Doing it in Batch and doing it in C are almost complete polar opposite sides of the spectrum when you're talking about doing something like that.

Automating series of commands into a script (which is what you want to do) is in the realm of Batch. Doing that in C would require you to know a lot more, and doesn't really make sense.

Just KISS and use a Batch job to do your bidding.

*note to other users: This is one of the rare exceptions that I will endorse the use of a Batch file. He is simply wanting to make a trivial set of tasks easier... rather than trying to do childish bullshit to 'hack' the command prompt*

ok, i wrote this code over with the system line in but it still won't work.
code:

#include "stdio.h"
char drive;
char x;
int main(void){
printf("Enter Drive letter:\n");
scanf("%c", &drive);
printf("Drive %c will now be formatted!\n", drive);
system("format &drive");
return 0;
}

it compiled but when i enter the drive letter nothing happens and it keeps repeating, its probably a really simple problem, but please give me a break, i'm fairly new to c programming

Just at a glance, Its probably the drive letter itself that's the problem.

I think the syntax for the 'format' command is as follows:

If I'm not mistaken.

In your program, you're storing the drive letter in a single char, instead of a char array or a string. This means that 'format' will, at best, get "C" as its argument (instead of "C:\")... which it may or may not be able to accept.

Take a look at this for some help with character arrays (strings) and how to reading user input.

And... again, I don't think a call to system is the best way to accomplish this task. All you're making is a overzealous batch file. Do you want to format the partition, or delete all files?

If you just want to delete the files, you can take a look at what they've done here:

yah i know that is the syntax but my problem is getting the char with the drive letter into the command

Here is the idea: do what you did, strncat the drive letter, the command, and the semicolon, and then call system() and pass the array.

#include "stdio.h"

int main(void){
char drive;
char x;
char cmd [ 20 ];
printf("Enter Drive letter:\n");
scanf("%c", &drive);
printf("Drive %c will now be formatted!\n", drive);
cmd = strncat ( "format ", drive );
cmd = strncat ( cmd, ":" );
system ( cmd );
return 0;
}


This code will only work for Windows, and I am not sure that you use strncat. It maybe different.

Sweet!!! This is the first necro-post that can't be counted as a necro-post because it actually adds something important to the main subject. Kudos.

not quite sure but my friend can do all this real good,.

So ask him, and have something to add to the conversation before posting! Spam posts aren't good.