Stack based path conversion.

Boby Thomas P

3.79/5 (39 votes)

Apr 15, 2006

12 min read

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The following article explains a stack based method to convert absolute path to relative and vice versa.

Introduction

The following article explains a simple algorithm to convert absolute path to relative and relative to absolute. Sample code also can be found along with the article. This code can be used free of cost but at your on risk. (Test the functions properly before using.)

The code works for windows as well as Linux. A description of the algorithm is given below.

Absolute path to relative path (Abs2Rel)

Abs2Rel path function takes absolute path as input and returns relative path.

//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Method        : Abs2Rel
// Description        : Convert absolute path to relative path.
// Parameter        : pcAbsPath - Input - Absolute path
// Parameter        : pcRelPath - Output - Relative path
// Parameter        : pcCurrDir - Input - Current Dir/Reference dir path
// Return        : Relative path
// Author        : Boby Thomas Pazheparampil April 2006
//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
char * Abs2Rel(char *pcAbsPath, char *pcRelPath, char* pcCurrDir)

Operation.

Following sequence will explain the conversion process.

For example consider the abs path "/cygdrive/d/boby/india/boby.txt", and reference directory "/cygdrive/d/try/path_conv"

Step 1: First extract the path parameters into stacks.

tmpStackAbsPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput tmpMatchQueue






boby.txt
india		path_conv
boby		try
d		d
cygdrive		cygdrive

Step 2: Push the size difference of stacks into output stack. If the absolute path stack size is more, push the actual content of the stack "tmpStackAbsPath" into the stack "tmpStackOutput". If the size of the stack "tmpStackCurrPath" is more, add an ellipse ("..") into output path "pcRelPath".

tmpStackAbsPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput tmpMatchQueue






india	path_conv
boby	try
d	d
cygdrive	cygdrive	boby.txt

Step 3: Compare the tops of stacks "tmpStackAbsPath" and "tmpStackCurrPath". If it is matching, add into queue for later possible use. (If there is a mismatch in lower layers of stack, this queue will be used). If it is not matching like in the example above, contents of queue will be pushed to output stack. After pushing queue to "tmpStackOutput", top of "tmpStackAbsPath" will be pushed to stack "tmpStackOutput". Also an ellipse will be added to "pcRelPath", the output relative path.

tmpStackAbsPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput tmpMatchQueue







boby	try
d	d	india
cygdrive	cygdrive	boby.txt

pcRelPath = "..\"

Step 4: Repeat the same process till the end of stacks.

tmpStackAbsPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput tmpMatchQueue







		boby
D	d	india
cygdrive	cygdrive	boby.txt

pcRelPath = "..\..\"

Step 5: Repeat the same process till the end of stacks.

tmpStackAbsPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput tmpMatchQueue





			d

		boby
		india
cygdrive	cygdrive	boby.txt

pcRelPath = "..\..\"

Step 6: Repeat the same process till the end of stacks.

tmpStackAbsPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput tmpMatchQueue




						cygdrive
						d

				boby
				india
				boby.txt

pcRelPath = "..\..\"

Step 7: Once the "tmpStackAbsPath" and "tmpStackCurrPath" are exhausted, move the content of "tmpStackOutput" to the output string pcRelPath .

tmpStackAbsPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput tmpMatchQueue




						cygdrive
						d


				india
				boby.txt

pcRelPath = "..\..\boby\"

Step 8: Once the "tmpStackAbsPath" and "tmpStackCurrPath" are exhausted, move the content of "tmpStackOutput" to the output string pcRelPath .

tmpStackAbsPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput tmpMatchQueue




						cygdrive
						d



				boby.txt

pcRelPath = "..\..\boby\India\"

Step 9: Continue the process till the "tmpStackOutput" exhausts.

tmpStackAbsPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput tmpMatchQueue




						cygdrive
						d

pcRelPath = "..\..\boby\india\ boby.txt"

Relative path to absolute path (Rel2Abs)

Abs2Rel path function takes absolute path as input and returns relative path.

//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Method        : Rel2Abs
// Description    : Convert absolute path to relative path.
// Parameter    : pcRelPath - Input - Relative path
// Parameter    : pcAbsPath - Output - Absolute path
// Parameter    : pcCurrDir - Input - Current Dir/Reference dir path
// Return        : Absolute path
// Author        : Boby Thomas Pazheparampil April 2006
//------------------------------------------------------------------------------

char * Rel2Abs(char *pcRelPath, char *pcAbsPath, char* pcCurrDir)

Operation.

Following sequence will explain the conversion process.

For example consider the relative path "../../boby/../temp.txt" and reference directory "/cygdrive/d/try/path_conv"

Step 1: First extract the relative path into queue "tmpQueueRelPath".

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput




temp.txt
..
boby
..
..

Step 2: Then convert the reference path into stack "tmpStackCurrPath".

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput




temp.txt
..
boby
..		path_conv
..		try
		d
		cygdrive

Step 3: Take entries from the front of the queue "tmpQueueRelPath". If it is an ellipse, pop out the last entry in the stack "tmpStackCurrPath". If the front entry in the queue "tmpQueueRelPath" is not ellipse, push the entry into stack "tmpStackCurrPath".

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput




temp.txt
..
boby
..
		try
		d
		cygdrive

Step 4: Continue the same process until the queue "tmpQueueRelPath" exhausts.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput




temp.txt
..
boby


		d
		cygdrive

Step 5: Continue the same process until the queue "tmpQueueRelPath" exhausts.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput




temp.txt
..


		boby
		d
		cygdrive

Step 6: Continue the same process until the queue "tmpQueueRelPath" exhausts.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput




temp.txt




		d
		cygdrive

Step 7: Continue the same process until the queue "tmpQueueRelPath" exhausts.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput








		temp.txt
		d
		cygdrive

Step 8: Once the queue "tmpQueueRelPath" exhausts, pop the content of the stack "tmpStackCurrPath" and push it to the stack "tmpStackOutput".

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput









		d
		cygdrive		temp.txt

Step 9: Repeat the process till the stack "tmpStackCurrPath" exhausts.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput









				d
		cygdrive		temp.txt

Step 10: Repeat the process till the stack "tmpStackCurrPath" exhausts.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput








				cygdrive
				d
				temp.txt

Step 11: Once the stack "tmpStackCurrPath" is empty, take the content into absolute return path string.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput









				d
				temp.txt

pcAbsPath = "/cygdrive/"

Step 12: Repeat the process till stack "tmpStackOutput" is empty.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput










				temp.txt

pcAbsPath = "/cygdrive/d/"

Step 13: Repeat the process till stack "tmpStackOutput" is empty.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput

pcAbsPath = "/cygdrive/d/ temp.txt"

Summary

We can think of lots of different methods for the above implementation. Feedback about this method will be greatly appreciated. Contact me at bobypt@gmail.com.

boby

india

cygdrive

boby.txt

pcRelPath = “..\..\”

Step 5: Repeat the same process till the end of stacks.

tmpStackAbsPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput tmpMatchQueue





			d

		boby
		india
cygdrive	cygdrive	boby.txt

pcRelPath = “..\..\”

Step 6: Repeat the same process till the end of stacks.

tmpStackAbsPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput tmpMatchQueue




						cygdrive
						d

				boby
				india
				boby.txt

pcRelPath = “..\..\”

Step 7: Once the “tmpStackAbsPath” and “tmpStackCurrPath” are exhausted, move the content of “tmpStackOutput” to the output string pcRelPath .

tmpStackAbsPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput tmpMatchQueue




						cygdrive
						d


				india
				boby.txt

pcRelPath = “..\..\boby\”

Step 8: Once the “tmpStackAbsPath” and “tmpStackCurrPath” are exhausted, move the content of “tmpStackOutput” to the output string pcRelPath .

tmpStackAbsPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput tmpMatchQueue




						cygdrive
						d



				boby.txt

pcRelPath = “..\..\boby\India\”

Step 9: Continue the process till the “tmpStackOutput” exhausts.

tmpStackAbsPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput tmpMatchQueue




						cygdrive
						d

pcRelPath = “..\..\boby\india\ boby.txt”

Relative path to absolute path (Rel2Abs)

Abs2Rel path function takes absolute path as input and returns relative path.

//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Method        : Rel2Abs
// Description    : Convert absolute path to relative path.
// Parameter    : pcRelPath - Input - Relative path
// Parameter    : pcAbsPath - Output - Absolute path
// Parameter    : pcCurrDir - Input - Current Dir/Reference dir path
// Return        : Absolute path
// Author        : Boby Thomas Pazheparampil April 2006
//------------------------------------------------------------------------------

char * Rel2Abs(char *pcRelPath, char *pcAbsPath, char* pcCurrDir)

Operation.

Following sequence will explain the conversion process.

For example consider the relative path “../../boby/../temp.txt" and reference directory “/cygdrive/d/try/path_conv”

Step 1: First extract the relative path into queue “tmpQueueRelPath”.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput




temp.txt
..
boby
..
..

Step 2: Then convert the reference path into stack “tmpStackCurrPath”.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput




temp.txt
..
boby
..		path_conv
..		try
		d
		cygdrive

Step 3: Take entries from the front of the queue “tmpQueueRelPath”. If it is an ellipse, pop out the last entry in the stack “tmpStackCurrPath”. If the front entry in the queue “tmpQueueRelPath” is not ellipse, push the entry into stack “tmpStackCurrPath”.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput




temp.txt
..
boby
..
		try
		d
		cygdrive

Step 4: Continue the same process until the queue “tmpQueueRelPath” exhausts.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput




temp.txt
..
boby


		d
		cygdrive

Step 5: Continue the same process until the queue “tmpQueueRelPath” exhausts.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput




temp.txt
..


		boby
		d
		cygdrive

Step 6: Continue the same process until the queue “tmpQueueRelPath” exhausts.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput




temp.txt




		d
		cygdrive

Step 7: Continue the same process until the queue “tmpQueueRelPath” exhausts.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput








		temp.txt
		d
		cygdrive

Step 8: Once the queue “tmpQueueRelPath” exhausts, pop the content of the stack “tmpStackCurrPath” and push it to the stack “tmpStackOutput”.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput









		d
		cygdrive		temp.txt

Step 9: Repeat the process till the stack “tmpStackCurrPath” exhausts.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput









				d
		cygdrive		temp.txt

Step 10: Repeat the process till the stack “tmpStackCurrPath” exhausts.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput








				cygdrive
				d
				temp.txt

Step 11: Once the stack “tmpStackCurrPath” is empty, take the content into absolute return path string.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput









				d
				temp.txt

pcAbsPath = “/cygdrive/”

Step 12: Repeat the process till stack “tmpStackOutput” is empty.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput










				temp.txt

pcAbsPath = “/cygdrive/d/”

Step 13: Repeat the process till stack “tmpStackOutput” is empty.

tmpQueueRelPath tmpStackCurrPath tmpStackOutput

pcAbsPath = “/cygdrive/d/ temp.txt”

Summary

We can think of lots of different methods for the above implementation. Feedback about this method will be greatly appreciated. Contact me at bobypt@gmail.com.