Hello
I'm reading Prata's C++ Primer Plus 6th and I have a doubt about an example code for I/O.
On page 1117 there is a code that, among other things, says:
Code:string filename; cout << "Enter filename"; cin >> filename; ofstream fout(filename.c_str());
The books says c_str() is used to pass the name of the file, that is a string.
On page 1121 in a different example
Why don't they useCode:fin.open(argv[number]);in this case?Code:.c_str()
What is the type of argv[number]? Is it the same type as filename as in your first code snippet?
Look up a C++ Reference and learn How To Ask Questions The Smart WayOriginally Posted by Bjarne Stroustrup (2000-10-14)
Well, we'd have to know more about the type of the variable argv which you did not mention although I could probably take a safe guess. The open member function, as well as the constructor version you mention above, on older versions of the standard only accepted a character string (C-style, null terminated, character array) argument containing the filename. When you had a std::string object containing the filename you could not use this directly as an argument because this member function/constructor was not overloaded to accept a std::string argument. You had to use the c_str member function to convert a std::string object into something that would be accepted as an argument. Newer versions of the standard may allow you to directly use the std::string object without the need to go through the intermediary step of conversion to a const char* via the c_str member function.
"Owners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are god. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realize that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are gods."
-Christopher Hitchens
Hi
Then the reason is that argv is a pointer to an array of characters instead of a string. ?
Yes.
"Owners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are god. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realize that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are gods."
-Christopher Hitchens
Thanks
I didn't understand why it can accept an array directly but not a string. I guess the reason is the string is a new class
Actually if you're compiling the program with the current C++ standard (C++11) you can use either a std::string or a C-string.
Jim
