Resetting a String Stream

How do I reset the content of a string stream?

Resetting a string stream in C++ is straightforward. You can use the str() method to set new content for the stream, which also resets the stream position to the beginning.

This method takes a std::string as an argument and replaces the current content with the new string. Here's an example:

#include <iostream>
#include <sstream>

int main() {
  std::ostringstream Stream;
  Stream << "Initial content";
  std::cout << "Stream: "
    << Stream.str() << "\n";

  Stream.str("New content");  
  std::cout << "Stream: "
    << Stream.str() << "\n";
}
Stream: Initial content
Stream: New content

When you call Stream.str("New content"), it sets the stream's content to "New content" and moves the output position to the beginning.

Clearing the Stream

If you want to clear the stream without setting new content, you can pass an empty string to the str() method:

Stream.str("");

Alternatively, you can clear the stream state using the clear() method, which resets the stream's error state flags:

Stream.clear();

However, clear() does not remove the content of the stream. It only resets the state flags. To completely reset the stream (content and state), you should use both methods:

Stream.str("");
Stream.clear();

This combination ensures that the stream is empty and ready for new operations.

Practical Example

Here's a practical example where you might want to reset a string stream:

#include <iostream>
#include <sstream>

void ProcessData(const std::string& data) {
  std::ostringstream Stream;
  Stream << data;
  std::cout << "Processed: "
    << Stream.str() << "\n";

  Stream.str("");  
  Stream.clear();

  // New data processing
  Stream << "Additional data";
  std::cout << "Processed: "
    << Stream.str() << "\n";
}

int main() {
  ProcessData("First data");
}
Processed: First data
Processed: Additional data

In this example, we reset the stream before processing new data to ensure the old data does not interfere with new operations.

String Streams

A detailed guide to C++ String Streams using std::stringstream. Covers basic use cases, stream position seeking, and open modes.

Questions & Answers

Answers are generated by AI models and may not have been reviewed. Be mindful when running any code on your device.

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