Why doesn't ifstream overload operator>> for const char * types so that one could do this: string keep_this_string; ifstream fin( "fin.txt" ); while ( fin ) { fin >> "Ignore this string everywhere it occurs" >> keep_this_string >> "Ignore something else"; use_it( keep_this_string.c_str() ); } How about an istream member getline() that returns a formatted string: istringstream iline; iline.str( fin.getline() ); iline >> "Ignore this string everywhere it occurs" >> keep_this_string >> "Ignore something else"; use_it( keep_this_string.c_str() ); or even just: string ilinestr; fin.getline( ilinestr ); Any thoughts, suggestions, instruction, direction is most welcome. Justin __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! http://sbc.yahoo.com