Illegal characters

Trouble with I/O files again, this time its with 'Illegal characters

My code is:

Code:

---


        cout << indexoffirst << " = "<< first << endl << endl;
        cout << indexofsecond << " = " << second<< endl << endl;
        cout << indexofthird << " = " << third << endl << endl;
        cout << indexoffourth << " = " << fourth << endl <<endl;

       
       
        ifstream c_file ( "D:\\LotteryPrograms\\Fla_Mega_Money\\Highest_Frequencies.txt" );

            if (!c_file )
            {
            cout << "Can't open input file" << " Highest_Frequencies.txt " << endl << endl;
            cin.get();
            exit(1);
            }
       
       
       
        ofstream c_file ( "D:\\LotteryPrograms\\Fla_Mega_Money\\Highest_Frequencies.txt" );

            if (! c_file )
            {
                cout << "Can't open input file " << endl << endl;
                cin.get();
                exit(1);
            }


        c_file >> indexoffirst >> " = " >> first;
        c_file >> indexofsecond >> " = " >> second;
        c_file >> indexofthird >> " = " >> third;
        c_file >> indexoffourth >> " = " >> fourth;

---

and the errors are:

Code:

---

Error    1    error C2371: 'c_file' : redefinition; different basic types in line 164
Error    2    error C2088: '!' : illegal for class in line 166
Error    3    error C2088: '>>' : illegal for class in line 174
Error    4    error C2088: '>>' : illegal for class in line 175
Error    5    error C2088: '>>' : illegal for class in line 176
Error    6    error C2088: '>>' : illegal for class in line 177

---

When I looked up the errors, I got:

Code:

---

Compiler Error C2071
'identifier' : illegal storage class
identifier was declared with an invalid storage class. The following sample generates C2071:
// C2071.cpp
struct C {
  extern int i;  // C2071, remove extern to resolve error
};

---

How and where did I use an 'extern'?

Code:

---

Compiler Error C2088
'operator' : illegal for 'class-key'
The operator was not defined for the structure or union. This error is only valid for C code.
The following sample generates C2088 three times:
// C2088.c
struct S
{
  int m_i;
} s;

int main()
{
  int i = s * 1;  // C2088
  struct S s2 = +s;  // C2088
  s++;  // C2088
}

---

Why is '!' and '>>' illegal now and not before?

My question is, "Why these errors now and not before when I used the same code before? All I did was to change the file from b_file to c_file." . . . More importand, how do I correct the errors so I don't make them again?
Can somebody please explain my mistakes (hopefully in plain English so even a dummy like me can understand the answer)? . . . . therry

Well actually, I would fix this first:

Error 1 error C2371: 'c_file' : redefinition; different basic types in line 164

In the code snippet you showed, c_file was defined as an ifstream on line 8 and an ofstream on line 19, in the same scope (i.e. statement block). You can't do that, so it's an error. And some C++ errors cause other errors to occur farther down the code. I think that's what happened to you. If you fix errors one at a time, you get the best results.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by whiteflags

Well actually, I would fix this first:

Error 1 error C2371: 'c_file' : redefinition; different basic types in line 164

In the code snippet you showed, c_file was defined as an ifstream on line 8 and an ofstream on line 19, in the same scope (i.e. statement block). You can't do that, so it's an error.

---

I changed it like this:

Code:

---

// displays 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th highest frequencies

        cout << indexoffirst << " = "<< first << endl << endl;
        cout << indexofsecond << " = " << second<< endl << endl;
        cout << indexofthird << " = " << third << endl << endl;
        cout << indexoffourth << " = " << fourth << endl <<endl;

       
       
        ifstream c_file ( "D:\\LotteryPrograms\\Fla_Mega_Money\\Highest_Frequencies.txt" );

            if (!c_file )
            {
            cout << "Can't open input file" << " Highest_Frequencies.txt " << endl << endl;
            cin.get();
            exit(1);
            }
       
       
       
        ofstream d_file ( "D:\\LotteryPrograms\\Fla_Mega_Money\\Highest_Frequencies.txt" );

            if (! d_file )
            {
                cout << "Can't open input file " << endl << endl;
                cin.get();
                exit(1);
            }


        c_file >> indexoffirst >> " = " >> first;
        c_file >> indexofsecond >> " = " >> second;
        c_file >> indexofthird >> " = " >> third;
        c_file >> indexoffourth >> " = " >> fourth;

---

But I still get the error:

Code:

---

Error    1    error C2678: binary '>>' : no operator found which takes a left-hand operand of type 'std::basic_istream<_Elem,_Traits>' (or there is no acceptable conversion) line 174, 175, 176, 177

---

I still don't understand. I thought that ifstream treated as cout and ofstream treated as cin files.

I am trying to write

Code:

---

cout << indexoffirst << " = "<< first << endl << endl;
  cout << indexofsecond << " = " << second<< endl << endl;
  cout << indexofthird << " = " << third << endl << endl;
  cout << indexoffourth << " = " << fourth << endl <<endl;

---

which is now just written on the screen into a file.

If I change

Code:

---

  c_file >> indexoffirst >> " = " >> first;
        c_file >> indexofsecond >> " = " >> second;
        c_file >> indexofthird >> " = " >> third;
        c_file >> indexoffourth >> " = " >> fourth;

---

into

Code:

---

d_file >> indexoffirst >> " = " >> first;
  d_file >> indexofsecond >> " = " >> second;
  d_file >> indexofthird >> " = " >> third;
  d_file >> indexoffourth >> " = " >> fourth;

---

I get more errors than I can count!
Can you please explain what is wrong? . . . . therry

Quote:

---

I still don't understand. I thought that ifstream treated as cout and ofstream treated as cin files

---

it's the other way round

cin ... standard input stream
ifstream ... input file stream
cout ... standard output stream
ofstream ... output file stream

Code:

---

d_file >> indexoffirst >> " = " >> first;

---

the reason for the errors is that you cannot extract fom a filestream into a literal ( " = " ).

read into a dummy char variable. the spaces will be ignored by the stream extractor.
Kurt



Kurt

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Therry

But I still get the error:

---

The error you got this time is completely different.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Therry

I still don't understand. I thought that ifstream treated as cout and ofstream treated as cin files.

---

Nope, that is completely backward. ifstream objects should be treated like cin, and ofstream objects should be treated like cout.

[QUOTE= read into a dummy char variable. the spaces will be ignored by the stream extractor.
Kurt[/QUOTE]

Sorry to be such a dunce, I'm not sure I understand. Could you give ma an example?

Code:

---

char dummy;
d_file >> indexoffirst >> dummy >> first;
if ( dummy != '=' ) {
    // illegal file content
}

---

Kurt

WoW, thanks. I got it working! Thanks everyone.