one fstream member instead of ofstream and ifstream - acceptable practice?

[manontheedge]

I have a class that does file handling. This class will be inherited and perform several file handling functions. So, I want private members for fstream. I originally thought of making two members - one for ifstream, and one for ofstream, but am now considering just having one member and making it an fstream.

From a design perspective, is this generally accepted, or is it considered bad form?

so, instead of

private:
    ofstream m_outfile;
    ifstream m_infile;
 

it would be

private:
    fstream m_file;
 

[weaknessforcats]

Depends upon whether you need an ifstream and an ofstream open at the same time.

Use the fstream to start out.

BTW:m_file does not indicate a member variable. Naming conventions don't work because the compiler can'e enforce them. I would drop the m_ and having pointer names start with p.

Use the scope resolution operator instead:

file -> local variable in the code block
this->file -> file is a member variable

class MyClass
{
   fstream file;
   void MethodA();
};
void MyClass::MethodA()
{
    fstream file   //the local variable
    this->file      //the class member variable
    MyStuff::file   //a variable in the MyStuff namespace
    ::file          //a global variable
}