vector of fstream, does not work?

[Someonekicked]

In my program, I need to open multiple files, and I wont know till after the
program execution how many of them (user will enter that value). So I am
using a vector of fstream. I am using fstream since I will need to write and
read from files, and I am using those files as binary files.

I made a sample of what's going on (below). Without using vector, everything
works fine, but with using vectors, something is going wrong somewhere!??

I compiled the code with MS VC6++, and it compiled without errors, but still
the piece of code with vectors wont give correct answer.
with MSV .net 2003, compiling the code with vector will give me error,
something about (no copy constructor available or copy constructor is
declared 'explicit'), is that the problem?

*********** First , without vector ********
fstream inoutData;
inoutData.open( "trial.txt" , ios::binary | ios::in | ios::out);
if(!inoutData)
{
ofstream newfile;
newfile.open("t rial.txt",ios:: binary);
newfile.clear() ;
newfile.close() ;
inoutData.clear ();
inoutData.open( "trial.txt" , ios::binary | ios::in | ios::out);
}

int p = 24;
inoutData.clear ();
inoutData.seekp (0);
inoutData.write (reinterpret_ca st<const char *>(&p), sizeof(p));
inoutData.seekg (0);
int q;
inoutData.read( reinterpret_cas t< char *>(&q), sizeof(q));
cout << q << endl;


*********** Second , with vector ********

vector<fstream> inoutData(1);
inoutData[0].open("trial.tx t", ios::binary | ios::in | ios::out);
if(!inoutData[0])
{
ofstream newfile;
newfile.open("t rial.txt",ios:: binary);
newfile.clear() ;
newfile.close() ;
inoutData[0].clear();
inoutData[0].open("trial.tx t", ios::binary | ios::in | ios::out);
}

int p = 24;
inoutData[0].clear();
inoutData[0].seekp(0);
inoutData[0].write(reinterp ret_cast<const char *>(&p), sizeof(p));
inoutData[0].seekg(0);
int q;
inoutData[0].read(reinterpr et_cast< char *>(&q), sizeof(q));
cout << q << endl;


--
Quotes from The Weather Man:
Robert Spritz: Do you know that the harder thing to do, and the right thing
to do, are usually the same thing? "Easy" doesn't enter into grown-up
life... to get anything of value, you have to sacrifice.

[Jerry Coffin]

Re: vector of fstream, does not work?

In article <UJedndOwS9MDNt zZRVn-qg@comcast.com> ,
someonekicked@c omcast.net says...[color=blue]
> In my program, I need to open multiple files, and I wont know till after the
> program execution how many of them (user will enter that value). So I am
> using a vector of fstream. I am using fstream since I will need to write and
> read from files, and I am using those files as binary files.[/color]

A vector of fstream isn't allowed. Anything you put into
a vector must be assignable, and an fstream isn't -- the
assignment operator is private in std::ios_base, and
(unless I've missed something) none of its descendents
makes it public again.

You'll probably need to do something like an array of
(possibly smart) pointers to fstreams instead.

--
Later,
Jerry.

The universe is a figment of its own imagination.

[Tsubasa]

Re: vector of fstream, does not work?

Jerry coffin, I find your error in your answer that is not
std::ios_base but std::basic_ios, you know? 'cause the assignment
operator is public in std::ios_base, and is private&not defined in
std::basic_ios, although std::ios_base is the base of std::basic_ios,
and std::basic_istr eam comes from std::basic_ios, std::fstream comes
from std::basic_istr eam,
I suppose that you might write error, don't you?

[Tsubasa]

Re: vector of fstream, does not work?

and, OK, I ignore another mistake: anything you put into a vector must
be assignable. It's not necessary, but copy constructor must be PUBLIC.

[Kai-Uwe Bux]

Re: vector of fstream, does not work?

Tsubasa wrote:
[color=blue]
> Jerry coffin, I find your error in your answer that is not
> std::ios_base but std::basic_ios, you know? 'cause the assignment
> operator is public in std::ios_base, and is private&not defined in
> std::basic_ios, although std::ios_base is the base of std::basic_ios,
> and std::basic_istr eam comes from std::basic_ios, std::fstream comes
> from std::basic_istr eam,
> I suppose that you might write error, don't you?[/color]

From the standard:

27.4.2 Class ios_base

namespace std {
class ios_base {
public:
class failure;
typedef T1 fmtflags;
static const fmtflags boolalpha;
...
[lots of stuff snipped]
...
static bool sync_with_stdio (bool sync = true);
protected:
ios_base();
private:
// static int index; exposition only
// long* iarray; exposition only
// void** parray; exposition only
private:
ios_base(const ios_base&);
ios_base& operator=(const ios_base&);
};

Note the private copy constructor and assignment operator, each of which by
itself makes ios_base and classes derived therefrom unsuitable for use in
std::vector.


Best

Kai-Uwe Bux

[Axter]

Re: vector of fstream, does not work?


Someonekicked wrote:[color=blue]
> In my program, I need to open multiple files, and I wont know till after the
> program execution how many of them (user will enter that value). So I am
> using a vector of fstream. I am using fstream since I will need to write and
> read from files, and I am using those files as binary files.
>
> I made a sample of what's going on (below). Without using vector, everything
> works fine, but with using vectors, something is going wrong somewhere!??
>
> I compiled the code with MS VC6++, and it compiled without errors, but still
> the piece of code with vectors wont give correct answer.
> with MSV .net 2003, compiling the code with vector will give me error,
> something about (no copy constructor available or copy constructor is
> declared 'explicit'), is that the problem?
>
> *********** First , without vector ********
> fstream inoutData;
> inoutData.open( "trial.txt" , ios::binary | ios::in | ios::out);
> if(!inoutData)
> {
> ofstream newfile;
> newfile.open("t rial.txt",ios:: binary);
> newfile.clear() ;
> newfile.close() ;
> inoutData.clear ();
> inoutData.open( "trial.txt" , ios::binary | ios::in | ios::out);
> }
>
> int p = 24;
> inoutData.clear ();
> inoutData.seekp (0);
> inoutData.write (reinterpret_ca st<const char *>(&p), sizeof(p));
> inoutData.seekg (0);
> int q;
> inoutData.read( reinterpret_cas t< char *>(&q), sizeof(q));
> cout << q << endl;
>
>
> *********** Second , with vector ********
>
> vector<fstream> inoutData(1);
> inoutData[0].open("trial.tx t", ios::binary | ios::in | ios::out);
> if(!inoutData[0])
> {
> ofstream newfile;
> newfile.open("t rial.txt",ios:: binary);
> newfile.clear() ;
> newfile.close() ;
> inoutData[0].clear();
> inoutData[0].open("trial.tx t", ios::binary | ios::in | ios::out);
> }
>
> int p = 24;
> inoutData[0].clear();
> inoutData[0].seekp(0);
> inoutData[0].write(reinterp ret_cast<const char *>(&p), sizeof(p));
> inoutData[0].seekg(0);
> int q;
> inoutData[0].read(reinterpr et_cast< char *>(&q), sizeof(q));
> cout << q << endl;
>[/color]

IAW C++ standard, iostream and derived class fstream are not assignable
or copiable, which means you can't use it as a concrete object in your
vector.
However, you could create a vector of pointer to fstream.
I would recommend using a smart pointer like boost::shared_p tr
See following link of list of smart pointers:

http://axter.com/smartptr/other_smart_pointers.htm

And see following link for example usage of smart pointers:

http://axter.com/smartptr/index.htm

[Jerry Coffin]

Re: vector of fstream, does not work?

In article <1145181037.707 901.163820
@i40g2000cwc.go oglegroups.com> , chanmaosheng@gm ail.com
says...[color=blue]
> Jerry coffin, I find your error in your answer that is not
> std::ios_base but std::basic_ios, you know? 'cause the assignment
> operator is public in std::ios_base, and is private&not defined in
> std::basic_ios, although std::ios_base is the base of std::basic_ios,
> and std::basic_istr eam comes from std::basic_ios, std::fstream comes
> from std::basic_istr eam,
> I suppose that you might write error, don't you?[/color]

I was pretty sure ios_base declared them private, but
maybe my memory has failed me.

It's more or less beside the point which base class
causes it though. Creating a vector of X requires that X
be copyable and assignable. Streams are neither copyable
nor assignable, so you can't create vectors of streams.

--
Later,
Jerry.

The universe is a figment of its own imagination.

[Howard Hinnant]

Re: vector of fstream, does not work?

In article <UJedndOwS9MDNt zZRVn-qg@comcast.com> ,
"Someonekic ked" <someonekicked@ comcast.net> wrote:
[color=blue]
> In my program, I need to open multiple files, and I wont know till after the
> program execution how many of them (user will enter that value). So I am
> using a vector of fstream. I am using fstream since I will need to write and
> read from files, and I am using those files as binary files.[/color]

In addition to the good answers you've already received, I'd like to
add: The committee is seriously considering changes to the C++ language
and standard library which allow your "with vector" example to work
exactly as you coded it.

Reference:

http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg21/docs/papers/2005/n1771.html

-Howard

[Tom]

Re: vector of fstream, does not work?

In my opinion, the element type used for vector should be a value-like
type. And the fstream, manages a file handler, cannot be copy and
assign.

[Howard Hinnant]

Re: vector of fstream, does not work?

In article <1145331383.368 727.253240@i39g 2000cwa.googleg roups.com>,
"Tom" <yeyesho@gmail. com> wrote:
[color=blue]
> In my opinion, the element type used for vector should be a value-like
> type. And the fstream, manages a file handler, cannot be copy and
> assign.[/color]

No worries.

vector::value_t ype will continue to be value-like. And fstream will
continue to be non-copyable and non-assignable. Move semantics
introduces a powerful new way of looking at things that compliments your
existing views, and allows things to be more efficient, not less.

Consider:

std::fstream
open_the_file_m y_way(const char* filename)
{
std::fstream result ...
return result;
}

....

void test ()
{
std::fstream my_file = open_the_file_m y_way("the file");
...
}

There is no logic error above. Every time the fstream changes
locations, the old location is about to be destroyed. The underlying
file handle can be passed from fstream to fstream, and no one is the
wiser. You get what today seems like copy behavior, but really is move
behavior.

At the same time, you will still be prohibited from copying or assigning
fstreams:

void test ()
{
std::fstream my_file = open_the_file_m y_way("the file"); // ok
...
std::fstream another_file = my_file; // won't compile
}

Here if the copy succeeded you would have two streams running around
pointing to the same file. I think we're all agreed that would be a bad
thing. This will continue to be enforced at compile time.
[color=blue]
> *********** Second , with vector ********
>
> vector<fstream> inoutData(1);
> inoutData[0].open("trial.tx t", ios::binary | ios::in | ios::out);
> if(!inoutData[0])
> {
> ofstream newfile;
> newfile.open("t rial.txt",ios:: binary);
> newfile.clear() ;
> newfile.close() ;
> inoutData[0].clear();
> inoutData[0].open("trial.tx t", ios::binary | ios::in | ios::out);
> }
>
> int p = 24;
> inoutData[0].clear();
> inoutData[0].seekp(0);
> inoutData[0].write(reinterp ret_cast<const char *>(&p), sizeof(p));
> inoutData[0].seekg(0);
> int q;
> inoutData[0].read(reinterpr et_cast< char *>(&q), sizeof(q));
> cout << q << endl;[/color]

In the OP's code, the fstream is never copied, even while it is inside
the vector. If the OP attempts an operation with the vector<fstream>
that would *visibly* copy an fstream, the compiler will reject it. E.g.

vector<fstream> inoutData(1); // ok
fstream f = inoutData[0]; // compile time error
inoutData.push_ back(fstream("a nother file")); // ok

In the latest example, no one has a reference to that temporary being
put into the vector. There's no danger of two fstreams pointing to the
same file.

fstream f;
inoutData.push_ back(f); // compile time error

If this compiled, then both f and inoutData.back( ) would point to the
same file (bad!).

-Howard