How to Copy a File to a Vector in C++
In the C++ programming language, a vector is a type of dynamic array -- a class that contains a series of variables, the exact number of which can change as needed. Being able to work with text files in C++ is important; it allows your program to read configuration files and interpret scripts. A vector is a perfect data structure for the purposes of copying a file for in-program use, and can easily be done with only a few lines of code.
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Instructions
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Create a new ".cpp" file, whether that be by opening your text editor or starting a new project in your compiler's development environment.
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Import the necessary libraries. The following list should cover all operations related to file input, output and in-vector storage:
#include <algorithm>
#include <fstream>
#include <iterator>
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>Paste this chunk of code into the ".cpp" file -- it should be located at the beginning of your source file.
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Create the necessary data containers in your main() function. You will need both an ifstream to pipe the file itself through, and a vector for storage:
std::ifstream file("File.txt");
std::vector<char> input;Replace "File.txt" with the name of the file you wish to copy into the vector, including the quotes around the name. All the following lines of code should be place sequentially in the main() function.
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Prevent the program from skipping over whitespace characters by entering the following line of code:
file >> std::noskipws;
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Copy the file into the vector:
std::copy(istream_iterator<char>(file), istream_iterator<char>(), std::back_inserter(input));
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You can now do anything you like with the vector. To display the file onscreen:
std::copy(buffer.begin(), buffer.end(), ostream_iterator<char>(std::cout, ""));
Finish your main() function with the line:
return 0;
And a closing curly bracket. Compile the code and test-run it.
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