<< in iostream

Let's say I want to use left shift. Does that mean I cannot use iostream header in the same file.

Another question is that I declare to use iostream header in one source file and not in another source file(2nd) in the same project, will the iostream header in effect in the 2nd file?

First of all, I don't think I know what you're talking about, but the "left shift" button has nothing to do with iostream.h. Second of all, you will have to include the header in both source files, because a header is just a source code file that can be inserted in another source code file. At least this is how I was taught.

left shift symbol is << in C

However << is for cout in iostream header.

The second question means I use one header in one source but not in another. Will the header be in effect in these two files of the same project?

Shifting is still safe to do, don't worry about it :).

If you include <iostream> you now have that code attached to your .o file (and later your executable)

i'm pretty sure a c++ compiler can distinguish between using "<<" or ">>" for bit shifting and iostream standard i/o. and i wouldn't be surprised if these bit shifting operators, for c, were used for standard i/o for a reason (maybe an expert can fill in here). as for header files, do you mean "project" as in a visual c++ project? if so i have'nt the slightest clue. but i think in general if you say include a "header1.h" in "header2.h", then include "header2.h" in "header3.h", then "header3.h" will also include "header1.h".

hope i'm right, if not i apologize.

looks like coz got there first, nevermind my reply.

Hi greenRoom, what I mean in my 2nd question is,

header1.h is used in 1st.cpp

header1.h is not included in 2nd.cpp

1st.cpp and 2nd.cpp is in the same VC project file.

Will header1 be or used in 2nd.cpp too?

In answer to your second question, no. If the second source file does not include "iostream.h" then it will not be effected by it (unless it includes a file which includes "iostream.h" of course).

In answer to the first, the '<<' operator is a singular thing. I/O stream classes (and their objects such as 'cout'/'cin') overload the '<<' and '>>' operators. This means that when you use those operators ('<<' / '>>') on stream classes there are member functions that are called because they supercede the default operator handling (which is bit shifting).

So if you are going to use bit shifting in a statement that uses stream classes, you should probably contain the bit-shifts in parenthesis so they do not get mixed up:

cout << "X / 2 = " (x >> 2) << endl;

Hope this helps.

Thanx Breach23, cozman, greenRoom and icegoblin for your replies.