Thread: fstream question...

hi,

i am loading in a binary file into a 2d vector. i have it working but don't understand how it works! lol

here is the code....

Code:

int widthb[1];
int heightb[1];
int value1[1];

vector <vector<int> > mapdata;

int LoadMapData()
{
	ifstream load;
	load.open("test.map", ios::binary);
	if (load.fail())
		return false;
	load.read((char*)widthb, 2);
	load.read((char*)heightb,2);
	mapxsize = *widthb;
	mapysize = *heightb;
	// this is to determine how big the map is.

	mapdata.resize(mapxsize);
		for (int i = 0; i < mapxsize; i++) 
			{
			mapdata[i].resize(mapysize);
			for (int j = 0; j < mapysize; j++) 
				{
				load.read((char*)value1, 1);
				
				mapdata[i][j] = *value1;
				}
			}
	
	load.close();

when i declare value1 as "int value1[1]" if i don't add the little array bit at the end it will not load the correct value when i use the load.read(), but i don't understand why. could someone please explain it to me???? or point me to a site that will help me understand it better? Also if anyone can explain why i have had to use pointers in this code, i can use them a little, but do not understand them yet! lol

Thanks for any help u can give....