `s`.
DEPRECATED string RemoveExtension(string &in s);

// Converts `s` to absolute path.
DEPRECATED string EnsureAbsolutePth(string &in s);

// Returns a path from the `s`.
DEPRECATED string GetFilePath(string &in s);

// Returns a file extension from the `s`.
DEPRECATED string GetFileExtension(string &in s);

// Returns a file name from the `s`.
DEPRECATED string GetFileName(string &in s);

// `true` then a file exists by the path `s`.
DEPRECATED bool CheckIfExists(string &in s);

// Creates all folders to the path `s`.
DEPRECATED void CreatePath(string &in s);

// Calls Callback for each file in folder. If Folder is empty
// used will be asked to choose file in folder.
// Callback should be declared as `void Callback(string &in Path)`.
// `ExtList` contains list of extensions like "*.jpg;*.png"
DEPRECATED void ForEachFileInFolder(string &in Folder,string &in ExtList,string &in Callback);

// Returns a path where the 3DCoat was installed.
string installPath();

// Get an absolute path including write folder of the 3DCoat.
string rwPath( const string& userPath );

// Returns a path to home directory "~" (for example "/home/YourUserName").
string homePath();