CopyFile Function does not accept any type

[Chaost]

I'm trying to create a program that will copy a folder automatically every 240 minute (or every 4 hour). I found the CopyFile function would suit my needs.

The problem I am experiencing is that no matter what type of string or character array I put into the first two arguments wont get accepted.

#include "stdafx.h"
#include <iostream>
#include <Windows.h>

using namespace std;

int timer();

int main()
{
	while (1)
	{
		const char * f = "test.txt";
		const char * newF = "test1.txt";

		int timerV = timer();

		if (timerV == 240) //240 minutes
			if (CopyFile(f, newF, false))
			{

			}
                        else
                        	cout << "Failed to execute copy.\n";
		else
			cout << "Failed to execute copy.\n";
	}

	cin.get();

    return 0;
}

int timer()
{
	int time = 0;

	while (time < 240) //240 minutes
	{
		Sleep(60000); //1 minute
		time++; //add 1
	}

	return time;
}

I've tried using a regular character array, a string object, const char, like I used in this example, and also typing the string directly into the function, not using a variable, like so:

CopyFile("test.txt", "test1.txt", false)

When trying to compile any of these I get the error "argument of type (type) is incompatible with parameter of type "LPCWSTR""

Nothing seems to work..

[Repeater]

In what way are they "not accepted"? Does the code not compile?

[Chaost]

Sorry, forgot to add the error, I have edited the question now, its at the bottom

[Repeater]

This is a problem involving VS project settings and unicode and so on.

Try sticking _T in front of your strings:

CopyFile(_T("test.txt"), _T("test1.txt"), false)

[Chaost]

This works, thank you. However, I need variables to get this working the way I want it to, I'm just lost at which type I should use

[Repeater]

Perhaps std::string objects: CopyFile(_T(some_string_object.c_str()), _T(some_other_string_object.c_str()), false)

[Chervil]

Another alternative - and this applies to many windows functions, is to add the suffix A for ordinary characters and W for wide-characters. Hence CopyFile becomes CopyFileA.

    if (!CopyFileA(f, newF, false))
    {
        cout << "Failed to execute copy.\n";    
    }

[Repeater]

As an aside, if you're using a recent MS compiler, it will have support for the experimental C++ filesystem library and you can just use that, without having to worry about unicode/wide/ordinary/etc.

[Chervil]

Chaost wrote:

When using this code, the "result" variable outputs "0", that's it. I don't get any errors or warnings in my compiler either.

That's good, isn't it?

From the reference page,

MSDN wrote:

Return value

Type: HRESULT

If this function succeeds, it returns S_OK. Otherwise, it returns an HRESULT error code.

Looking up the meaning of S_OK, it has the value 0.

    TCHAR documents[MAX_PATH];
    HRESULT result = SHGetFolderPath(NULL, CSIDL_PERSONAL, NULL, SHGFP_TYPE_CURRENT, documents);

    if (result == S_OK)
        cout << "Path: " << documents << '\n';    
    else
        cout << "Error: returrn value = " << result << '\n'; 

References:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb762181(v=vs.85).aspx

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa378137(v=vs.85).aspx