C++ file names

Hi.

I am making a text based rpg game (in C++) and am trying to get the game to save and load different characters.

Character is a class I defined. Basically, I have all of the class's data loaded into arrays, and then I output those arrays to the file.

Before, I had the program open the game file and save to it.
Now I want it to create a file based on the Character's name, and save to the new file.

The problem is, I don't know how to change file names or create files based upon a string variable.

Code:

---

void save(Character & You)
{
        string Ystr[2], n1, n2;
        string name;
        char n[25];
                int Yint[23], ar1[4], sw1[6], ite[4];
        int z;
        name = You.name;
        name = "c:\\darkland\\" + name + ".out";
       
        for(int i = 0; i<25; i++)
        {
                if(name.at(i) != ' ')
                        n[i] = name.at(i);
        }
       
                      //tofile.open("c:\\darkland\\game.out");
                      //the above is my previous file

        tofile.open(n);   
        system("CLS");                                                         
        cout << "....Saving...." << endl;

        You.name + ".out");

        You.arrayStats(Ystr, Yint);                        //fills class arrays
        You.Armor1.getvars(n1, ar1);                //fills armor arrays
        You.Sword1.getvars(n2, sw1);                //fills sword arrays
        You.Items.getvars(ite);                                //fills item arrays

        //Global Vars Saved
        tofile << checkpoint << endl;
        tofile << north << endl;
        tofile << east << endl;

        tofile << Ystr[0] << endl;                //saves character strings
        tofile << Ystr[1] << endl;
        for(z=0; z < 23; z++)
        {
                      tofile << Yint[z] << endl;            //saves character stats
        }               
       
        tofile << n1;
        for(z=0; z < 4; z++)
                        tofile << ar1[z];        //enters armor into file

        tofile << n2;
        for(z=0; z < 6; z++)
                        tofile << sw1[z];        // enters sword into file

        for(z=0; z < 4; z++)
                      tofile << ite[z];              //enters items into file

        tofile.close();
        pause();
}

---

You could just write the instance of a Character class into a binary file, and read from it to "load" the data. This has the benefit of making the file illegible to human readers.

what do you mean you dont' know how to change file names or create files based upon a string variable?

Code:

---

tofile.open(name.c_str());

---

Changes the C++ string to a C string.

just replace

string name;
char n[25];

with

char name[25];

No. Then he would not be able to do

Code:

---

name = You.name;

---

And other things

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tonto

Code:

---

tofile.open(name.c_str());

---

Changes the C++ string to a C string.

---

Thanks man! It worked!

Now I am trying to load the Character. I have it ask the user what name to load, but it still loads if the name is incorrect.

How do I error check the name of the file?

Code:

---

string Ystr[2], n1, n2;       
        string name;
        int Yint[23], ar1[4], sw1[6], ite[4];
        int z;
        cout << "Type the name of the Character you want to load." << endl;
        cin.ignore(100, '\n');
        getline(cin, name);
        name = "c:\\darkland\\" + name + ".out";

        fromfile.open(name.c_str());       
        system("CLS");                                                         
        cout << "....Loading...." << endl;

---

After open(), you can use is_open() (I forgot the name but it goes along those lines) and good() to check if the file is indeed avaliable for reading.

Code:

---

        int Yint[23], ar1[4], sw1[6], ite[4];
        int z;

---

No one will want to debug that for you. For free, that is.


And system("cls") is bad. Read the FAQ.

Thanks for the help jafet.
The is_open() seems to work fine, but I couldn't figure out what to do with good().


Here is the problem:

When I type the correct file name at the first cin, it loads fine.

But when I type the filename correctly after entering the error check loop, it seems to load incorrectly - as if pulling data from an empty file.

Code:

---

cout << "Type the name of the Character you want to load." << endl;
cin >> name;
name = "c:\\darkland\\" + name + ".out";
fromfile.open(name.c_str());

while (!fromfile.is_open())
{
                //i tried putting fromfile.close() here but it didn't seem to do anything

                cout <<"File name is incorrect. Try again." << endl;
        cin >> name;
       
        name = "c:\\darkland\\" + name + ".out";
        fromfile.open(name.c_str());
}

---

May-be you'll need fromfile.clear() to reset the error flags?

Thanks!

The fromfile.clear() worked!