C++ Writing a file on Disk

In our last article, we have explained how to read an existing file on the disk. In this tutorial, we are going to explain how to write a file the content of an file. But before we write the content of a file on the disk, we must open it. For this, the C++ language provides us stream classes, using which we could perform file output/write operations..

In order to perform a file output/write operations, C++ provides us a few file stream classes, such as -

ofstream, to perform the file output operations.
fstream, to perform the any file input and output operations.

These two file stream classes provides us a function named open(), using which we could provide location of the file stored on the disk to depending on the mode in which we open this file. Let's read the file mode to use to write the content of a file.

Syntax of open() function

file-stream-object("filename", mode);

file-stream-object, is object of a file stream class used to perform a file output/write operation.
filename, is the name of file on which we are going to perform file operations.
mode, is single or multiple file modes in which we are going to open a file.

Writing a file

Let's look at the mode required to write a file.

File Mode	Description
*ios::out*	Searches for the file and opens it in write mode. If the file is found, its content are overwritten. If file is not found, a new file is created. Allows you to write* to the file.*

Writing a file using fstream stream class

Let us see a program to write to a file on disk with already initialized values. This file will be created in the current directory(the same directory where we are going to store the upcoming C++ program.).

//Creating a file for performing for output/write operation.
 
#include<fstream>

using namespace std;

int main()
{

//Using the ofstream class to create a file and to open an output stream to the file, to write content to it
ofstream ofstream_ob("File1.txt", ios::out);

int i = 10;

//writing an int value to the file using ofstream object
ofstream_ob<< i << "\n";


char ch = 'a';

//writing an char value to the file
ofstream_ob<< ch << "\n";

float f = 9.99f;

//Writing a float value to the file
ofstream_ob<< f << "\n";

char arr[] = "Hello World";

//writing a char array to the file
ofstream_ob<<"Hello World!" << "\n";


string str = "Keep smiling!";

//writing a string to the file
ofstream_ob<<"Keep Smiling!"<< "\n";


//closing the output stream after completing the write operation on the file
ofstream_ob.close();

return 0;
}

Output

Executing this program will create a file named File1.txt in the current directory, with its content-

10
a
9.99
Hello World!
Keep Smiling!

Writing a file by taking input from user at console

Let us see a code to write to a file on disk by taking input from the user at the console, This file will be created in the current directory(the same directory where we are going to store the upcoming C program.).

//Creating a file for performing for output/write operation.
 
#include<iostream>
#include<fstream>

using namespace std;

int main()
{

//Using the ofstream class to create a file and to open an output stream to the file, to write content to it
ofstream ofstream_ob("File2.txt", ios::out);

int i; 
cout<<"Enter an int : ";
cin>>i;


//writing an int value to the file
ofstream_ob<< i << "\n";



char ch;
cout<<"Enter a char value : ";
cin>>ch;

//writing an char value to the file
ofstream_ob<< ch << "\n";



float f;
cout<<"Enter a float value : ";
cin>>f;


//Writing a float value to the file
ofstream_ob<< f << "\n";

char newline_chr;
cin.get(newline_chr);


char arr[40];
cout<<"Enter the content of char array : ";
cin.getline(arr,40);
cout<<arr;


//writing a char array to the file
ofstream_ob<< arr << "\n";


string str;
cout<<"Enter the content of a string : ";
getline(cin, str);

//writing a string to the file
ofstream_ob<< str<< "\n";


//closing the output stream after completing the write operation on the file
ofstream_ob.close();

return 0;
}

Output

Enter an int : 10
Enter a char value : a
Enter a float value : 9.99
Enter the content of char array : Hello World!
Enter the content of a string : Keep Smiling

Executing this program will create a file named File2.txt in the current directory, with its content taken from the input typed by the user at the console such as -

File2.txt