Checking for an empty file in C++

Question

Is there an easy way to check if a file is empty. Like if you are passing a file to a function and you realize it\'s empty, then you close it right away? Thanks.

E

Answer 1

char ch;
FILE *f = fopen("file.txt", "r");

if(fscanf(f,"%c",&ch)==EOF)
{
    printf("File is Empty");
}
fclose(f);

Answer 2

How about (not elegant way though )

int main( int argc, char* argv[] )
{
    std::ifstream file;
    file.open("example.txt");

    bool isEmpty(true);
    std::string line;

    while( file >> line ) 
        isEmpty = false;

        std::cout << isEmpty << std::endl;
}

Answer 3

if (nfile.eof()) // Prompt data from the Priming read:
    nfile >> CODE >> QTY >> PRICE;
else
{
    /*used to check that the file is not empty*/
    ofile << "empty file!!" << endl;
    return 1;
}

Answer 4

Ok, so this piece of code should work for you. I changed the names to match your parameter.

inFile.seekg(0, ios::end);  
if (inFile.tellg() == 0) {    
  // ...do something with empty file...  
}

Answer 5

pFile = fopen("file", "r");
fseek (pFile, 0, SEEK_END);
size=ftell (pFile);
if (size) {
  fseek(pFile, 0, SEEK_SET);
  do something...
}

fclose(pFile)

Answer 6

Seek to the end of the file and check the position:

 fseek(fileDescriptor, 0, SEEK_END);
 if (ftell(fileDescriptor) == 0) {
     // file is empty...
 } else {
     // file is not empty, go back to the beginning:
     fseek(fileDescriptor, 0, SEEK_SET);
 }

If you don't have the file open already, just use the fstat function and check the file size directly.