std::experimental::filesystem::is_block_file

Header: <experimental/filesystem>

Checks if the given file status or path corresponds to a block special file, as if determined by the POSIX S_ISBLK. Examples of block special files are block devices such as /dev/sda or /dev/loop0 on Linux.

# Declarations

bool is_block_file( file_status s );

(filesystem TS)

bool is_block_file( const path& p );
bool is_block_file( const path& p, error_code& ec ) noexcept;

(filesystem TS)

# Parameters

# Return value

true if the file indicated by p or if the type indicated s refers to a block device. The non-throwing overload returns false if an error occurs.

# Notes

The information provided by this function is usually also provided as a byproduct of directory iteration. During directory iteration, calling is_block_file(*iterator) is less efficient than is_block_file(iterator->status()).

# Example

#include <cstdio>
#include <cstring>
#include <experimental/filesystem>
#include <fstream>
#include <iostream>
#include <sys/socket.h>
#include <sys/stat.h>
#include <sys/un.h>
#include <unistd.h>
 
namespace fs = std::experimental::filesystem;
 
void demo_status(const fs::path& p, fs::file_status s)
{
    std::cout << p;
    // alternative: switch(s.type()) { case fs::file_type::regular: ... }
    if (fs::is_regular_file(s))
        std::cout << " is a regular file\n";
    if (fs::is_directory(s))
        std::cout << " is a directory\n";
    if (fs::is_block_file(s))
        std::cout << " is a block device\n";
    if (fs::is_character_file(s))
        std::cout << " is a character device\n";
    if (fs::is_fifo(s))
        std::cout << " is a named IPC pipe\n";
    if (fs::is_socket(s))
        std::cout << " is a named IPC socket\n";
    if (fs::is_symlink(s))
        std::cout << " is a symlink\n";
    if (!fs::exists(s))
        std::cout << " does not exist\n";
}
 
int main()
{
    // create files of different kinds
    fs::create_directory("sandbox");
    std::ofstream("sandbox/file"); // create regular file
    fs::create_directory("sandbox/dir");
    mkfifo("sandbox/pipe", 0644);
    struct sockaddr_un addr;
    addr.sun_family = AF_UNIX;
    std::strcpy(addr.sun_path, "sandbox/sock");
    int fd = socket(PF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
    bind(fd, (struct sockaddr*)&addr, sizeof addr);
    fs::create_symlink("file", "sandbox/symlink");
 
    // demo different status accessors
    for (auto it = fs::directory_iterator("sandbox"); it != fs::directory_iterator(); ++it)
        demo_status(*it, it->symlink_status()); // use cached status from directory entry
    demo_status("dev/null", fs::status("/dev/null")); // direct calls to status
    demo_status("dev/sda", fs::status("/dev/sda"));
    demo_status("sandbox/no", fs::status("/sandbox/no"));
 
    // cleanup
    close(fd);
    fs::remove_all("sandbox");
}

# See also