file handling

[nyl]

i was having a problem with my file handling homework...
this is our homework...
Write a program that outputs its own C++ source file to a file called "WithoutComments.cpp" and to the screen, but omitting any of the comments enclosed in "/* ... */" markers (and omitting the markers themselves). The new program in the file "WithoutComments.cpp" should compile and run in exactly the same way as the program from which it was generated.

#include<iostream.h>
#include<fstream.h>
#include<conio.h>
main()
{ /*every function should start with an open curly brace to indicate the starting of the func*/
char c; /*declaration of char c*/
ifstream file1; /*connects the ifstream "file1" to a following file.*/
ofstream file2;
file1.open("nyl.cpp");
file2.open("withoutcomments.cpp");
file1.get(c);
while(!file1.eof()){
cout<<c;
file2.put(c);
file1.get(c);
}
file2.close();
file1.close();
return 0;
}

MY PROBLEM IS THAT I CANT FIND ANY BUILT-IN FUNCTIONS THAT COUD OMIT ANY MARKER AND THE STATEMENTS THAT ARE INCLOSED TO IT.....

could you help me.....

nyl

[vince1027]

You do not need any standard library functions to do that.

It's simple. On the part of your code where you are copying character by character:

while(!file1.eof()){
cout<<c;
file2.put(c);
file1.get(c);
}

I would add a flag check before

file2.put(c);

A short pseudo-code to help you out. It is best to code this by yourself so you'd understand better.

if current character is '/' or '*'{
    if previous character is '/'
        skip all characters until '*' or '\n'
}

if current character is '*' and next character is not '/'
    repeat skip

[nyl]

i got your point.... i think this is stupidity on my part but i have no idea how to make it skip all the characters....
do i need to use loops?

[vince1027]

Skipping, in your case, is mainly done by not inserting the character to the ofstream.

Loop would not be a bad idea but you need to take note that you already have a loop:

while(!file1.eof()){
cout<<c;
file2.put(c);
file1.get(c);
}

A simple way to do skip is to have a flag that will be set if you need to skip.

//pseudo-code

if inside comment
    fskip = true;
else
    fskip = false;

if(!fskip)
    file2.put(c);

You'll need to implement the check to see if the current character is inside a comment.

[nyl]

what is the fskip here? is this a variable?

[vince1027]

Yes, it is of bool type.

[nyl]

ahw....
sorry... im not familiar with bool type.....
im juz new with programming...

[vince1027]

http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/variables.html

Look under "Fundamental data types"

[nyl]

thank you....:)

[nyl]

im just wondering....
do i need to use bool types?

[magicalblender]

Well, I guess you could use an int instead... I wouldn't recommend it, though. This is exactly what bools are made for, so why not use one?

[nyl]

i just dont know ho to use it