rename_file vs move_file

[monarch_dodra]

I am writing a little OS agnostic library for my team for manipulating files.

One such function is used to move/rename files (only files, not dirs). I got into a little argument with a colleague about naming: "rename" or "move"?

"move" makes more sense, but the c api calls it rename.

Is there any historic (or actual) difference between a "rename" and a "move" we could base ourselves on? Or is this purely an Apples vs Oranges?

[laserlight]

If you think of it in terms of renaming/moving a file, then whether "rename" or "move" makes more sense depends on whether the file will be in a different directory.

If you think of it in terms of changing a file path, than "rename" makes more sense than "move".

[D_Drmmr]

Another difference could be if overwriting another file with the same path as the destination is allowed. I don't know how this works on other platforms, but on Windows you cannot overwrite when using rename, but you can overwrite with move.

[GCDEF]

Another implementation difference is that rename usually can't change the device a file is on, but move can.

[monarch_dodra]

Hum...

Move it is then!

Thanks

[Richard.J]

Instead of writing your own code, wouldn't the boost::filesystem do the trick?

[monarch_dodra]

I wish, but this current project has the following restraints:
1) No templates due to compiler limitations.
2) No non in-house code.
EDIT: 3) No exceptions.


It's basically "C with classes here".

That said, I'm not completly re-writing the wheel, my interface is mostly a convenience wrapper to a lower level API.