Use these methods to read strings (for example, a line at a time) from the input stream:
Method: istream& istream::get (char* c, int len [, char delim])
Read a string from the input stream, into the array at c.
The remaining arguments limit how much to read: up to `len-1'
characters, or up to (but not including) the first occurrence in the
input of a particular delimiter character delim---newline
(\n) by default. (Naturally, if the stream reaches end of file
first, that too will terminate reading.)
If delim was present in the input, it remains available as if
unread; to discard it instead, see iostream::getline.
get writes `\0' at the end of the string, regardless
of which condition terminates the read.
Method: istream& istream::get (streambuf& sb [, char delim])
Read characters from the input stream and copy them on the
streambuf object sb. Copying ends either just before the
next instance of the delimiter character delim (newline \n
by default), or when either stream ends. If delim was present in
the input, it remains available as if unread.
Method: istream& istream::getline (charptr, int len [, char delim])
Read a line from the input stream, into the array at charptr.
charptr may be any of three kinds of pointer: char*,
unsigned char*, or signed char*.
The remaining arguments limit how much to read: up to (but not
including) the first occurrence in the input of a line delimiter
character delim---newline (\n) by default, or up to
`len-1' characters (or to end of file, if that happens sooner).
If getline succeeds in reading a "full line", it also discards
the trailing delimiter character from the input stream. (To preserve it
as available input, see the similar form of iostream::get.)
If delim was not found before len characters or end
of file, getline sets the ios::fail flag, as well as the
ios::eof flag if appropriate.
getline writes a null character at the end of the string, regardless
of which condition terminates the read.
Method: istream& istream::read (pointer, int len)
Read len bytes into the location at pointer, unless the input ends first.
pointer may be of type char*, void*, unsigned
char*, or signed char*.
If the istream ends before reading len bytes, read
sets the ios::fail flag.
Method: istream& istream::gets (char **s [, char delim])
A GNU extension, to read an arbitrarily long string
from the current input position to the next instance of the delim
character (newline \n by default).
To permit reading a string of arbitrary length, gets allocates
whatever memory is required. Notice that the first argument s is
an address to record a character pointer, rather than the pointer
itself.
Method: istream& istream::scan (const char *format ...)
A GNU extension, similar to fscanf(file,
format, ...). The format is a scanf-style format
control string, which is used to read the variables in the remainder of
the argument list from the istream.
Method: istream& istream::vscan (const char *format, va_list args)
Like istream::scan, but takes a single va_list argument.