User input into a text file

Hello, I am somewhat new to C++ but one thing I can't seem to be able to figure out is how to have users inputed text into a text file using filestreams. I tried signing the users input to a string variable using cin and then putting into the text file. For example:

Code:

---


#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>
using namepace std;

int main()
{
string x;
cout << "Enter your name: ";
cin >> x;
ofstream a_file ("test.txt")
a_file << x;
return 0;
}

---

Can someone explain this to me please?

1) What compiler are you using?

2) What directory is your program in?

3) What directory is test.txt in?

1) Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition
2) The projects directory in C:\My Documents\Visual Studio 2005\Projects\Stuff\Stuff
3) The "test.txt" is in the same directy as the source which is ^^^^.

The manifest file with the debug file and two others are located in the Debug folder in the directory mention in the second answer.

Try using the full path name of the text file or moving the text file up one directory. You can also try searching around your computer for test.txt to find out in what directory test.txt was created.

» ofstream a_file ("test.txt")
Eh, where is the semi-colon?

Assuming that's not the problem, try testing if it opened the file:

Code:

---

if( !a_file.is_open() )
{
  //It didn't open!
}

---

That above was just an example here is the actual code I'm toying with:

Code:

---

#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
        string nam;
        cout << "Enter a name: ";
        cin >> nam;
        ofstream a_file("test.txt");
        if (!a_file.is_open() )
        {
                cout << "The file failed to open";
                return 0;
        }
        else
        {
                a_file << "This is in the file";
                a_file << nam;
                a_file.close();
        }
        return 0;
}

---

Here is the error I'm getting error:
C2679: binary '>>' : no operator found which takes a right-hand operand of type 'std::string' (or there is no acceptable conversion).

When I change the code to this:

Code:

---

#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
        char nam[10];
        cout << "Enter a name: ";
        cin >> nam[10];
        ofstream a_file("test.txt");
        if (!a_file.is_open() )
        {
                cout << "The file failed to open";
                return 0;
        }
        else
        {
                a_file << "This is in the file";
                a_file << nam[10];
                a_file.close();
        }
        return 0;
}

---

The only chnage being that I changed the variable type this time however, it builds fine but I get this debug error:

Run-Time Check Failure #2 - Stack around variable 'nam' was corrupted.

I am going to throw down some break points to see what's up but if someone can help me out that would be awsome.

i'll try to answer...
you declare

Code:

---

char nam[10];

---

your accessing:

Code:

---

a_file << nam[10];

---

the last value for your array is in nam[9].

EDIT: stand corrected. Dave's answer is the correct. i didn't see that...

sorry i'm really not good at explaining.. hope this helps :D

The solution is to add #include <string> to your includes in the first piece of code.

Wow, I can't believe I forgot about the "string" directory.

The code with the sting variable works now, thanks Daved and everyone else who had input.