width

To set the width of the output field.

  streamsize width() const 
  streamsize width(streamsize wide)

Remarks

Use the width() function to set the field size for output. The function is overloaded to return just the current width setting if there is no parameter or to store and then return the previous setting before changing the fields width to the new parameter.

Width is the one and only modifier that is not sticky and needs to be reset with each use. Width is reset to width(0) after each use.

The previous width setting is returned.

Listing: Example of width() usage:

#include <iostream> 
int main()

{

using namespace std;

   int width;

   cout.width(8); 

   width = cout.width();

   cout.fill('*'); 

   cout << "Hi!" << '\n';

   // reset to left justified blank filler

   cout<< "Hi!" << '\n'; 

   cout.width(width);

   cout<< "Hi!" << endl;

   return 0; 

}

Result:

  Hi!*****
  Hi!
  Hi!*****