replace()

file_info xtd::io::file_info::replace	(	const xtd::string &	destination_file_name,
		const xtd::string &	destination_backup_file_name
	)

Replaces the contents of a specified file with the file described by the current xtd::io::file_info object, deleting the original file, and creating a backup of the replaced file.

Parameters

destination_file_name	The name of a file to replace with the current file.
destination_backup_file_name	The name of a file with which to create a backup of the file described by the destFileName parameter.

Returns

A xtd::io::file_info object that encapsulates information about the file described by the destFileName parameter.

Exceptions

xtd::argument_exception	The path described by the destFileName parameter was not of a legal form. -or- The path described by the destBackupFileName parameter was not of a legal form.
xtd::io::file_not_found_exception	The file described by the current xtd::io::file_info object could not be found. -or- The file described by the destinationFileName parameter could not be found.
xtd::platform_not_supported_exception	The current operating system is not Microsoft Windows NT or later.

Examples

The following example uses the xtd::io::file_info::replace method to replace a file with another file and create a backup of the replaced file.

#include <xtd/io/file>
#include <xtd/io/file_info>
#include <xtd/console>
#include <xtd/startup>
 
using namespace xtd;
using namespace xtd::io;
 
class program {
public:
  static auto main() {
    try {
      // original_file and file_to_replace must contain the path to files that already exist in the
      // file system. backup_of_file_to_replace is created during the execution of the Replace method.
      
      auto original_file = "test.txt"_s;
      auto file_to_replace = "test2.txt"_s;
      auto backup_of_file_to_replace = "test2.txt.bak"_s;
      
      if (file::exists(original_file) && file::exists(file_to_replace)) {
        console::write_line("Move the contents of " + original_file + " into " + file_to_replace + ", delete " + original_file + ", and create a backup of " + file_to_replace + ".");
        
        // Replace the file.
        replace_file(original_file, file_to_replace, backup_of_file_to_replace);
        
        console::write_line("Done");
      } else
        console::write_line("Either the file {0} or {1} doesn't exist.", original_file, file_to_replace);
    } catch (const system_exception& e) {
      console::write_line(e.message());
    }
    
    console::read_key();
  }
  
  // Move a file into another file, delete the original, and create a backup of the replaced file.
  static void replace_file(const string& file_to_move_and_delete, const string& file_to_replace, const string& backup_of_file_to_replace) {
    // Create a new file_info object.
    auto f_info = file_info {file_to_move_and_delete};
    
    // replace the file.
    f_info.replace(file_to_replace, backup_of_file_to_replace);
  }
};
 
startup_(program::main);
 
// This code produces the following output :
//
// Move the contents of test.txt into test2.txt, delete test.txt, and create a backup of test2.txt.
// Done

Remarks

The Replace method replaces the contents of a specified file with the contents of the file described by the current xtd::io::file_info object. It also creates a backup of the file that was replaced. Finally, it returns a new xtd::io::file_info object that describes the overwritten file.

Pass an empty string ("") to the dest_backup_file_name parameter if you do not want to create a backup of the file being replaced.