getting cout output to a std::string

Question

I have the following cout statement. I use char arrays because I have to pass to vsnprintf to convert variable argument list and store in Msg

Answer 1

#include 

#include 
#include 
#include 

// This way we won't have to say std::ostringstream or std::cout or std::string...
using namespace std;

/** Simulates system specific method getpid()... */
int faux_getpid(){
    return 1234;
}

/** Simulates system specific method pthread_self()... */
int faux_pthread_self(){
    return 1111;
}

int main(int argc, char** argv){

    // Create a char[] array of 100 characters...
    // this is the old-fashioned "C" way of storing a "string"
    // of characters..
    char Msg[100];


    // Try using C++-style std::string rather than char[],
    // which can be overrun, leading to 
    // a segmentation fault.
    string s_appname1; 

    // Create old-fashioned char[] array of 100 characters...
    char appname2[100];

    // Create old-fashioned char[] array of 100 characters...
    char appname3[100]; 

    // Old-fashioned "C" way of copying "Hello" into Msg[] char buffer...
    strcpy(Msg, "Hello");

    // C++ way of setting std::string s_appname equal to "Moe"...
    s_appname1 = "Moe";

    // Old-fashioned "C" way of copying "Larry" into appname2[] char buffer...
    strcpy(appname2, "Larry");

    // Old-fashioned "C" way of copying "Shemp" into appname3[] char buffer...
    strcpy(appname3, "Shemp");

    // Declare le_msg to be a std::ostringstream...
    // this allows you to use the C++ "put-to" operator <<
    // but it will "put-to" the string-stream rather than
    // to the terminal or to a file...
    ostringstream le_msg;

    // Use put-to operator << to "write" Msg, s_appname1, s_appname2, etc...
    // to the ostringstream...not to the terminal...
    le_msg << Msg << " "<< s_appname1 <<":"<< appname2 << ":" << appname3 << " " << "!" << faux_getpid() <<" " << "~" << faux_pthread_self();

    // Print the contents of le_msg to the terminal -- std::cout --
    // using the put-to operator << and using le_msg.str(),
    // which returns a std::string.
    cout << "ONE: le_msg = \"" << le_msg.str() << "\"..." << endl;

    // Change contents of appname3 char[] buffer to "Curly"...
    strcpy(appname3, "Curly");

    // Clear the contents of std::ostringstream le_msg
    // -- by setting it equal to "" -- so you can re-use it.
    le_msg.str(""); 

    // Use put-to operator << to "write" Msg, s_appname1, s_appname2, etc...
    // to the newly cleared ostringstream...not to the terminal...
    // but this time appname3 has been set equal to "Curly"...
    le_msg << Msg << " "<< s_appname1 <<":"<< appname2 << ":" << appname3 << " " << "!" << faux_getpid() <<" " << "~" << faux_pthread_self();

    // Print the new contents of le_msg to the terminal using the  
    // put-to operator << and using le_msg.str(),
    // which returns a std::string.
    cout << "TWO: le_msg = \"" << le_msg.str() << "\"..." << endl;

    // This time, rather than using put-to operator << to "write"
    // to std::ostringstream le_msg, we'll explicitly set it equal
    // to "That's all Folks!"
    le_msg.str("That's all Folks!");

    // Print the new contents of le_msg "That's all Folks!" to  
    // the terminal via le_msg.str()
    cout << "THREE: le_msg = \"" << le_msg.str() << "\"..." << endl;

    // Exit main() with system exit value of zero (0), indicating
    // success...
    return 0;

}/* main() */

OUTPUT:

ONE: le_msg = "Hello Moe:Larry:Shemp !1234 ~1111"...
TWO: le_msg = "Hello Moe:Larry:Curly !1234 ~1111"...
THREE: le_msg = "That's all, folks!"...