Chapter 12: Problem 8

Under what circumstances is a file stream object's ios : : badbit bit set? What member function reports the state of this bit?

Short Answer

Expert verified

The ios::badbit is set when a file stream object encounters a critical error during its operation, such as issues with the underlying system or corruption in the file being processed. The file stream object enters an unusable state when the ios::badbit is set. To report the state of the ios::badbit, the member function "rdstate()" should be used in conjunction with a bitwise AND operation, as shown in the example code: ``` if (file_stream_object.rdstate() & ios::badbit) { // ios::badbit is set, handle the critical error here } ```

Step by step solution

Introduction to File Stream Objects

File stream objects are used in C++ for handling file input and output. They offer methods for opening, closing, reading, and writing data to files. A file stream object has a state which is represented by several bits that indicate specific conditions relating to the operation of the object.

Understanding ios::badbit

The ios::badbit is a flag that is set when a file stream object encounters a critical error during its operation (such as a read or write operation). Critical errors may include, but are not limited to, issues with the underlying system (e.g., loss of connection to a network file) or corruption in the file being processed. When ios::badbit is set, the file stream object is considered to be in an unusable state, and further operations with the object should be halted.

Member Function for ios::badbit

The member function that reports the state of the ios::badbit is the "rdstate()" function. This function returns the current state of the file stream object, which is a combination of various state bits including badbit. To specifically check for the badbit, you can use the bitwise AND operation along with the rdstate() function, like this: ``` if (file_stream_object.rdstate() & ios::badbit) { // ios::badbit is set, handle the critical error here } ``` So, to summarize, the ios::badbit is set when a file stream object encounters a critical error, and the member function "rdstate()" reports the state of this bit.

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Under what circumstances is a file stream object's ios : : badbit bit set? What member function reports the state of this bit?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Introduction to File Stream Objects

Understanding ios::badbit

Member Function for ios::badbit

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