Default string with cin.getline()?

Quick Question:

Code:

---

char name[256]
cin.getline(name,256,'\n');
...

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How could I make something like "Krak" be the default name? You know, the user has the option of keeping the default name, or pressing backspace and changing it?

I'm not really sure CIN even has this feature, But as i said earlier,
You can always make your own input that supports whatever you
want.

Krak, your problem seemed interesting... so I decided to try and find a solution. Although non-standard, this works:

Code:

---

#include <ostream>
#include <vector>
#include <string>
#include <conio.h> // :(

inline void backspace(std::ostream &stream, char replace = ' ')
{
        stream << '\b' << replace << '\b';
}

std::string GetInputDefault(std::ostream &out, const std::string &defaultin)
{
        size_t defaultlen = defaultin.size();

        std::vector<char> inputvec;
        for (int i = 0; i < defaultlen; i++)
                inputvec.push_back(defaultin[i]);

        out << defaultin;

        bool done = false;
        while (!done)
        {
                while (!kbhit()) {}; // While a key hasn't been hit

                int in = getch(); // Get keycode
                switch (in)
                {
                case 13: // Enter
                        done = true;
                        break;
                case 8: // Backspace
                        if (inputvec.size() != 0) // We can only remove defaultlen elements
                        {
                                inputvec.pop_back(); // Remove last element
                                backspace(std::cout); // Print a backspace
                        }
                        break;
                default:
                        inputvec.push_back(in); // Add element
                        std::cout << static_cast<char>(in); // Nothing special, print it
                }
        }

        std::string returnstring;
        for (i = 0; i < inputvec.size(); i++)
                returnstring += inputvec[i];

        return returnstring;
}

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You don't need to know how either of those two functions work if you don't want to... just stick them in a header file. Here's an example of how it's used:

Code:

---

#include <iostream>
#include <string>

int main(int argc, char **argv)
{
        std::cout << "Please Enter your name: ";
        std::string name = GetInputDefault(std::cout, "Krak");
       
        std::cout << '\n' << name << '\n';
        return 0;
}

---

Have fun!
If you have any problems, i'll be glad to help you further.

eibro you forgot " i " in include <ostream>
as <iostream>

Quote:

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Originally posted by pode
eibro you forgot " i " in include <ostream>
as <iostream>

---

No, I did that on purpose... the functions in the header only depend on <ostream>, no sense in including <iostream>

well then u did wrong cause i get errors with ostream
included
but it works fine with iostream

even tested your program?

Quote:

---

Originally posted by pode
well then u did wrong cause i get errors with ostream
included
but it works fine with iostream

even tested your program?

---

Yes, the program works fine.

The #includes in the header file are fine.
You have to #include <iostream> and <string> in your main cpp file, I neglected to do that in the example above. I figured it'd be pretty trivial for someone to add them themselves.

ok, whatever!

Eibro, he's correct, your code is lacking some headers.

You're using cout in your function, it's declared in <iostream>, not <ostream>

size_t is declared in <cstddef> and is part of the std namespace.

Addtionally, I had to change the second for-loop to make your function compile. Remember that variables declared inside the for-statement resides within the scope of the loop.

OK, now I got the function to work in CodeWarrior. It works nice, good job. Too bad that it requires the non-standard conio.h, though.
I had to flush cout after every printed character.

Here's how it turned out:

Code:

---

#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
#include <string>
#include <conio.h> // :(
#include <cstddef>


std::string GetInputDefault(const std::string &defaultin)
{
        std::size_t defaultlen = defaultin.size();

        std::vector<char> inputvec;
        for (int i = 0; i < defaultlen; i++)
                inputvec.push_back(defaultin[i]);

        std::cout << defaultin << std::flush;
       
        bool done = false;
        while (!done)
        {
                while (!kbhit()) {}; // While a key hasn't been hit

                int in = getch(); // Get keycode
                switch (in)
                {
                case 13: // Enter
                        done = true;
                        break;
                case 8: // Backspace
                        if (inputvec.size() != 0) // We can only remove defaultlen elements
                        {
                                inputvec.pop_back();      // Remove last element
                                std::cout << "\b \b" << std::flush; // Print a backspace
                        }
                        break;
                default:
                        inputvec.push_back(in); // Add element
                        std::cout << static_cast<char>(in) << std::flush; // Nothing special, print it
                }
        }

        std::string returnstring;
        for (int i = 0; i < inputvec.size(); i++)
                returnstring += inputvec[i];

        return returnstring;
}

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One more idea: if <windows.h> is available, the kbhit()-loop can be replaced with

Code:

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while (!kbhit()) {Sleep(50);}; // While a key hasn't been hit

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This avoids 100% processor usage.

Wouldn't it be easier and more natural to just throw the name in a class and have it default to something?

Code:

---

#include <iostream>
#include <string>

using namespace std;

class Name {
  string myname;
public:
  Name(string init = "Krak");
  string access(string set = "");
};

Name::Name(string init): myname(init)
{}

string Name::access(string set)
{
  // Magic access :-)
  return (set == "") ? myname : myname = set;
}

int main()
{
  Name me;
  char option;

  cout<<"The default is "<< me.access() <<", would you like to change? (y/n): ";
  if (cin.get(option) && toupper(option) == 'Y')
  {
    string new_name;

    cin.ignore();
    cout<<"Enter your name: ";
    getline(cin, new_name);

    cout<<"Your name is now "<< me.access(new_name) <<endl;
  }
}

---

Quote:

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Originally posted by Sang-drax
Eibro, he's correct, your code is lacking some headers.

You're using cout in your function, it's declared in <iostream>, not <ostream>

size_t is declared in <cstddef> and is part of the std namespace.

Addtionally, I had to change the second for-loop to make your function compile. Remember that variables declared inside the for-statement resides within the scope of the loop.

---

Ahh shoot, I see where I used cout in GetInputDefault... that should be changed to out (the ostream passed to the function) sorry about that.

The for loop problem is a bug with MSVC++ 6, which is what I was compiling with. Although non-standard, it was the only way for me to get it to work. Taking everyones suggestions into account, this is what I came up with. (attached)
I only have a single (bad) compiler installed right now... so I'm unsure of whether that code will work on other (standard) compilers/platforms.

Hehe, you're still using cout in your header :)

Anyway, I don't really see the reason for the ostream& parameter. The only reasonable argument is cout, other arguments won't make sense.

Apart from that, it's a nice function.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Cela
Wouldn't it be easier and more natural to just throw the name in a class and have it default to something?

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No. This function is more convenient and better for the user than answering y/n-questions in my opininon.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Sang-drax
Hehe, you're still using cout in your header :)

Anyway, I don't really see the reason for the ostream& parameter. The only reasonable argument is cout, other arguments won't make sense.

Apart from that, it's a nice function.

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Grrrrr I can't believe I left it in there :( Now i'll have to go back and edit it...
Does the updated code compile on codewarrior? (minus my stupid error) The scope fix should allow it to compile on VC6 and other compilers.

Hmm, this wouldn't work for ofstream arguments would it? If not, cerr would be one other valid argument to the function.