Chapter 12: Problem 3

Assume that the file data. \(t x t\) already exists, and the following statement executes. What happens to the file? fstream file("data.txt", ios: : out) ;

Short Answer

Expert verified

Answer: When the statement "fstream file("data.txt", ios::out);" is executed, if the file "data.txt" doesn't exist, it will be created. If it already exists, its contents will be truncated, and the file will be opened in the 'ios::out' mode, ready for writing operations.

Step by step solution

Understanding the statement

To understand and analyze the given statement, let's first break it down: - 'fstream': This is a class defined in the C++ Standard Library that provides functionalities to perform file read and write operations. - 'file("data.txt", ios::out)': This part of the statement creates an object 'file' of the fstream class and associates it with the file "data.txt". The 'ios::out' flag, when specified, opens the file for output (i.e., writing) operations.

Effects of the statement on the file "data.txt"

Now that we have a grasp on what the statement does, we can analyze its effects on the file "data.txt". When the statement executes, the file "data.txt" is opened in the 'ios::out' mode. This mode opens the file to perform output (writing) operations. If the file "data.txt" doesn't exist, it will be created, provided the program has the necessary permissions. If the file already exists, its contents will be truncated (i.e., removed) before opening the file. This is because the 'ios::out' mode, by default, recreates the file from scratch whenever it's opened for writing. So, in conclusion:

The final outcome

When the statement "fstream file("data.txt", ios::out);" is executed, if the file "data.txt" doesn't exist, it will be created. If it already exists, its contents will be truncated, and the file will be opened in the 'ios::out' mode, ready for writing operations.

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Assume that the file data. \(t x t\) already exists, and the following statement executes. What happens to the file? fstream file("data.txt", ios: : out) ;

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Understanding the statement

Effects of the statement on the file "data.txt"

The final outcome

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