Reading in from a text flatfile.

I'm writing a program that will allow for scripters to plug in text flatfile "modules" to create an RPG. Basically an RPG engine. The biggest problem I am having at this point in time is reading in from the flatfile to run inside of my engine.

Where I am stuck is moving the file position pointer to the beginning of the line that I need to read data in from. This position will not be static to a file, so I have to be able to dynamically read it.

For example, here's the (broken) code that I have right now:

Code:

---

#include <iostream.h>
#include <fstream.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

char* GetInfo(int varname);

int main()
{
        GetInfo('HP');

        cout << "\n\n";

        return(0);
}

char* GetInfo(int varname)
{
        char stream[256];

        fstream file("test.txt", ios::in | ios::out | ios::nocreate | ios::noreplace);
        file.ignore(65535, varname);
        file.getline(stream, 32,'|');
        file.close();

        return(stream);
}

---

stdlib will be for the atol() command so I can convert some strings to ints when I have to.

Here's the flatfile that I am trying to read from:

Code:

---

MONSTER
Name | Wyvern
HP | 27 | 2 | 5
MP | 0 | 0
AGI | 10 | 1
CHR | 10 | 1
INT | 10 | 1
STA | 10 | 1
STR | 10 | 1
WIS | 10 | 1
XP | 120 | 50
GP | 40 | 10
Head | Helmet | 1
Torso | Belt | 3
Arms | Sleeves | 2
Legs | Breeches | 2
Feet | Boots | 1

---

What I would like to do is to be able to pass the name of the variable I want (such as "HP") to the GetInfo function, and have it read through the flatfile for that identifier. Then be able to move over past the delimiter and the space (maybe with seekg?) to read the line information.

Any advice?

Thank you in advance. :)



Edit: The code I am posting is from a seperate module than the RPG itself. I'll integrate it into the actual code when it works. ;)

Quick guess, but shouldn't this be a string

GetInfo("HP");

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Salem

Quick guess, but shouldn't this be a string

GetInfo("HP");

---

Putting that in fails completely, as in, won't even compile.

Quote:

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error C2664: 'GetInfo' : cannot convert parameter 1 from 'char [3]' to 'int'

This conversion requires a reinterpret_cast, a C-style cast or function-style cast

---

I can't enclose varname in 's, because then it will be considered a literal string and not a variable name. This is where I'm getting confused. I can't pass a string, so I try to pass a constant. It gets recast as an "int" type and then my program can't match to the char* that it pulls from the flatfile -- If I understand what's happening correctly.

Well yeah, you have to fix some other stuff as well.

> file.ignore(65535, varname);
But since this only ignores single characters, and not strings, I think you need a whole different approach.

Personally, I would just use getline() to read each line in turn, then decide what to do about it.

The thing is 'HP' does not produce an int it produces an error. You are only allowed to have one character in a character literal.
I would suggest accepting a std::string instead of an int and then if you need to convert to an int then do so inside your function.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Salem

Personally, I would just use getline() to read each line in turn, then decide what to do about it.

---

Ok.. I tried this approach. Here's the code I'm coming up with:

Code:

---

#include <iostream.h>
#include <fstream.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>

char* GetInfo(char* varname);

int main()
{
        GetInfo("HP");

        cout << "\n\n";

        return(0);
}

char* GetInfo(char* varname)
{
        char stream[256];
        char* name;
        int HP;

        fstream file("test.txt", ios::in | ios::out | ios::nocreate | ios::noreplace);
        file.getline(stream, 64);

        file.getline(stream, 64, '|');
        file.seekg(1, ios::cur);
       
        file.getline(stream, 64);
        name = stream;
        cout << name;

        file.getline(stream, 64, '|');
        file.getline(stream, 64, '|');
        HP = atol(stream);
        cout << HP;

        file.close();

        return(stream);
}

---

So essentially, there's no way for me to be able to adjust to users making flatfiles in different formats? There's no way to do an if (strcmp(string, "HP")) { ... } setup, since that always fails. I can't make it not fail.

I mean, I can probally deal with arbitrary flatfiles, I'd just rather not have to program this interpertation code for every single flatfile type I have set up is all.

Thanks for the help, though. :)

MONSTER
Name | Wyvern
HP | 27 | 2
MP | 0 | 0

To search the above file for HP and assign 27 to one variable and 2 to another you could do something like this:

Code:

---

char userInput[80] = "HP";
 
//declare stream to read file and associate stream with file
//don't use nocreate, noreplace
ifstream fin("fileToUse");
 
//check if stream opened and ready for use
if(!fin)
{
  cout << "unable to open file" << endl;
  exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
}
//read in first line
char fileName[80];
cin >> fileName;
 
//read in second line
char temp[80];
char ch;
char userName[80];
fin >> temp >> ch >> userName;
 
//scan the next two lines for HP. It can only be in the first position of either line
int i = 0;
int dummy;
int variable1, variable2;
while(i < 2)
{
  //read in first string from this line
  fin >> temp;
 
  //compare temp with user input
  //if they are the same collect the rest of the line
  //if not discard the rest of the line and go to the next line
  if(strcmp(userInput, temp) == 0)
        fin >> ch >> variable1 >> ch >> variable2;
  else
        fin >> ch >> dummy >> ch >> dummy;
}
 
//now either leave fin open, if you want to read the rest of the file, or close it if you are done using it or whatever.

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now you can use the information in variable1 and variable2 as desired which have been loaded with information stored in the file based on whatever userInput is.