Home » C programs » C file handling programs

C program to reverse the content of the file and print it

This program will print the contents of given file name in reverse order. Just like tac command in Linux. tac command displays contents of the file in reverse order. Same as tac command in this program you have to supply file name.

Syntax

The syntax of executing this program:

./program-name file-name

C program to print contents in reverse order of a file

//Write a program to print reverse content of file
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
 
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
    FILE *fp1;
     
    int cnt = 0;
    int i   = 0;
     
    if( argc < 2 )
    {
        printf("Insufficient Arguments!!!\n");
        printf("Please use \"program-name file-name\" format.\n");
        return -1;
    }
     
    fp1 = fopen(argv[1],"r");
    if( fp1 == NULL )
    {
        printf("\n%s File can not be opened : \n",argv[1]);
        return -1;
    }
     
    //moves the file pointer to the end.
    fseek(fp1,0,SEEK_END);
    //get the position of file pointer.
    cnt = ftell(fp1);
     
    while( i < cnt )
    {
        i++;
        fseek(fp1,-i,SEEK_END);
        printf("%c",fgetc(fp1));
    }
    printf("\n");
    fclose(fp1);
     
    return 0;
}

Actual file contents

This is line1.
This is line2.
This is line3.
This is line4.
This is line5.
This is line6.

Output

Terminal command: ./prg2 file1.txt
.6enil si sihT
.5enil si sihT
.4enil si sihT
.3enil si sihT
.2enil si sihT
.1enil si sihT