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c++filenamesistream

How to open file based on user input?

This code keeps giving me errors i dont know what Im doing wrong? How can I request the user to input the filename and then open that file and perform tasks with the data.

Example: 

#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>
#include <string>

using namespace std;

int main ()
{ 
ifstream inData;
ofstream outData;
string fileName;

cout << "Enter the data file Name : " << endl;//asks user to input filename
cin >> fileName; //inputs user input into fileName

inData.open(fileName); //heres where i try to open the file with the users input?
outData.open(fileName);
cout << fileName;
return 0;   
}

The code keeps giving me errors. I have tried to use getline? I want the fileName to be string and not char.

Solution

  • You're passing std::string objects to the parameters, not actual null-terminated char pointers. To do that, use c_str:

    inData.open(fileName.c_str());
outData.open(fileName.c_str());