#include <iostream>
#include <conio.h>
#include <iomanip>
#include <fstream>  // dont' forget to include fstream
using namespace std;

int main()
{
        char fName;
        // create object and open file
        ifstream readFile;
        readFile.open("c:\contents.txt");

        // test open operation for success
        if (readFile.fail())
        {
                cout << "The fail member function returned true when ";
                cout << "an attempt was\nmade to open c:\\grades.txt. ";
                cout << "The operation failed. The\nfile may not exist. ";
                cout << "Or, like me, Vista put a fight while\njust ";
                cout << "just trying to store the file on the root ";
                cout << "and now you\nare wondering if Vista is ";
                cout << "somehow interfering with the open\noperation. ";
                cout << endl;
        }
        else
        {
        cout << "yep, worked.";
        readFile >> fName;
        cout << fName;

        // rest of program here

        // don't forget to close the file
        readFile.close();
        }

        cout << endl;
        cout << "Press any key to quit...";
        getch();
        return 0;
}