problem with setting of file name

well here is my code... and i will bold what is being defined as an error.

Code:

---

void MCreateFile()
{
    ofstream File;
    ifstream testFile;
    string filename;
   
    CLEARSCREEN;
   
    cout<<"Please enter the filename: ";
    cin>>filename;
    if(testFile.open(filename.c_str()))
    {
      testFile.close();
     
      int samefile;
     
      cout<<"\nThere is a file at the current save location with the same name...";
      cout<<"\n  <1>Overwrite";
      cout<<"\n  <2>Rename Current File";
      cout<<"\n  <3>Quit";
      cout<<"\n  ->: ";
      cin>>samefile;
      switch(samefile)
      {
                      case 1:
                            testFile.open(filename.c_str(), ios::trunc);
                            testFile.close();
                            break;
                      case 2:
                            filename.clear();
                            cout<<"\nNew File Name: ";
                            cin>>filename;
                            break;
                      case 3:
                            Quit();
                            break;
                      default:
                              cout<<"\nNot a valid entry!";
                              cout<<"\n  ->: ";
      }
    }
                 
    if(!File.open(filename.c_str()));
    {
        cout<<"File could not be created!";
        Quit();
    }
}

---

here are my compiler errors....

Code:

---

73 C:\Dev-Cpp\My Stuff\C++\PhoneBook\PhoneBook4\definitions.h could not convert `(&testFile)->std::basic_ifstream<_CharT, _Traits>::open [with _CharT = char, _Traits = std::char_traits<char>]((&filename)->std::basic_string<_CharT, _Traits, _Alloc>::c_str [with _CharT = char, _Traits = std::char_traits<char>, _Alloc = std::allocator<char>](), (std::_Ios_Openmode)8u)' to `bool'
105 C:\Dev-Cpp\My Stuff\C++\PhoneBook\PhoneBook4\definitions.h could not convert `(&File)->std::basic_ofstream<_CharT, _Traits>::open [with _CharT = char, _Traits = std::char_traits<char>]((&filename)->std::basic_string<_CharT, _Traits, _Alloc>::c_str [with _CharT = char, _Traits = std::char_traits<char>, _Alloc = std::allocator<char>](), std::operator|((std::_Ios_Openmode)16u, (std::_Ios_Openmode)32u))' to `bool'
105 C:\Dev-Cpp\My Stuff\C++\PhoneBook\PhoneBook4\definitions.h in argument to unary !

---

i realize that when you have a filename, it has to be a const char* type. whats goin on?

I'm not intirely clear on what open() returns right now, but you can use the function testFile.is_open() instead. Let the filestream try to open the file all the time.

open() returns a void, so it can't be used as part of a conditional expression

try

Code:

---

testfile.open(filename.cstr())
if (!testfile.fail())

---

instead.

ooo ok... that makes since...
but that makes me run into another problem...
is there a function i can use to test to see if the filename of the file that the user chooses is already in the current directory?
like a overwrite or rename window?

In standard C++, you'll probably want to just open the file for reading, and if it fails to open, it doesn't exist. There are platform specific options, and there is also Boost::filesystem, if you want more control or a nicer interface.

It depends on the mode that you use open with. There are lots of them, and you can use them in combination if they're separated by a vertical bar.

Code:

---

ios::app append output
ios::ate  seek to EOF when opened
ios::binary open the file in binary mode
ios::in  open the file for reading
ios:: out  open the file for writing
ios::trunc  overwrite the existing file

---

The default for ifstream is ios::in, so you don't have to really worry about overwriting. If you don't want to overwrite, just create a new file with a different name after the other one opens.

ok... i got rid of the compiler errors by taking the open function out of the conditionals...
now i get bad logic....

Code:

---

/*********************/
/**** MCreateFile ****/
/*********************/
void MCreateFile()
{
    string filename;
   
    CLEARSCREEN;
   
    cout<<"Please enter the filename: ";
    cin>>filename;
   
    ifstream testFile(filename.c_str());
   
    if(testFile.is_open())
    {
      testFile.close();
     
      int samefile;
     
      cout<<"\nThere is a file at the current save location with the same name...";
      cout<<"\n  <1>Overwrite";
      cout<<"\n  <2>Rename Current File";
      cout<<"\n  <3>Quit";
      cout<<"\n  ->: ";
      cin>>samefile;
      switch(samefile)
      {
                      case 1:
                            testFile.open(filename.c_str(), ios::trunc);
                            testFile.close();
                            break;
                      case 2:
                            filename.clear();
                            cout<<"\nNew File Name: ";
                            cin>>filename;
                            break;
                      case 3:
                            Quit();
                            break;
                      default:
                              cout<<"\nNot a valid entry!";
                              cout<<"\n  ->: ";
      }
    }         
    ofstream File(filename.c_str());   
    if(!File);
    {
        cout<<"File could not be created!";
        Quit();
    }

---

The bolded text is where the problem lies....
I check to see if the file isnt created... and if it isnt ... it says what it says...
And it even outputs that if i have if(File)
it works for both true and false...
whats goin on?

Code:

---

    ofstream File(filename.c_str());   
    if(!File);
    {
        cout<<"File could not be created!";
        Quit();
    }

---

The semicolon is your problem, because now no matter what, the code block following it will execute.

hahaha... wow.... what a newbish mistake...ahhh its late... im tired... thats my excuse...
thanks bro