I am trying to create a random access file from a sequential file. I have the random access file skeletonized with "dummy records". An example of my dummy record is:
100
*********ZZZZZZZZZZXXXXXXXXXXYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY00.00 -1
*********ZZZZZZZZZZXXXXXXXXXXYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY00.00 -1
The "*'s" are a SSN, "Z's" are the last name, etc, etc. The 100 and the -1's are a link at the end of each file (to be used with synonym chaining). The 100 is the next available slot in my overflow area. Anyway, the problem is that I read the first SSN, use a hash function on that SSN (hashes to position 69 in the file). I use seekp to get to position 69. Then, I want to peek at the first character on line 69 and see if it is a "*". If it is, I want to write the file to that line. If not, I want to add it to the overflow area. Here's what I have:
while (Record.MySSN[[i][/i]i])
{
Sum = Sum + (int) Record.MySSN [i++];
}
Total = Sum % 99;
Total = Total + 1;
OutputFile.seekp(Total);
FirstCharacter[0] = OutputFile.peek();
cout << FirstCharacter[0];It gives me the correct Total of 69. If I print out "tellp()", it gives me 69. But, where I print out "FirstCharacter", I get a "Z", not a "*". I just want to check the first character without advancing the read/write arm. But, it gives me the Z instead of the *. Any suggestions to compare the first character on the line to a *? Thanks a lot.
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