C++ All-in-One For Dummies, 3rd Edition

Chapter 2

Writing with Output Streams

In This Chapter

Using the insertion operator

Working with manipulators

Formatting your output

Using flags to format your output

Specifying a precision for writing numbers

Setting field widths

Ensuring data safety with locked streams

Years ago, one of us had an old computer that had 3,000 bytes of memory. (Yes, that’s three thousand bytes, not 3MB.) As an option, this computer came with a floppy disk drive that sat outside it. It did not have a hard drive. Therefore, if you didn’t have a hard drive but you wanted to use an application, you had to load the application from a floppy, type its name, and press Enter! Ah, those were the days.

Nowadays, the notion of a computer without a hard drive seems almost unthinkable. Not only do your applications ...