C++ || Input/Output – Using An Array, Sort Names From a Text File & Save The Sorted Names To A New Text File

Since we previously discussed how to sort numbers which is contained in an integer array, it is only fitting that we display a program which sorts characters that are stored in a character array.

This is an interactive program which first displays a menu to the user, allowing them to choose from 6 different modes of operation. The 6 options are described as followed:

R - Read in names from a file for sorting
E - Enter in names manually for sorting
D - Display the current names in the array
S - Sort the current names in the array
C - Clear the current names in the array
Q - Quit

From the available choices, the user has the option of reading in names from a file, manually entering in names themselves, displaying the current names in the array, sorting the current names in the array, clearing the current names in the array, and finally quitting the program. When the user chooses to quit the program, whatever data which is currently stored within the array will automatically be saved to the output text file.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE FOR THIS PROGRAM

Fstream
Ifstream
Ofstream
Character Arrays
2D Arrays
Working With Files
Pass By Reference
While Loops
For Loops
Bubble Sort
Functions
Switch Statements
Boolean Expressions
Toupper
Strcpy
Strcmp

The data file that is used in this example can be downloaded here.

Note: In order to read in the data .txt file, you need to save the .txt file in the same directory (or folder) as your .cpp file is saved in. If you are using Visual C++, this directory will be located in

Documents > Visual Studio 2010 > Projects > [Your project name] > [Your project name]

NOTE: On some compilers, you may have to add #include < cstdlib> and #include < cstring> in order for the code to compile.


QUICK NOTES:
The highlighted lines are sections of interest to look out for.

The code is heavily commented, so no further insight is necessary. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below.

Once compiled, you should get this as your output
(Remember to include the input file)

Welcome to the name sorting program...
From the following menu, select an option
R - Read in names from a file for sorting
E - Enter in names manually for sorting
D - Display the current names in the array
S - Sort the current names in the array
C - Clear the current names in the array
Q - Quit

>> d

The array is currently empty!

------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to the name sorting program...
From the following menu, select an option
R - Read in names from a file for sorting
E - Enter in names manually for sorting
D - Display the current names in the array
S - Sort the current names in the array
C - Clear the current names in the array
Q - Quit

>> q

The array contained no names.
There was no data to save to the output file...

------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to the name sorting program...
From the following menu, select an option
R - Read in names from a file for sorting
E - Enter in names manually for sorting
D - Display the current names in the array
S - Sort the current names in the array
C - Clear the current names in the array
Q - Quit

>> e

Please enter the number of names you want to sort: 3

Please enter 3 names

Name #1: My
Name #2: Programming
Name #3: Notes

------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to the name sorting program...
From the following menu, select an option
R - Read in names from a file for sorting
E - Enter in names manually for sorting
D - Display the current names in the array
S - Sort the current names in the array
C - Clear the current names in the array
Q - Quit

>> d

The values in the array are:
My
Programming
Notes

There is currently 3 names in the array!

------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to the name sorting program...
From the following menu, select an option
R - Read in names from a file for sorting
E - Enter in names manually for sorting
D - Display the current names in the array
S - Sort the current names in the array
C - Clear the current names in the array
Q - Quit

>> s

Sorting the names contained in the array...
Success!
------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to the name sorting program...
From the following menu, select an option
R - Read in names from a file for sorting
E - Enter in names manually for sorting
D - Display the current names in the array
S - Sort the current names in the array
C - Clear the current names in the array
Q - Quit

>> d

The values in the array are:
My
Notes
Programming

There is currently 3 names in the array!

------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to the name sorting program...
From the following menu, select an option
R - Read in names from a file for sorting
E - Enter in names manually for sorting
D - Display the current names in the array
S - Sort the current names in the array
C - Clear the current names in the array
Q - Quit

>> c

Deleting the data contained in the array...
Clearing Complete!
------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to the name sorting program...
From the following menu, select an option
R - Read in names from a file for sorting
E - Enter in names manually for sorting
D - Display the current names in the array
S - Sort the current names in the array
C - Clear the current names in the array
Q - Quit

>> r

Reading in data from the file...
Success!
------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to the name sorting program...
From the following menu, select an option
R - Read in names from a file for sorting
E - Enter in names manually for sorting
D - Display the current names in the array
S - Sort the current names in the array
C - Clear the current names in the array
Q - Quit

>> d

The values in the array are:
My
Programming
Notes
C++
Java
Assembly
Lemon
Dark
Light
Black
High
Low
Cellphone
Cat
Dog
Penguin
Japan
Peace
Love
Color
White
One
Brain
Eggplant
Phalanx
Countenance
Crayons
Ben
Dover
Eileen
Bob
Downe
Justin
Elizebeth
Rick
Rolled
Sam
Widge
Liza
Destruction
Grove
Aardvark
Primal
Sushi
Victoria
Ostrich
Zebra
Scrumptious
Carbohydrate
Sulk
Ecstatic
Acrobat
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis
English
Kenneth
Jessica
Pills
Pencil
Dragon
Mint
Chocolate
Temperature
Cheese
Rondo
Silicon
Scabbiest
Palpitate
Invariable
Henpecked
Titmouse
Canoodle
Boobies
Pressure
Density
Cards
Twiat
Tony
Pink
Green
Yellow
Duck
Dodge
Movie
Zoo
Xiomara
Eggs
Marshmallows
Umbrella
Apple
Panda
Brush
Handle
Door
Knob
Mask
Knife
Speaker
Wood
Orient
Love

There is currently 100 names in the array!

------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to the name sorting program...
From the following menu, select an option
R - Read in names from a file for sorting
E - Enter in names manually for sorting
D - Display the current names in the array
S - Sort the current names in the array
C - Clear the current names in the array
Q - Quit

>> s

Sorting the names contained in the array...
Success!
------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to the name sorting program...
From the following menu, select an option
R - Read in names from a file for sorting
E - Enter in names manually for sorting
D - Display the current names in the array
S - Sort the current names in the array
C - Clear the current names in the array
Q - Quit

>> d

The values in the array are:
Aardvark
Acrobat
Apple
Assembly
Ben
Black
Bob
Boobies
Brain
Brush
C++
Canoodle
Carbohydrate
Cards
Cat
Cellphone
Cheese
Chocolate
Color
Countenance
Crayons
Dark
Density
Destruction
Dodge
Dog
Door
Dover
Downe
Dragon
Duck
Ecstatic
Eggplant
Eggs
Eileen
Elizebeth
English
Green
Grove
Handle
Henpecked
High
Invariable
Japan
Java
Jessica
Justin
Kenneth
Knife
Knob
Lemon
Light
Liza
Love
Love
Low
Marshmallows
Mask
Mint
Movie
My
Notes
One
Orient
Ostrich
Palpitate
Panda
Peace
Pencil
Penguin
Phalanx
Pills
Pink
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis
Pressure
Primal
Programming
Rick
Rolled
Rondo
Sam
Scabbiest
Scrumptious
Silicon
Speaker
Sulk
Sushi
Temperature
Titmouse
Tony
Twiat
Umbrella
Victoria
White
Widge
Wood
Xiomara
Yellow
Zebra
Zoo

There is currently 100 names in the array!

------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to the name sorting program...
From the following menu, select an option
R - Read in names from a file for sorting
E - Enter in names manually for sorting
D - Display the current names in the array
S - Sort the current names in the array
C - Clear the current names in the array
Q - Quit

>> q

Saving the current contents of the array to the ouptut file..
Success!

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