Trying to open a file in C++, but the file cannot be found

Question

I have an algorithm in C++ (main.cpp) and I use CLion to compile and run it. Algorithm would read strings from text file, but there is a mistake:

Could not open data.txt (file exists and placed in one folder with main.cpp)

How can I fix it and make this file "visible" to CLion?

Answer 1

If you are using fopen or something similar and just passing "data.txt", it is assumed that that file is in the current working directory of the running program (the one you just compiled).

So, either

1. Give a full path instead, like fopen("/full/path/to/data.txt"), where you use the actual full path

2. (not preferable), Move data.txt to the directory where CLion runs its compiled programs from.

(for #2, here's a hacky way to get that directory)

char buf[1024]; // hack, but fine for this
printf("%s\n", getcwd(buf, 1024));

Answer 2

1. Run/Edit configurations...
2. Select your application (on the lefthandside of the window)
3. Specify Working directory
4. Apply

Now you can fopen relatively from working directory.