keeping format of text file?

[Justin_]

How does one edit a text file programmatically (replace some things in it) while keeping all the formatters in place. i.e. the file looks the exact same as before.

Man, I am outputting to the file with copy but that is bad, bad bad. It is a source text file and it needs to be in a shape to compile.

[wtd]

Don't blame the method of output. Show us how you are editing it.

Providing a tiny amount of information about the problem is not the best way to get useful suggestions.

[Justin_]

c++:

//////This code was generated by Justin Moser's brain///////// /*/@@@@@ issues: can't format the new source code of the stub. */ #include <fstream> #include <iterator> #include <vector> #include <windows.h> #include <sstream> #include "file.h" std::string source_edit(std::string input); //source_edit edits the stub source.  This was the only way I knew how to make a dynamic //stub ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// void generate_stub(); //generate_stub uses the source_edit function to make a fitting stub, then it compiles it ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// std::vector<File> fileVector;   //this is not good!  I had to do this to supply a unary function //to the transform algorithm in generate_stub()  I intend to fix this once I conceive of a way. int main(int argc, char** argv) {    if (argc < 3)    {       std::cerr << "Specify all the fucking filenames.\n" <<                    "Syntax: me.exe first.exe second.exe"  <<                    " new.exe" << std::endl;       return 0;    }    //std::vector<File> fileVector(argc);    for (int i = 1; i < argc; i++) // '<' because the last parameter is the new file.    {         File file(argv[i]);   //construct file with filename param.         fileVector.push_back(file);    }    ////get total size of new file (without stub) ////    std::vector<File>::iterator index = fileVector.begin();    unsigned long int TOTAL_SIZE = index->getSize()+(index++)->getSize(); //potential bug here.    ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////    generate_stub();       //not working properly yet, needs to format.     return 0; } void generate_stub() {     const char* out_file_name = "generated.cpp";     const char* mingw_params  = "generated.cpp -o generated.exe";     std::vector<std::string> transformed_words;     std::ifstream file("generator.cpp");     std::ofstream out_file(out_file_name);     if (file)     {        transform (std::istream_iterator<std::string> (file), std::istream_iterator<std::string>(),                   back_inserter(transformed_words), source_edit);        copy (transformed_words.begin(), transformed_words.end(),              std::ostream_iterator<std::string> (out_file));     }     //ShellExecute(0, "open", "mingw.exe" ,NULL, mingw_params, SW_SHOW);     return; } std::string source_edit(std::string input) {    std::stringstream ss;    std::vector<File>::iterator i = fileVector.begin();    if (!input.compare("@file_name"))    {       input = "NEWFILEMAN.exe";    }    else if (!input.compare("@file1_size"))    {       ss << i->getSize();       input = ss.str();    }    else if (!input.compare("@file2_size"))    {       i++;       ss << i->getSize();       input = ss.str();    }    else if (!input.compare("#include<iostream>"))    {       input = "#include <iostream>";    }    else if (!input.compare("#include<windows.h>"))    {       input = "#include <windows.h>";    }      return input + " "; }

Again I appologize for however bad my code is, it is the best I know how to make it. Also, does someone know why using fileVector.end() crashes the program at run time? (It clearly is going past the scope of the vector I think)

[Justin_]

c++:

copy (transformed_words.begin(), transformed_words.end(),              std::ostream_iterator<std::string> (out_file));

This would be the relevant part of the code. I tried (out_file, "\n") but that is not compile worthy either. Any suggestions?

[wtd]

Well, it doesn't appear that you're including the algorithm header, or using namespace std.

[Justin_]

Why does it compile then if I need to those?

[Justin_]

I didn't think it would be that complicated. I understand that it would be easier to use a script, but still, it shouldn't be that complicated.

Does anyone recall opening a file and reading the contents?
Do they remember storing the contents in a variable?
Do they remember editing it a little and then putting the contents back into the file?

Perhaps php and perl have scewed my perception a little. With them reading a file into a variable is a piece of cake because it magically keeps it formatted as well.

[Justin_]

Okay I found a way... Yet again, C-Style arrays to the rescue. wtd, might you know of a way to maintain c++ standards compliability and complete this task?

[Justin_]

c++:

#include <fstream> #include <iostream> using std::cout; using std::endl; using std::cin; int main() {    char cstr[255];    std::ifstream file("generator.cpp");    std::ofstream out("new.txt");    while (!file.eof())    {       file.getline(cstr,255, '\n');       out << cstr << "\n";    }    return 0; }

[wtd]

A few changes:

code:

#include <fstream> #include <iostream> #include <string> using std::cout; using std::endl; using std::cin; int main() {    std::string line;    std::ifstream input_file("generator.cpp");    std::ofstream output_file("new.txt");    while (!file.eof())    {       std::getline(input_file, line);       output_file << line << endl;    }    return 0; }

I'll see if I can write an example of how to read lines from a file into a vector using copy. It's been awhile, so I'm a bit fuzzy on the hoops I have to jump through.

[Justin_]

file.eof() should be: input_file.eof()

Yes that way is much better. It even saved me! I was converting the char array to a string in my replacer function and after doing some comparisons, it was really wierd actually, it would cause the program to hang or create a memory error.
The reason this was wierd is because after the first compare everything was smooth. If a second comparison matched it caused it to stop a few lines after the comparison and generate no error. If three comparisions matched it caused a memory error and the program would only get a few lines.

Wierd huh? How would you explain that?

The form of comparison I used was: if (str == " a line in the program").

When I changed to std::getline the problem was resolved... I have no other guess but to assume the problem was in the implicit conversion between string and char.

[wtd]

When at all possible, using std::string is much nicer than using char arrays.