my c++ assignment requires me to have the user enter a string and search a file for number of occurences. this isn't too hard except that the user is supposed to enter the name of the file to input from and output to in a string. using ifstream, how can I open a file selected by a string. eg: ifstream input; input.open("user inputted string"); can I just create a string like: char *my_string and use it like this? --> ifstream input; input.open(my_string); can this be done? somebody please let me know how to do this? (I haven't actually tried it because I haven't gone home)

The preferred method will differ depending upon what compiler and version you are using. borelli34

I just want to know the syntax. it would work for all c++ regardless. it's just a simple console application. how can I have a user enter a string, and use that string to choose the file to take input from?

I'm a C programmer who has learned C++ but has never converted to using C++ I/O (cin/cout). I continue to use C I/O (scanf(), fgets(), printf(), etc), so I'm not well versed in cin syntax. But, basically you just want to let the user input a string, which I would imagine that you've done before, then pass that string to the open method. char filename[50]; cin >> filename; // remember I don't use cin so adjust this syntax if it's wrong input.open(filename); It should be as easy as that.

you're right. i did it, and it works. thanks