Please comment on my program (Simple TXT Writer)

[Bo0sT]

I wrote this program so that I can post it and learn from feedback that others give me. If you could please look through my program and maybe point out something that I could have done better and/or how to fix any of all the bugs I have posted in the top comments that would be cool, thanks. I commented it well so it is easy to look through, feel free to put it into your own IDE and compile it and test it, i only used standard C++ libraries so it should run on any IDE.

code:

/*  * Simple TXT Writer, by Danny Knight  * Saturday, September 6, 2008  *  * This program was made as practice with  * many basic and standard C++ concepts  * and libraries.  I commented everything  * in great detail so that others can  * learn from it.  *  * Bugs ----------------------------------  * -when writing to a file, after you have  *  entered a line, you cannot go back and  *  edit the line  * -cannot enter a file name greater than  *  one word long  * -after adding to a text file, the new  *  and old data are seperated by a blank  *  line (I did not do this on purpose, I  *  just couldn't figure out a quick and  *  easy way to fix it)  */ #include <iostream> // Standard C++ input / output stream #include <string> // C++ string type #include <fstream> // Standard C++ file stream using namespace std; // Using standard namespace for standard C++ libraries static void create_file(void); // Is run when the 'Create TXT' option is selected static void open_file(void); // Is run when the 'Open TXT' option is selected void cannot_open_file(char* title_of_file); // Displays an error message including the name of the file as an ARRAY OF CHARs to the standard output stream and exits the program returning '1' void cannot_open_file(string title_of_file); // Displays an error message including the name of the file as a STRING to the standard output stream and exits the program returning '1' void cannot_open_file(); // Displays an error message to the standard output stream and exits the program returning '1' void main() {         char option = ' '; // char being used to store the user's menu option         while (!(option == 'e' || option == 'E'))         {                 cout << "Welcome to Simple Text Reader" << endl;                 cout << "=============================" << endl;                 cout << "A - Create TXT\nB - Open TXT\nE - Exit" << endl;                 // Checks for valid input                 for (;;)                 {                         cin >> option; // get value of option from keyboard                                 if (option == 'A' || option == 'a') // if option a is selected, leave a line, run option a's function and break the forever loop                         {                                 create_file();                                 break;                         }                         else if (option == 'B' || option == 'b') // if option b is selected run option b's function and break the forever loop                         {                                 open_file();                                 break;                         } else if (option == 'E' || option == 'e')                                 exit(0);                         else cout << endl <<"please enter an 'a' or a 'b' or an 'e'" << endl; // Otherwise display error message and continue looping until the user had entered valid input                 }                 system("cls"); // Clear the screen before the Main Menu shows         } }                static void create_file() // Option a's function {         string file_name; // Name of the file         string info; // Contents of the file         bool has_ext = false; // Weather or not the user put a .txt at the end of 'file_name'         ofstream output_file; // Object of the output file                 system("cls"); // Clear the output window         cout << "Name your file: "; // prompt the user to name the file, initilizing 'file_name'         cin >> file_name;         for (int i = 0; i < file_name.length();i++) // run the loop up to as many times as there are letters in 'file_name'         {                 if ((file_name[i] == '.') && (file_name[++i] == 't' || file_name[++i] == 'T') &&                         (file_name[++i] == 'x' || file_name[++i] == 'X') &&                         (file_name[++i] == 't' || file_name[++i] == 'T') && file_name[++i] == '\0') // if the user did put a .txt at the end of 'file_name', set has_ext to true and break the loop                 { has_ext = true; break; } else; // Otherwise keep looping until the end of 'file_name', (if there is no .txt, has_ext remains as false, its initial value)         }         // if has_ext is false, meaning the user did not put a .txt at the end of 'file_name', put .TXT at the end of it for them         if (has_ext == false)                 file_name = file_name + ".TXT"; else; // Otherwise do nothing and continue with the program         output_file.open(file_name.c_str()); // Create the output file by calling the 'open' function on the 'ofstream' object, and pass in an object of string, casted to a primative C string using the function c_str because open doens't take C++ 'string's         if (!(output_file.is_open())) // If the file is unable to open, run the 'cannot_open_file' function                 cannot_open_file(file_name); else; // Otherwise do nothing and continue with the program                 // The following two lines are written to the text document created         output_file << "This document is created in Simple Text Reader" << endl;         output_file << "==============================================" << endl;         cout << "Writing to text file " << file_name << " (type $save to save)" << endl; // Prompt the user to write to the file, entering "$save" to save their work         while(!(info == "$save")) // Loop until "$save" is entered         {                 getline(cin,info); // Gets a line of text from the 'cin' function and reads it into the 'info' object                 if (info != "$save") // Only write 'info' to file if it is not "$save" (this condition is another way of writing the condition in the while loop)                         output_file << info << endl;                         }         output_file.close(); // Close output file } static void open_file() // option b's function {         string file_name; // Name of the file         string info[30]; // Contents of the file         string new_info; // A string that contains the appended contents of a file if the user selects 'Edit'         bool has_ext = false; // Weather or not the user put a .txt at the end of 'file_name'         ifstream input_file; // Object of the input file         ofstream add_to_file; // This objcet opens a file as output, so that we can add the old data as well as the new stuff         char option; // Add to or Man Menu         system("cls"); // Clear the output window         cout << "Enter the name of the file to open" << endl;         cin >> file_name;         for (int i = 0; i < file_name.length();i++) // run the loop up to as many times as there are letters in 'file_name'         {                 if ((file_name[i] == '.') && (file_name[++i] == 't' || file_name[++i] == 'T') &&                         (file_name[++i] == 'x' || file_name[++i] == 'X') &&                         (file_name[++i] == 't' || file_name[++i] == 'T') && file_name[++i] == '\0') // if the user did put a .txt at the end of 'file_name', set has_ext to true and break the loop                 { has_ext = true; break; } else; // Otherwise keep looping until the end of 'file_name', (if there is no .txt, has_ext remains as false, its initial value)         }                 // if has_ext is false, meaning the user did not put a .txt at the end of 'file_name', put .TXT at the end of it for them         if (has_ext == false)                 file_name = file_name + ".TXT"; else; // Otherwise do nothing and continue with the program         input_file.open(file_name.c_str());         if (!(input_file.is_open())) // If the file is unable to open, run the 'cannot_open_file' function                 cannot_open_file(file_name);         else cout << "\nViewing " << file_name << "...\n" << endl; // Otherwise tell the user what file they are viewing                         for (int x = 0;!(input_file.eof());x++) // Function 'eof' returns true when the file is out of data (eof stands for "end of file")         {                 getline(input_file,info[x]);                 cout << info[x] << endl;         }                 input_file.close();         cout << "===================" << endl;         cout << "A - Add to this TXT\nB - Main Menu" << endl;         cout << "===================" << endl;                 for (;;)         {                 cin >> option;                 switch(option)                 {                         case 'b':                         case 'B':                                 return; // Ends function, returning to main                         case 'a':                         case 'A':                                 {                                         system("cls");                                         add_to_file.open(file_name.c_str());                                         if (!(add_to_file.is_open()))                                                 { cout << "Unable to open file for output" << endl; exit(1); }                                         for (int c = 0;c < x;c++) // The for loop incrementor is how the language got it's name, because it is an "incrementation" of the language C..                                         {                                                 cout << info[c] << endl;                                                 add_to_file << info[c] << endl;                                         }                                         while (new_info != "$save") // Another way of writing (!(new_info == "$save"))                                         {                                                 getline(cin,new_info);                                                 if (!(new_info == "$save"))                                                         add_to_file << new_info << endl; else;                                         }                                         return;                                 }                 }         } } void cannot_open_file(char* name) // See prototype {         cout << "Unable to open file: " << name << endl;         exit(1); } void cannot_open_file(string name) // See prototype {         cout << "Unable to open file: " << name << endl;         exit(1); } void cannot_open_file() // See prototype {         cout << "Unable to open file" << endl;         exit(1); }

[Bo0sT]

I just tested this on Dev-C++, it gives an error message because I used a variable declared in a for loop outside of the loop's block. I wrote this in Microsoft Visual C++ v6.0 and when I was writing it I was pretty sure that would give me an error regarding scope, but I decided to go ahead and test it anyway, and it worked so i left it. If you want to test this program but used Dev-C++, I recomend using another IDE because it is late and I am tired, MS Visual Studio Express Edition isn't too bad because it's free, just google it.

[Clayton]

There definitely exists such as over-commenting, and you sir, have met it. As well, on the issue of scope, don't just leave it there and tell someone that they have to use a different IDE, just fix it

[Zeroth]

My question for the programmer is, "Why C++?"

[Bo0sT]

Zeroth @ Sun Sep 07, 2008 11:12 am wrote:

My question for the programmer is, "Why C++?"

because that is the language that i am trying to learn

[Bo0sT]

Clayton @ Sun Sep 07, 2008 10:53 am wrote:

There definitely exists such as over-commenting, and you sir, have met it. As well, on the issue of scope, don't just leave it there and tell someone that they have to use a different IDE, just fix it

I commented it like i did so that others can learn from my program if they don't know how to do something that I did, and sorry for not fixing it but, it works in my IDE and i did it at.... must have been 1:00am, so i was tired at the time. However it is a small bug, i dont think im going to bother fixing it, doesnt look like to many people are interested anyway, but i am glad this bug did come up last minute because i was able to learn from it, which was the whole point of me doing this little project in the first place

[Bo0sT]

I fixed the scope error, now the program compiles in Dev-C++ and VC++ so feel free to give it a try

code:

/*  * Simple TXT Writer, by Danny Knight  * Saturday, September 6, 2008  *  * This program was made as practice with  * many basic and standard C++ concepts  * and libraries.  I commented everything  * in great detail so that others can  * learn from it.  *  * Notes --------------------------------  * -when writing to a file, after you have  *  entered a line, you cannot go back and  *  edit the line  * -cannot enter a file name greater than  *  one word long  * -after adding to a text file, the new  *  and old data are seperated by a blank  *  line (I did not do this on purpose, I  *  just couldn't figure out a quick and  *  easy way to fix it)  */ #include <iostream> // Standard C++ input / output stream #include <string> // C++ string type #include <fstream> // Standard C++ file stream using namespace std; // Using standard namespace for standard C++ libraries static void create_file(void); // Is run when the 'Create TXT' option is selected static void open_file(void); // Is run when the 'Open TXT' option is selected void cannot_open_file(char* title_of_file); // Displays an error message including the name of the file as an ARRAY OF CHARs to the standard output stream and exits the program returning '1' void cannot_open_file(string title_of_file); // Displays an error message including the name of the file as a STRING to the standard output stream and exits the program returning '1' void cannot_open_file(); // Displays an error message to the standard output stream and exits the program returning '1' void main() {         char option = ' '; // char being used to store the user's menu option         while (!(option == 'e' || option == 'E'))         {                 cout << "Welcome to Simple Text Reader" << endl;                 cout << "=============================" << endl;                 cout << "A - Create TXT\nB - Open TXT\nE - Exit" << endl;                 // Checks for valid input                 for (;;)                 {                         cin >> option; // get value of option from keyboard                                 if (option == 'A' || option == 'a') // if option a is selected, leave a line, run option a's function and break the forever loop                         {                                 create_file();                                 break;                         }                         else if (option == 'B' || option == 'b') // if option b is selected run option b's function and break the forever loop                         {                                 open_file();                                 break;                         } else if (option == 'E' || option == 'e')                                 exit(0);                         else cout << endl <<"please enter an 'a' or a 'b' or an 'e'" << endl; // Otherwise display error message and continue looping until the user had entered valid input                 }                 system("cls"); // Clear the screen before the Main Menu shows         } }                static void create_file() // Option a's function {         string file_name; // Name of the file         string info; // Contents of the file         bool has_ext = false; // Weather or not the user put a .txt at the end of 'file_name'         ofstream output_file; // Object of the output file                 system("cls"); // Clear the output window         cout << "Name your file: "; // prompt the user to name the file, initilizing 'file_name'         cin >> file_name;         for (int i = 0; i < file_name.length();i++) // run the loop up to as many times as there are letters in 'file_name'         {                 if ((file_name[i] == '.') && (file_name[++i] == 't' || file_name[++i] == 'T') &&                         (file_name[++i] == 'x' || file_name[++i] == 'X') &&                         (file_name[++i] == 't' || file_name[++i] == 'T') && file_name[++i] == '\0') // if the user did put a .txt at the end of 'file_name', set has_ext to true and break the loop                 { has_ext = true; break; } else; // Otherwise keep looping until the end of 'file_name', (if there is no .txt, has_ext remains as false, its initial value)         }         // if has_ext is false, meaning the user did not put a .txt at the end of 'file_name', put .TXT at the end of it for them         if (has_ext == false)                 file_name = file_name + ".TXT"; else; // Otherwise do nothing and continue with the program         output_file.open(file_name.c_str()); // Create the output file by calling the 'open' function on the 'ofstream' object, and pass in an object of string, casted to a primative C string using the function c_str because open doens't take C++ 'string's         if (!(output_file.is_open())) // If the file is unable to open, run the 'cannot_open_file' function                 cannot_open_file(file_name); else; // Otherwise do nothing and continue with the program                 // The following two lines are written to the text document created         output_file << "This document is created in Simple Text Reader" << endl;         output_file << "==============================================" << endl;         cout << "Writing to text file " << file_name << " (type $save to save)" << endl; // Prompt the user to write to the file, entering "$save" to save their work         while(!(info == "$save")) // Loop until "$save" is entered         {                 getline(cin,info); // Gets a line of text from the 'cin' function and reads it into the 'info' object                 if (info != "$save") // Only write 'info' to file if it is not "$save" (this condition is another way of writing the condition in the while loop)                         output_file << info << endl;                         }         output_file.close(); // Close output file } static void open_file() // option b's function {         string file_name; // Name of the file         string info[30]; // Contents of the file         string new_info; // A string that contains the appended contents of a file if the user selects 'Edit'         bool has_ext = false; // Weather or not the user put a .txt at the end of 'file_name'         ifstream input_file; // Object of the input file         ofstream add_to_file; // This objcet opens a file as output, so that we can add the old data as well as the new stuff         char option; // Add to or Man Menu     int x; // Declared up here rather than in the for loop so that it can be used outside the for loop's block         system("cls"); // Clear the output window         cout << "Enter the name of the file to open" << endl;         cin >> file_name;         for (int i = 0; i < file_name.length();i++) // run the loop up to as many times as there are letters in 'file_name'         {                 if ((file_name[i] == '.') && (file_name[++i] == 't' || file_name[++i] == 'T') &&                         (file_name[++i] == 'x' || file_name[++i] == 'X') &&                         (file_name[++i] == 't' || file_name[++i] == 'T') && file_name[++i] == '\0') // if the user did put a .txt at the end of 'file_name', set has_ext to true and break the loop                 { has_ext = true; break; } else; // Otherwise keep looping until the end of 'file_name', (if there is no .txt, has_ext remains as false, its initial value)         }                 // if has_ext is false, meaning the user did not put a .txt at the end of 'file_name', put .TXT at the end of it for them         if (has_ext == false)                 file_name = file_name + ".TXT"; else; // Otherwise do nothing and continue with the program         input_file.open(file_name.c_str());         if (!(input_file.is_open())) // If the file is unable to open, run the 'cannot_open_file' function                 cannot_open_file(file_name);         else cout << "\nViewing " << file_name << "...\n" << endl; // Otherwise tell the user what file they are viewing                         for (x = 0;!(input_file.eof());x++) // Function 'eof' returns true when the file is out of data (eof stands for "end of file")         {                 getline(input_file,info[x]);                 cout << info[x] << endl;         }                 input_file.close();         cout << "===================" << endl;         cout << "A - Add to this TXT\nB - Main Menu" << endl;         cout << "===================" << endl;                 for (;;)         {                 cin >> option;                 switch(option)                 {                         case 'b':                         case 'B':                                 return; // Ends function, returning to main                         case 'a':                         case 'A':                                 {                                         system("cls");                                         add_to_file.open(file_name.c_str());                                         if (!(add_to_file.is_open()))                                                 { cout << "Unable to open file for output" << endl; exit(1); }                                         for (int c = 0;c < x;c++) // The for loop incrementor is how the language got it's name, because it is an "incrementation" of the language C..                                         {                                                 cout << info[c] << endl;                                                 add_to_file << info[c] << endl;                                         }                                         while (new_info != "$save") // Another way of writing (!(new_info == "$save"))                                         {                                                 getline(cin,new_info);                                                 if (!(new_info == "$save"))                                                         add_to_file << new_info << endl; else;                                         }                                         return;                                 }                 }         } } void cannot_open_file(char* name) // See prototype {         cout << "Unable to open file: " << name << endl;         exit(1); } void cannot_open_file(string name) // See prototype {         cout << "Unable to open file: " << name << endl;         exit(1); } void cannot_open_file() // See prototype {         cout << "Unable to open file" << endl;         exit(1); }