coding-horror/basic-computer-games · warning

Could not create file!

Error message

Could not create file!

What it means

This panic is triggered by `.expect("Could not create file!")` on `file.write_all("".as_bytes())` in Splat's `Stats::new()` (line 45). Writing zero bytes is effectively a no-op for data purposes, so this `.expect` is really checking that the newly created file handle is writable. It would fail only on a very unusual post-create I/O error.

Source

Thrown at 81_Splat/rust/src/stats.rs:45

                for s in stats {
                    if s.is_empty() {
                        continue;
                    }

                    let s = s.parse::<f32>().expect("Corrupt stats file!");
                    altitudes.push(s);
                }

                return Some(Stats { altitudes });
            } else {
                println!("PREVIOUS GAME DATA NOT FOUND!");

                if !utility::prompt_bool("WOULD YOU LIKE TO CREATE ONE?", false) {
                    return None;
                } else {
                    let mut file = File::create(path).expect("Invalid file path!");
                    file.write_all("".as_bytes())
                        .expect("Could not create file!");

                    return Some(Stats {
                        altitudes: Vec::new(),
                    });
                }
            }
        }

        println!("\nRESULTS OF THIS SESSION WILL NOT BE SAVED.");
        None
    }

    pub fn add_altitude(&mut self, a: f32) {
        let all_jumps = self.altitudes.len() + 1;
        let mut placement = all_jumps;

        for (i, altitude) in self.altitudes.iter().enumerate() {
            if a <= *altitude {

View on GitHub (pinned to 5301155192)

Solutions

1. Remove the `write_all("")` call entirely — it writes nothing and is pointless after a successful `File::create`.
2. If the intent is to truncate/initialize the file, use `write_all("\n".as_bytes())` or simply rely on `File::create` which already truncates.
3. Replace `.expect` with error handling that reports the underlying `io::Error`.

Example fix

// before
let mut file = File::create(path).expect("Invalid file path!");
file.write_all("".as_bytes()).expect("Could not create file!");

// after
// File::create already truncates the file to empty,
// so the write_all("") call is unnecessary.
let mut file = match File::create(path) {
    Ok(f) => f,
    Err(e) => { eprintln!("Cannot create stats file: {}", e); return None; }
};

// This write_all("") is a no-op; verify the file handle is writable
// by checking File::create succeeded (already done on the prior line).
// No additional validation is needed — remove the call.

// No type guard needed; the operation writes zero bytes.
// The real guard is File::create's Result on the preceding line.

if let Err(e) = file.write_all("".as_bytes()) {
    eprintln!("Warning: file write check failed: {}", e);
    return None;
}
// Or better: remove the write_all("") call entirely.

When it happens

Trigger: An I/O error occurs on a file handle that was just successfully created by `File::create` on the preceding line. This is rare in practice — the more likely failure path is line 43 (`File::create` itself). Possible if the filesystem experiences a transient error, the handle is invalid, or a concurrent process interferes.

Common situations: Disk full or quota exceeded between create and write. NFS or network filesystem latency/failure. Antivirus or security software locking the file between create and write. Extremely rare in local filesystems.

Related errors

• Corrupt stats file!
• Error loading stats data!
• ERROR WRITING Stats FILE!
• Invalid file path!
• Failed to read line.

AI-assisted analysis of coding-horror/basic-computer-games@5301155192 (2026-08-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/cb714f1e9edeb0e4. Report an issue: GitHub.