i've tried to use system("mv argv[1] argv[2]"); to rename the file but the error states as follows:

mv:error can't stat source argv[1].

i've entered a filename where i've the file in the directory. so what does the error mean and how can i rename a file? does the same applies to delete a file?

Neat error ;-)

Unless the file you want to move is named "argv[1]" you'll have to get that error, of course. You have to build up your command (paramter of system) which consists of three parts:
1. the command itself (mv), followed by space
2. the first argument (value of argv[1]) followed by space
3. the second argument (value of argv[2]).

I hope you are able to get the rest on your own.

Using system for that is lame, when <cstdio> provides std::rename().

ok i tried to change my codes to something like this

source = argv[1];
destination = argv[2];

then system("mv source destination");

i still get the same error. did i use the wrong step to get the value?

Hivemind, i'm able to rename using the rename(). Thanks a lot but i still want to know how to fix it using system().

You need to build your string using a slightly different technique.
will give you the literal source not the value held in the variable source.
This says, take the string literal "mv " and append to it the value held in source, then append the string literal " " and finaly append to it the value held in the variable destination.
This will work if source and destination are defined as being objects of the C++ class string. However if they are character arrays then you will need to look at a C style function to help you out. Maybe something like sprintf
This is where result is a character array large enough to hold the resultant string, and this will replace the first %s with the value held by the variable source and the second %s will be replaced by the value held in the variable destination.