Writing variables to a text doc?

**Cielo** · 03-18-2008

So if i want to write a regular string to a text doc, i would do this...

Code:

TFileStream *FStream;
FStream = new TFileStream("tester.txt",fmOpenWrite);
FStream->Write("hello",5);

That works fine and all, the word 'hello' is printed into the document. But i want to be able to write the value of a variable into a text document, and when i try this...

Code:

int x=20;
TFileStream *FStream;
FStream = new TFileStream("tester.txt",fmOpenWrite);
FStream->Write(x,5);

...it writes some weird symbols to the document, instead of 20. i'm using borland c++ builder 5 btw. anyone have any tips/suggestions/advice/etc?

Things i've tried already...
- changing the second arguement of Write() to different numbers other than 5, still writes the same thing
- searching the help file in my IDE for functions similar to Write() that may do what i want, but none of them worked either

Thanks~~~

**xuftugulus** · 03-18-2008

Although this is Delphi, the answer is pretty simple.

public function TStream.Write(
const Buffer;
Count: LongInt
):LongInt; virtual; abstract;

Write attempts to write Count bytes from Buffer to the stream. It returns the actual number of bytes written to the stream.

My guess is that Write treats the int given from you as a simple sequence of bytes, and writes
those bytes in their binary form to your file.
It is probably wisest to use IntToStr to convert your value, and then WriteAnsiStr to write it.

**matsp** · 03-18-2008

Yes, write will write the BINARY representation of the data, in this case mostly zero's. It will also (most likely) write a random garbage byte, as you are specifying a length of 5, when an integer is (most often) 4 bytes, so a fifth byte of whatever is after your int will also be written.

Binary files are fine for some things, but obviously, you will need text formatting to be able to read it as a human [unless you are a bit more nerdy and can make do with a hex display of the file].

--
Mats

**xuftugulus** · 03-18-2008

Also aren't Delphi/Pascal pointers supposed to look something like:

Code:

TFileStream: ^FStream;

The whole snippets feel wrong to me... although i haven't seen that oracle language for
some years... i could be wrong.

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