Random Line (pls comment)

/*
Random Line 1 - The program copies random line from one file in other.
It is good for servers, where You need a random message to pop-up.
Programming by sikamikaniko
*/
#include<iostream.h>
#include<fstream.h>
#include<time.h>
#include<stdlib.h>

int countln(int ln); // functions prototype

ofstream ptr_write; //pointer to the file, the text will be written
ifstream ptr_read; //pointer to the file, the program will read from

// main function ---

main()
{
int i_ctrln=0;
int ln=0;
int i_gotoln=ln;
char c_ctrln;
char c_joke;


ln=countln(ln); //
srand(time(NULL)); //randomizacion
i_gotoln=rand()%ln; //

ptr_read.open("jokes.txt", ios::in);
while(ptr_read.get(c_ctrln)) // finds the line, that must be copied
{
if(c_ctrln=='\n')
{
i_ctrln++;
}
if(i_ctrln==i_gotoln)
{break;}

}
ptr_write.open("joke.txt", ios::out);
while(ptr_read.get(c_joke)) // copies the line in jokes.txt
{
cout << c_joke;
ptr_write << c_joke;
if(c_joke=='\n')
{
break;

}
}

ptr_read.close();
ptr_write.close();
return 0;
}

// Counter ---

int countln(int ln) // counts the lines in jokes.txt
{
char c_ctrln;
ptr_read.open("jokes.txt", ios::in);
while(ptr_read.get(c_ctrln))
{
if(c_ctrln=='\n')
{
ln++;
}
}
ptr_read.close();
ln++;
return (ln);
}

comment: use code tags to get more comments

gg

Firstly, don't use global variables when you don't need to.

Why not use getline() instead if the line length is not going to exceed a certain length.

Also, there is a bug in your code. I tried it and when it printed the line to the ouput file, it didn't print the first character of the line. This only happens if it prints the first line of the input file.

Code:

---

#include<iostream.h>
#include<fstream.h>
#include<time.h>
#include<stdlib.h>

---

Should be:

Code:

---

#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>
#include <ctime>
#include <cstdio>

using namespace std;

---

Code:

---

main()
{

---

That's a C-style main function. In C++, main always returns an int.

Code:

---

int main( void )
{

---

but I don't have any problems with running the program. anyway, thanks 4 the advices :)

Quote:

---

That's a C-style main function. In C++, main always returns an int.

---

In C main() returns integer always just as in C++.

>>In C main() returns integer always just as in C++.

Should have been more clear. In C, it is implicit, while it must be explicitly stated in C++.

Well, trying to compile a code without using int main, a C code:

Quote:

---

[itzick@localhost Desktop]$ gcc prove.c -o prove
prove.c: In function `main':
prove.c:3: warning: return type of `main' is not `int'
[itzick@localhost Desktop]$

---

Same when I compile a C++ code :)

"Implicitly returns int", is old school. But to be backwards compatable, only a warning is issued by gcc.

gg

so, in this case, how should return look like?