Simple opening a input file

[iNeedHelp]

string fileName;
ifstream inFile;	

cout << "What file do you want to gather data from? ";
cin >> fileName;
inFile.open( fileName.c_str() );

while( inFile.fail() )
{

	cerr << "Could not connect, try again: ";
	cin >> fileName;
	inFile.open( fileName.c_str() );

}

This should keep bothering the user until the ifstream can open up the file. However, when I type in a file that IS connectable to after messing up the first time, it just keeps saying "could not connect". Example of success and example of failure:

What file do you want to gather data from? myData.txt
... program successful, works fine

---

What file do you want to gather data from? myD.txt
Could not connect, try again: dadasd.txt
Could not connect, try again: myData.txt
Could not connect, try again:
... what the heck, correct input and it still fails?

[firedraco]

You have to put an inFile.clear() IIRC...it sets the fail bit which needs to be reset before you can do other ops on the stream.

[iNeedHelp]

Yes, my notes has something that says "use .clear when file fails to open"! So I was leaning towards that. However, I do not know where to put inFile.clear(), could you show me which line it belongs in? If I put it anywhere in the while loop, it doesn't help.

[firedraco]

Think of it this way:
Where would you need to put it so that it is called before you open it again?

[iNeedHelp]

Got it! To exit the fail state, we need to clear the ifstream by using inFile.clear() right before the .open() in the while loop.

Thanks!

[firedraco]

No problem :)