Linker error?

Ok. So I'm reading C++ Without Fear, and I have to say so far I'm enjoying the book. However, this thread isn't for a book review. I've been using Dev-C++ to compile and run all the example programs in the book and so far it has worked perfectly. Until I got to this program:

Code:

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#include <iostream>
#include <string.h>
using namespace std;

int main() {
    char str[600];
    char name[100];
    char addr[200];
    char work[200];

    // Get three strings from the user.

    cout << "Enter name and press ENTER: ";
    cin.getline(name, 99);
    cout << "Enter address and press ENTER: ";
    cin.getline(addr, 199);
    cout << "Enter workplace and press ENTER: ";
    cin.getline(work, 199);

    // Build the output string and then print it.

    strcopy(str, "\nMy name is ");
    strcat(str, name);
    strcat(str, ", I live at ");
    strcat(str, ",\nand I work at ");
    strcat(str, work);
    strcat(str, ".");

    cout << str;

    return 0;
}

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The compiler doesn't seem to have a problem with this. The linker does however. It comes back with this message:

g++: c:\documents and settings\owner\my documents\untitled1.o: No such file or directory
g++: file path prefix `C:\DEV-C_~1\Bin\' never used


Anyone have a clue as to what I'm doing wrong?

From what the linker is saying, an o file is a object file that keeps all the compiled binary data of a program. Perhaps it is having trouble placing it in the file. Try copying and pasting it to anoher file then compile it again. If you get the same error then check the DevC++ help files under linker. The only think I can think of is the object file is not being created. By By the way it should be

Code:

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#include <string>

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not

Code:

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#include <string.h>

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that is oid C++ syntax

Quote:

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I have to say so far I'm enjoying the book

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Well, unfortunately the author doesn't understand C++ very well. cin.getline() is defined to read in a maximum number of characters that is equal to one character less than what is specified in the second parameter:

cin.getline(name, 99);

So, that line will only read in a maximum of 98 characters, and then it will tack on a '\0' character after the 98th character for a total of 99 characters. However, your array has a size of 100. The second parameter in cin.getline should be the size of your array.

Quote:

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By the way it should be

#include <string>

not


#include <string.h>

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Nope. The op is using c-style strings and c-string functions, so it should be:

#include <cstring>

Here's another error:

strcopy(str, "\nMy name is ");

There's no such function as strcopy().

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 7stud

Well, unfortunately the author doesn't understand C++ very well. cin.getline() is defined to read in a maximum number of characters that is equal to one character less than what is specified in the second parameter:

cin.getline(name, 99);

So, that line will only read in a maximum of 98 characters, and then it will tack on a '\0' character after the 98th character for a total of 99 characters. However, your array has a size of 100. The second parameter in cin.getline should be the size of your array.

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Hrm. Yeah, I got all that. That's not affecting my ability to compile the program though. I also tried changing the preprocessor directive to #include <cstring> and it still gave me the same problems.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 7stud

Here's another error:

strcopy(str, "\nMy name is ");

There's no such function as strcopy().

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Yikes. You're right. That one was my error, though. Should have be strcpy(), right?

EDIT: Alright, the program's running fine now. Thanks for the help!

Just to add, that book you have seems to be pretty dataed, what year is it? I have one rather old called Practical C++ which used the old header types to. I used it when I had windows 95 - 98 and used Microsof Visual C++ 6.0 "shoot me.,,,," But thankfully I have upgraded everything since then. I guess the older the book is, the more error prone it will be as older compilers somtimes fail to understand newer functions and ideas

Quote:

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Originally Posted by swgh

Just to add, that book you have seems to be pretty dataed, what year is it? I have one rather old called Practical C++ which used the old header types to. I used it when I had windows 95 - 98 and used Microsof Visual C++ 6.0 "shoot me.,,,," But thankfully I have upgraded everything since then. I guess the older the book is, the more error prone it will be as older compilers somtimes fail to understand newer functions and ideas

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It was actually published in 2005. Go figure.

Quote:

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It was actually published in 2005

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Then the author is a hack (if that's your latest effort Bjarne, sorry!). Burn it and try something else.

Interestingly enough, that is the book the main page of this site recommends: http://www.cprogramming.com/books.html.

I don't know if using 99 instead of 100 means the author is a hack, but I would recommend the books I recommended in the sticky at the top of this forum instead.