overloaded >> operator issue...

Hey

i am using an overloaded operator '>>' in one of my cpp files (see code below).

I want to still be able to use "cout" to do screen output, but when i use it, i get the following error:

Code:

no match for `std::ostream& >> const char[43]' operator

i understand that this error is because of the overloaded operator, but how can i get my program to use the standard '>>' so i can use cout? ...

i also tried using cout.operator(" ... "); but that resulted in the error:

Code:

no matching function for call to `std::basic_ostream<char,   std::char_traits<char> >::<invalid operator>(const char[43])'

Any help would be appreciated.

cheers
SR.

the call to the overloaded operator:

Code:

void Asteroid::mass_loss( int hours )
{
   // need to add 4 and 12 hour code here... 

   if(hours == 4)
   {


   }else if(hours == 12)
   {
       

   }else
   {
      cout.operator("incorrect hours entered. Please try again.");
   }
}

and the overloaded operator:

Code:

ostream& operator << ( ostream& os, const Asteroid& a )
{
    os << dynamic_cast<const ImpactBody&>(a)
       << endl
       << "debris index: " << a.debrisIndex ;

    return os;
}

istream& operator >> ( istream& is, Asteroid& a )
{
    is >> dynamic_cast<ImpactBody&>( a );

    cout << "Enter debris index >> ";
    getline( is, a.debrisIndex );

    return is;
}

ofstream& operator << ( ofstream& os, const Asteroid& a )
{
    os << 'A' << endl
       << static_cast<const ImpactBody&>(a)
       << a.debrisIndex << endl;

    return os;

}

ifstream& operator >> ( ifstream& is, Asteroid& a )
{
    is >> dynamic_cast<ImpactBody&>( a );
    getline( is, a.debrisIndex );

    return is;
}

Code:

cout.operator("incorrect hours entered. Please try again.");

What are you trying to do here? Shouldn't this just be a normal cout << "incorrect hours entered. Please try again.";

If you're trying to output the asteroid in the empty spaces, just use:

Code:

cout << *this;

omg ... my bad ... thats quite embarassing ... thanks dude! ...