comment header (file i/o)

[Wick]

I feel pretty stupid for not being able to figure this out, but:

#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>

using namespace std;

int main()
{
	int hw_num;
	int month;
	int day;
	ofstream file_out ("test.txt", ios::ate);

	cout << "HW#: ";
	cin >> hw_num;
	cout << "Month: ";
	cin >> month;
	cout << "Day: ";
	cin >> day;

	file_out << "/* xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx            xxxxxxxxxxxx */\n";
	file_out << "/* xxxxxxxxxxxxx               xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx */\n";
	file_out << "/* HW#: " << hw_num << "                        Date: ";
	file_out << month << "-" << day << "-03     */\n";

	return 0;
}

I have only used file i/o to store settings in the past. I need this program to add information to the beginning of my sources for my homework, but it keeps writing over the whole file.

How do I get it to quit writing over the file?
And how do I make sure it adds the commenting to the beginning?

As always, thanks in advance.

[twm]

Write the header to your file before adding anything else, then use ios::app to append after the header.

[KingZoolerius66]

Please close the file stream.

file_out.close();

Very important.

[twm]

>Very important.
No, not really. When the end of the block is reached, the destructor for ofstream will be called and the object destroyed. Only really anal people explicitly close a file stream if it would be destroyed anyway.

[bennyandthejets]

Only really anal people explicitly close a file stream if it would be destroyed anyway.

I think it's considered good programming to explicitly close everything you open. It might not make a difference, but it ensures that you are aware of its current state, etc. But I do agree that it is NOT "very important" to close it.

[twm]

>I think it's considered good programming to explicitly close everything you open.
I think it's redundant to do something explicitly that would be done implicitly anyway, especially if the language standard defines that kind of behavior. But, everyone has a different style, and I'm tolerant of that.

[alphaoide]

You might save some memory space by closing it.

[twm]

>You might save some memory space by closing it.
This only matters if you plan on using more variables and your stack space is incredibly small. But in the example given, the program terminates after using the output stream, so why bother freeing the stack space for further variables if you're just going to end the program with the next line? If your program looks more like this:

// Lots of code

ofstream fd;
// Use fd

// Lots of code that doesn't need fd

Then yea, it makes sense to close the stream when you're done. But if your code looks like this:

// Lots of code...or not

ofstream fd;
// Use fd

// Terminate the program

Why bother doing something that will be done anyway? The only good reason is style.

[alphaoide]

I got your point. But who plans to always write simple programs like that? If you don't make it habit to close in simple programs, you might forget to do it when it's necessary.

[twm]

>you might forget to do it when it's necessary.
That's speculation at best. If you know when to use something and when you don't have to, you're probably experienced enough to remember such things. People tend to forget things when they fall into a routine. By always analyzing your code and paying attention when you write code, this doesn't happen. For example, when I create a stream object I always look at where I'm going to be using it and losing it and I act accordingly, much like with dynamic memory management.

[major_small]

Originally posted by twm
Only really anal people explicitly close a file stream if it would be destroyed anyway.

i guess i must be really anal... i always destroy/close things that i don't need as soon as i don't need them anymore...

[twm]

>i always destroy/close things that i don't need as soon as i don't need them anymore...
So do I, just not always explicitly.