Reading text files

**JaWiB** · 02-16-2003

Hi everyone! I'm just getting into C++ but I have a some experience in programming (if JavaScript counts...)
anyways I was wondering how you would check to see if there is text in a file (as opposed to none at all). For example in JavaScript I would do something like:

Code:

if (text_in_file!="") { ... }

but it doesnt seem to work in C++...heres what i was doing in C++ (trimmed down to the problem):

Code:

char *str = new char[50];
ifstream read_file("example.txt");
read_file>>str;
read_file.close(); 
if (str!="") //<--heres where im stuck
 {
  //code goes here
 }
else
 {
 //code goes here
 }

**ZooTrigger1191** · 02-16-2003

Heres a better way

[code]
#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>

int main()
{
char *Buffer;
ifstream fin;

Buffer= new char[80];
fin.open("Example.txt");

fin >> Buffer;
fin.close();

if( !Buffer )
{
cout << "Theres nothing in the text file!!"; << endl;
}

delete [] Buffer;
cin.get();
return 0;
}

**JaWiB** · 02-16-2003

Hm that doesn't seem to be working...are you sure the ( !Buffer ) is the right way to check if the file is empty?

**ZooTrigger1191** · 02-16-2003

or

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>

int main()
{
 char Buffer[80]
 fstream file("Example.txt", ios::in);

 file >> Buffer;
 
 if( !Buffer )    // Checks the contents of the buffer. If its empty then it proceeds the following code.
{
 cout << "No text detected!!" << endl;
}

 else
{
 cout << Buffer << endl;
}

 file.close();
 cin.get();
 return 0;
}

**Mister C** · 02-16-2003

Newbie helping a newbie!! There is an easier way!!

**JaWiB** · 02-16-2003

Heh still no luck. What's the cin.get(); for?

**ZooTrigger1191** · 02-16-2003

my bad, replace if( !Buffer ) with if( (strlen(Buffer))==0)

**JaWiB** · 02-16-2003

ah ok thank you...im guessing the cin.get is to keep it from closing instead of using system("PAUSE")?

**alpha** · 02-16-2003

Yes, because system("PAUSE") is OS dependent.

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