In Need of Help!

Code:

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//******************************************************************
// PrintName program
// This program prints a name in two different formats
//******************************************************************
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <fstream>

using namespace std;

string FIRST;    // Person's first name
string LAST;      // Person's last name
char  MIDDLE;        // Person's middle initial
ifstream inPut;      // Data File
ofstream outPut;
int main()
{
        inPut.open("names.dat");
        outPut.open ("output.dat");
        if ( !inPut )
        {
        cout << "Can't open the input file.";
        return 1;
    }
 
    inPut >> FIRST >> LAST >> MIDDLE;
   
    while (inPut)
    {
          string firstLast;    // Name in first-last format
          string lastFirst;    // Name in last-first format

          firstLast = FIRST + " " + LAST;
   
          outPut << "Name in first-last format is " << firstLast << endl;
                   
          lastFirst = LAST + ", " + FIRST + ", ";
          outPut << "Name in last-first-initial format is ";
          outPut << lastFirst << MIDDLE << '.' << endl;
         
          inPut >> FIRST >> LAST >> MIDDLE;
}
    inPut.close();
   
    return 0;
}

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Above is my program. The idea of it is to plug in names provided in a file, and have them outputted in Last-First, and Last-First-Middle Initial.

Problem: Two of the names in my file (provided by my teacher) have no middle initial, and so the program reads the first letter of the next name as the other person's middle initial. How do I rectify this program so that my program does not continue on to the next line of data? Below are my input values for names.

George Bush W
Madhavi Gandhi D
Dan Berk G
Ameka Johnson P
Rita Hayward C
Clint Eastwood B
Sara-Jessica Parker
Larry Kind L
Rani Mukharji

This is my current output:

Name in first-last format is George Bush
Name in last-first-initial format is Bush, George, W.
Name in first-last format is Madhavi Gandhi
Name in last-first-initial format is Gandhi, Madhavi, D.
Name in first-last format is Dan Berk
Name in last-first-initial format is Berk, Dan, G.
Name in first-last format is Ameka Johnson
Name in last-first-initial format is Johnson, Ameka, P.
Name in first-last format is Rita Hayward
Name in last-first-initial format is Hayward, Rita, C.
Name in first-last format is Clint Eastwood
Name in last-first-initial format is Eastwood, Clint, B.
Name in first-last format is Sara-Jessica Parker
Name in last-first-initial format is Parker, Sara-Jessica, L.
Name in first-last format is arry Kind
Name in last-first-initial format is Kind, arry, L.

Is this what we do? Repost topics we've already been given solutions to? NO ONE IS GOING TO WRITE YOUR ASSIGNMENT FOR YOU, so don't bother.

http://cboard.cprogramming.com/showthread.php?t=76083

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SlyMaelstrom

Is this what we do? Repost topics we've already been given solutions to? NO ONE IS GOING TO WRITE YOUR ASSIGNMENT FOR YOU, so don't bother.

http://cboard.cprogramming.com/showthread.php?t=76083

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I'm not asking for someone to do the program for me, I had asked you to please give me a little more clarification on how to use the commands you had shown.

I feel I gave you as much info as I can give you without writing it. Everything you need is right in front of you in that post. Just put the pieces together.

It's not a new trick the "Ah... can you clarify better" post until someone eventually writes it for you. I told you how to do it, I gave you an example of how it's used. Now you have to finish it. It's homework man... obviously, your teacher thinks you should know enough to do it. So the more we have to give you, the less it says for the amount of attention or interest you gave to the class.

...and by the way, and this is pretty much a global message board rule... never, under any circumstances, should you have the same post twice in one day.

Sly, is this even legal code?

Code:

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while(cin.get(var1) == ' ');

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OK, if I read this right, var1 should become MIDDLE, yes? but the program I'm using gives me an error of: "no match for 'operator=' in '(&std::cin)->std::basic_istream<_CharT, _Traits>::get [with _CharT = char, _Traits = std::char_traits<char>](((char&)(&MIDDLE))) = ' '' "

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MadCow257

Sly, is this even legal code?

Code:

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while(cin.get(var1) == ' ');

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Ah no it isn't. I was just testing you, you see. And also doing a few other things at the time.

Code:

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while(cin.get(var1) && var1 != ' ')

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Does that suit you better?

I obviously don't get what is to be done, but I thank you all for your help anyway.