c++ for loop with decrement update causing infinite loop? - c++

Question

This is part of a greater code for reading an input file word-for-word, then printing the words in reverse order. It uses a string array called words[] to store, word-by-word, the char strings from an input file earlier in the program:
//print to screen
for (int i = MAXSIZE; i >= 0; i--)
{
cout << words[i] << " ";
}
Test input file contents:
This is my test file. I hope this works.
Output is just "works. " repeating on and on.
Why is the i-- apparently never happening?
EDIT: Everything from my code. I'm on a bit of a time crunch here, to say the least. MAXSIZE=1024 part of lab prompt. Can't use vectors or reverse; seen that all over, but it's off limits for this lab. New to programming, so if you could refrain from being condescending, that'd be great. Just trying to get this to work. The reading input.txt and print to screen bit works fine. Output portion is utter fail and I don't know why. Can someone just tell me why instead of insulting me, thanks?
//Kristen Korz
//CIS 22A
//This program reads an input file and writes the words in reverse order to an output file.
#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
//create and link input...
ifstream inputFile;
inputFile.open("input.txt");
//...and output files
ofstream outputFile;
outputFile.open("output.txt");
//error message for file open fail
if (inputFile.fail())
cout << "Error opening the file.\n";
//constant for max size
const int MAXSIZE = 1024;
//string array and temporary-use string
string words[MAXSIZE];
string str; //note: variables will be used for output loops too
//read words from input file
for (int i = 0; (inputFile >> str) && (i < MAXSIZE); ++i)
{
words[i] = str;
//for showing in terminal if read correctly
cout << words[i] << " ";
}
inputFile.close();
cout << endl;
//something wrong with for loop resulting in i apparently not updating
for (int i = MAXSIZE; (outputFile << str) && (i >= 0); --i)
{
words[i] = str;
//for showing in terminal if written correctly
cout << words[i] << " ";
}
outputFile.close();
cout << endl;
system("pause");
return 0;
}
For output with i also printed, my cout statements in the for-loops say:
cout << words[i] << " " << i << " ";
Giving terminal output:
This 0 is 1 my 2 test 3 file. 4 I 5 hope 6 this 7 works. 8
works. 1023 works. 1022 works. 1021 (lots of repeats of works. followed by decrementing numbers) works. 3 works. 2 works. 1 works. 0

Answer 1

Your output loop does:
words[i] = str;
for every iteration. str still holds the value of the last string you input, so this sets every member of words to be the same string. Since your last input string was "works", this explains why you output "works" every time.
It should work better if you just remove that line. Also, start from MAXSIZE - 1. The valid indices of the array are 0 through MAXSIZE-1. Your out-of-bounds access causes undefined behaviour, although apparently in this instance it had no effect.
However if your input only has 8 words as you suggest, then outputting 1024 words will give you a lot of blank space. Consider starting the output from where i got up to, instead of MAXSIZE - 1.

Answer 2

At the part marked as not working (the second for loop), str is being read from but it is never changed to anything else in that loop, so it repeats the last word. i is being updated, the problem is that str is not being updated.
The other issue is that you are trying to access an element past the end of the array, as WhozCraig and Velthune discussed in their answers. You need to properly figure out what you want to do with words in your second for loop. This is key. Also, you need to store where the array you read in ends.

Answer 3

Viewing WhozCraig's link, if you have:
const int MAXSIZE = 1024;
string words[MAXSIZE];
for (int i = MAXSIZE; i >= 0; i--) {
cout << words[i] << " ";
}
You have a string that from 0..1023.
Accessing words[1024] is potentially dangerous.
For iterate correctly your string do:
for (int i = MAXSIZE - 1; i >= 0; --i) {
cout << words[i] << " ";
}
By the way, when you fill words, add a control:
for (int i = 0; (inputFile >> str) && (i < MAXSIZE); ++i)) {
if(str.size() <= MAXSIZE) {
words[i] = str;
}
}
update
Be sure that your string in file:
"This is my test file. I hope this works. "
doesn't end with a space. To be sure, test adding "EOF" to your string:
"This is my test file. I hope this works.EOF"
Other, do your loop in this way:
int i = 0;
while(inputFile.good() && i < MAXSIZE) {
std::string word << inputFile;
if(!word.empty())
words[i] = str;
//for showing in terminal if read correctly
cout << words[i] << " ";
}

Answer 4

The problem why you get a lot of "works" here is:
After this piece of codes:
//read words from input file
for (int i = 0; (inputFile >> str) && (i < MAXSIZE); ++i)
{
words[i] = str;
//for showing in terminal if read correctly
cout << words[i] << " ";
}
inputFile.close();
cout << endl;
//str = "works";
The values of variable str is works.
After that, you set every elements in words by str. So every elements in the words now are the same value works.
for (int i = MAXSIZE; (outputFile << str) && (i >= 0); --i)
{
words[i] = str;//=="works"
//for showing in terminal if written correctly
cout << words[i] << " ";
}
outputFile.close();
cout << endl;