Error: Expression must have a class type

[nam13g]

Hello all. This function is supposed to look at a file (which is opened in the main routine) and print the smallest word in the file. However, I keep getting "Error: Expression must have a class type" under printfile after the if statement.

int smallestword(ifstream &infile, string &printfile)
{
	string smalls;
	while (getline(infile, printfile)) {
		for (int i = 0; i < printfile.length; i++) {
			if (printfile[i].length > smalls.length())
				smalls = printfile[i];
		}
	}
	cout << smalls << endl;
}

I'm still learning and trying to understand these errors. Any help is appreciated.

[TheIdeasMan]

Hi,

The length() function applies to the whole string not just 1 char inside it. It also returns a std::size_t type which is the largest unsigned type the system has, where as the int is signed, hence the mismatch warning. So:

for (std::size_t i = 0; i < printfile.length(); i++) {

}

In future please post the compiler output verbatim, we would rather see the whole actual message rather than one's interpretation of, or part of it :+) Make sure the line numbers referred to match up with the line numbers in the code posted. The code tags have a firstline option so that you can have the correct line numbers.

http://www.cplusplus.com/articles/z13hAqkS/

Ideally post a small complete program that reproduces the problem, then we can compile it right here with cpp.sh , possibly setting the warnings levels higher than what you may have :+)