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C++ Files
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C++ Files
The fstream library allows us to work with files.

To use the fstream library, include both the standard <iostream> AND the
<fstream> header file:

Example
#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>

There are three classes included in the fstream library, which are used to create,
write or read files:

Class Description

ofstream Creates and writes to files

ifstream Reads from files

fstream A combination of ofstream and ifstream: creates, reads, and

writes to files

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the file.

To write to the file, use the insertion operator ( << ).

Example
#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>
using namespace std;

int main() {
// Create and open a text file
ofstream MyFile("filename.txt");

// Write to the file

MyFile << "Files can be tricky, but it is fun enough!";

// Close the file

MyFile.close();
}

Why do we close the file?

It is considered good practice, and it can clean up unnecessary memory space.

Read a File
To read from a file, use either the ifstream or fstream class, and the name of the
file.

Note that we also use a while loop together with the getline() function (which
belongs to the ifstream class) to read the file line by line, and to print the content of
the file:
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// Create a text string, which is used to output the text file
string myText;

// Read from the text file

ifstream MyReadFile("filename.txt");

// Use a while loop together with the getline() function to read the file
line by line
while (getline (MyReadFile, myText)) {
// Output the text from the file
cout << myText;
}

// Close the file

MyReadFile.close();

Run example »

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