Improving Code for File Path Creation in C++

Can you improve the following code: out_vrt_file = mylib::join_path(mylib::strprintf("/tmp"), mylib::strprintf("%s.vrt", uuid_name.c_str()));

Certainly! The code you provided is functional, but it can be improved for readability and efficiency. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Avoid Redundant strprintf Calls: Since "/tmp" is a constant string, there's no need to use strprintf for it.
2. Use std::filesystem (C++17 and later): If you are using C++17 or later, you can use the std::filesystem library to handle paths more cleanly and portably.

Here is the improved version of your code:

Using std::filesystem (C++17 and later)

#include <filesystem>
#include <string>

namespace fs = std::filesystem;

std::string out_vrt_file = (fs::path("/tmp") / (uuid_name + ".vrt")).string();

Without std::filesystem

If you are not using C++17 or later, you can still improve the code by simplifying the string concatenation:

#include <string>

std::string out_vrt_file = "/tmp/" + uuid_name + ".vrt";

Explanation:

1. Using std::filesystem:

   • fs::path("/tmp") creates a path object for the /tmp directory.
   • uuid_name + ".vrt" concatenates the UUID name with the .vrt extension.
   • The / operator is overloaded in std::filesystem::path to concatenate paths.
   • .string() converts the fs::path object back to a std::string.

2. Without std::filesystem:

   • The code simply concatenates the strings using the + operator, which is straightforward and efficient.

Both versions are more readable and maintainable than the original code. If you have access to C++17 or later, I recommend using std::filesystem for better path handling.