Question

I am trying to move a file from one directory to another using renameTo() in java, however renameTo doesnt work (doesnt rename and move the file). Basically, I want to delete the file in one first with same file name, then copy a file from anoter directory to the same location where I deleted the file originally, then copy the new one with same name.

    //filePath = location of original file with file name appended. ex: C:\Dir\file.txt
    //tempPath = Location of file that I want to replace it to file file without the file name.  ex: C:\AnotherDir

    int pos = filePath.indexOf("C:\\Dir\\file.txt");
    //Parse out only the path, so just C:\\Dir
    String newFilePath = filePath.substring(0,pos-1);

    //I want to delete the original file
    File deletefile = new File(newFilePath,"file.txt");

    if (deletefile.exists()) {
        success = deletefile.delete();
    }


    //There is file already exists in the directory, but I am just appending .tmp at the end
    File newFile = new File(tempPath + "file.txt" + ".tmp");

    //Create original file again with same name.
    File oldFile = new File(newFilePath, "file.txt");

    success = oldFile.renameTo(newFile); // This doesnt work.

Can you tell me what I am doing wrong?

Thanks for your help.

Answer 1

You need to escape the backslashes in the string literal: "C:\\Dir\\file.txt". Or use File.separator to construct the path.

Additionally, ensure newFile‘s path is constructed properly:

File newFile = new File(tempPath + File.separator + "file.txt" + ".tmp");
                               //^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

as the commments in the posted code (...ex: C:\AnotherDir) indicate that tempPath has no trailing slash character.