RS>  Here's something I'm not clear about...
 RS> #include 
 RS> int main( void )
 RS> {
 RS>     ifstream source ("infile");
 RS>     if(!source)
 RS>         blablabla...
 RS>  When is the file opened in that snip?  
In the constructor for the object `source'.
 RS> Is the reason this works the same as why the next line works?
 TM>>>>>     ofstream("file1.fil") << name;
Pretty much.  The syntax there creates an unnamed temporary ofstream object 
for use in the rest of the expression.
 ¯ JdeBP ®
--- FleetStreet 1.19 NR
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