need help on this fstream object coding

hi i want open() accept a pointer or a reference to an ofstream object. That way, it can modify the ofstream object and pass the modified object back to the caller.
but having trouble with my coding
my compiler crashes..and i can't find the error becoz of that
can anyone check whats wrong
basically i want to open a new fstream file with any string name and pass it back to the main so it can be used..

Code:

---


#include<string>
#include<iostream>
#include<fstream>
void &open(ofstream&);
string filename;

void &open(ofstream &a)
{

cout<<"name of file to save"<<endl;
getline(cin,filename);

a.open(filename.c_str(),ios::in| ios::out);
a<<"writing this to a file\n";
a.close();

}

int main()
{
ofstream b;
cout<<"testing how open files from another function"<<endl;
open(b);
return 0;
}

---

using namespace std;

Ummmm....I don't think you can return a reference to void? Perhaps you should start with something that actually compiles, rather than tossing crap code together and looking for someone on the internet to fix it for you.

ok2 i get this working.
sorry for that.
i searched every place for ofstream tutorial which shows usage of reference that can be passed back to main..but i still cannot find it..any useful links?

You need to understand passing by reference. It's got NOTHING to do with ofstream...it has to do with UNDERSTANDING THE FUNDAMENTALS. Stop trying to slap code together you find and PUT IN THE EFFORT TO LEARN AND UNDERSTAND!!!! You've been at this for at least a year, and you don't seem to have a learned anything.

EDIT: Reference

Happy holydays!

Code:

---

void open (fstream &StreamObject)
{
        char FileName[255];
        cout<<"Name of file: ";
        cin.getline( FileName, 255, '\n' );
        StreamObject.open (FileName, ios::out);
        if ( StreamObject.is_open() )
        {
                //Write something to it
                StreamObject<<"Something";
        }
        else
        {
                //Error message
                cout<<"Failed to open file.\n";
        }

}

---