Differences in reading file using ifstream in g++ and msvc - c++

Question

When using ifstream class to read words from an input file, I have used the following expression:
#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
std::ifstream inputStream(myFile.txt);
std::string myString;
myFile.open()
while(myFile.good())
{
myFile >> myString;
printf("%s \n", myString);
}
return 0;
}
The contents of myFile.txt are:
" This is a simple program. "
The compiles and executes as expected using g++ compiler.
However, the same code when compiled using msvc 2008, returns error at the extraction operator (>>) requiring me to replace the std::string with either an initialized character array or any of the supported native types.
This threw me off as I was expecting the usage of the standard library to be same across implementations.
I understand the compile error and know the way to fix it via using c_str().
But, it would help me a great deal, if someone could clarify why the usage for the standard library is different across platforms.
To me it is not starndard anymore !!
EDIT: Code updated to be complete. Content of myFile.txt updated.

Answer 1

Chances are that you forgot to #include <string>. Without it, Microsoft's version of <iostream> (and such) include enough of a declaration of std::string for some things to work, but other parts are missing, so you get strange, seemingly inexplicable failures.
One of the things that's missing is most of the operator overloads for std::string, which is exactly what you seem to be missing.
As an aside, while (myfile.good()) ... is pretty much a guaranteed bug -- you probably want:
while (myfile>>myString)
std::cout << myString << " \n";
Alternatively, you could do the job with a standard algorithm:
#include <string>
#include <algorithm>
#include <iterator>
#include <fstream>
#include <iostream>
int main() {
std::ifstream myfile("input.txt");
std::copy(std::istream_iterator<std::string>(myfile),
std::istream_iterator<std::string>(),
std::ostream_iterator<std::string>(std::cout, " \n"));
return 0;
}

Answer 2

The following compiles fine for me on MSVC 2010:
std::ifstream inputStream;
std::string myString;
inputStream.open("myFile.txt", std::ifstream::in);
while(inputStream.good())
{
inputStream >> myString;
}
Note: without using std::ifstream::in as my open mode, I got the same error as you. I suggest you check what value you have for this parameter.