cannot convert 'std::string {aka std::basic_string}' to 'const char' for argument '1' to 'int system(const char)

Question

I have the following code that stimulate as a folder lock:

#include<iostream>
#include<conio.h>
#include<windows.h>
#include<string>
#include<fstream>
#include<process.h>
#define max 100

using namespace std;

struct folder_all{
       std::string name;
       std::string location;
       };

int main(){
     folder_all folder[max];
     int n;

     cout<<"\n\n\t\t\tFolder Locker"<<endl;

if (std::ifstream("data"))
{

cout<<"\n\n\tYour Folders are safe with us"<<endl;
cout<<"Enter your password to unlock(Password will not be visible): ";

HANDLE inHandle = GetStdHandle(STD_INPUT_HANDLE);
DWORD mode;
GetConsoleMode(inHandle, &mode); 
SetConsoleMode(inHandle, mode & ~ENABLE_ECHO_INPUT);

std::string inpass;
cin>>inpass;

SetConsoleMode(inHandle, mode);

}
else{
     cout<<"\nNo. of folders to be locked: ";
     cin>>n;
HANDLE inHandle = GetStdHandle(STD_INPUT_HANDLE);
DWORD mode; 
GetConsoleMode(inHandle, &mode); 
SetConsoleMode(inHandle, mode & ~ENABLE_ECHO_INPUT);

//read the password
std::string password;
cout<<"\nEnter the password(password will not be visible): ";

cin>>password; 

/
SetConsoleMode(inHandle, mode); 
cout<<"\n\n"<<endl;
     for(int i=0; i<n; i++){
            cout<<"Enter folder "<<i+1<<" details:"<<endl<<endl;
            cout<<"Folder Name: ";
            cin>>folder[i].name;
            cout<<"Folder Location: "<<endl<<"\tEnter in following format 'Drivelabel://parent-folder/child-folder/folder'"<<endl;
            cout<<"\tfor example C://desktop/pics/your-folder"<<endl;
            cin>>folder[i].location;
}

 std::ofstream o("data");

      o <<password<<std::endl;
      for(int j=0; j<n; j++){
        o<<folder[j].location<<std::endl;
      }
system("attrib +h +s +r data");

std::string fold;

for(int k=0; k<n; k++){
       std::string f = folder[k].location ;
   fold = "attrib +h +s +r " + f + " ";
    system(fold); //this line gives me a error
}
cout<<"\nYour folder/s have been locked"<<endl;
cout<<"\nThis application will now exit"<<endl;
exit(0);

  }
}

The code asks the user for a password and then it saves it in a file data and hides the file. When user enters the location of the folder to be locked it then also hide it. but it is not working properly for 1 error the error is:

main.cpp|79|error: cannot convert 'std::string {aka std::basic_string}' to 'const char*' for argument '1' to 'int system(const char*)'|

How to resolve it?

That error should be pretty self explanatory if you *just read it*. — Some programmer dude, Mar 13 '15 at 17:02
That is a lot of mainly irrelevant code for a trivial problem. You should really try to construct an MCVE. — juanchopanza, Mar 13 '15 at 17:02
system takes a `char*` not a `std::string`. Use `fold.c_str()` to pass a `char*` to `system()`. — NathanOliver, Mar 13 '15 at 17:03

score 5 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 13 '15 at 17:00

5

Use the c_str() method:

system(fold.c_str());

answered Mar 13 '15 at 17:00

BartoszKP

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cannot convert 'std::string {aka std::basic_string}' to 'const char*' for argument '1' to 'int system(const char*)

1 Answers1

cannot convert 'std::string {aka std::basic_string}' to 'const char' for argument '1' to 'int system(const char)