weird compiler error with .eof()

Code:

---

void Phonebook::GetEntries(fstream *fFile)
{
    int i=0;
    if(*fFile.eof())
    {
                    return;
    }
    else
    {
        while(getline(*fFile,vEntries[i].name,'\t') != NULL)
        {
                  vEntries[i].ordernum=i+1;
                  getline(*fFile,vEntries[i].cnumber,'t');
                  getline(*fFile,vEntries[i].hnumber,'t');
                  getline(*fFile,vEntries[i].address,'\n');
                  ++i;
        }
    }
}

---

Code:

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C:\Dev-Cpp\My Stuff\C++\PhoneBook\PhoneBook4\main.cpp In member function `void Phonebook::GetEntries(std::fstream*)':
347 C:\Dev-Cpp\My Stuff\C++\PhoneBook\PhoneBook4\main.cpp `eof' has not been declared
347 C:\Dev-Cpp\My Stuff\C++\PhoneBook\PhoneBook4\main.cpp request for member of non-aggregate type before '(' token

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I'm guessing you've never worked with pointers to objects.

You don't deference them, you call their methods with the '->' operator, not the '.' operator.

Code:

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if(fFile->eof()) return;

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In any event, don't control your loop with eof() control it with the object itself. And also, I'm not really sure about the pointer to a fstream is a good idea either. You should really be passing constant references.

Code:

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void Phonebook::GetEntries(const fstream &fFile)

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Then ofcourse with that, you just use the '.' operator. :)

well my reason for calling .eof() is cause i want to check if the file is empty... and if it is return from the function and then continue letting the user enter entries until the file has something in it to display....

If the file is empty, the call to getline will fail and the function will return anyway. It seems as if your special case is superfluous.