detecting a machine on the network, and checking if a file exists

[guidoD]

Does anyone know how to check if a machine on the network is on or off in C++? (just like performing the DOS command: C:\>PING machineName)

Also, what is the most efficient way to find out if a file exists at a certain pathname?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[JIA3EP]

I think fopen("\\\\machineName\\someShares\\...", ...) should work fine.

 

[guidoD]

Thanks, but won't fopen(\\\\device\\...) open the file if it's there? I just want to check for it's existence.

 

[sskumar]

I don't know about Computer on network But to find a file or path use _access(); for syntax Please see MSDN Help

 

[qednick]

Ping? Try using the system() command - whatever parameters you stick in there are executed just like a dos command:

[tt]#include <process.h>

void main( void )
{
system(&quot;ping microsoft.com&quot;
}
[/tt]

^{programmer (prog'ram'er), n A hot-headed, anorak wearing, pimple-faced computer geek.}​

 

[guidoD]

I tried the system(dos_command), but it returns 0 if the command ran successful. So if I ping a machine using this command, it is always going to return 0 whether the machine &quot;replied&quot; or &quot;request timed out&quot;.

 

[qednick]

i forgot to mention - the output is sent to STDOUT which is the equivalent of writing the output to the console. All you need to do is is check the output in STDOUT

^{programmer (prog'ram'er), n A hot-headed, anorak wearing, pimple-faced computer geek.}​

 

[guidoD]

thanks qednik, but what exactly is STDOUT? a string? a file? how do I check it's contents?

 

[mingis]

system(&quot;ping microsoft.com > outfile.lst&quot;
after that analyse contents of file outfile.lst