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c++iostreamistream

why there are two member functions?

I am learning c++, however, I can not understand what is the difference BTW:

std::cin.get();

and

std::cin.getline();

although;I know how to use each of them, but can't understand why there are two? I've read this explanation :

getlinereads the newline character then discard it; whereas .get()reads it then leaves it in the input queue ..!! why each of them does what it does ?

sorry for bad English :(

Solution

  • std::cin.get(), when called without parameters, reads one single character from input and returns it.

    std::cin.getline(char* str, std::streamsize count) reads one line of input and copies it into the buffer str, followed by an extra null character to form a C-string. count must be the size of that buffer, i.e. the maximal number of characters (plus the null byte) it can copy into it.

    To read a line without caring about the buffer size it may be better to use std::getline:

    #include <string>
std::string line;
std::getline(std::cin, line);

    Reads a line from cin into line.

    See http://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/io/basic_istream and http://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/string/basic_string/getline .