C++ - Phonebook Application

Phonebook Application Project in C++

Introduction

A C++ phonebook application is a simple program that allows users to store, retrieve, update, and delete contact information such as names, phone numbers, and addresses. The main purpose of this project is to provide hands-on experience with file handling, arrays or vectors, and basic CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations in C++.

Project Features

• Adding Contacts: The application allows users to add new contacts to the phonebook.
• Displaying Contacts: The phonebook displays all stored contacts, including their names, phone numbers, and addresses.
• Searching Contacts: Users can search for a contact by name and view the corresponding details.
• Deleting Contacts: Users can remove a contact from the phonebook by name.
• Updating Contacts: Users can update the details of an existing contact.
• File Handling: The contact information is stored in a file, allowing users to retain the data even after the program is closed.

Project Structure

The project can be structured as follows:

• Contact Class: A class to represent a contact with attributes like name, phone number, and address.
• File Handling: Functions to read from and write to a text or binary file for storing contact data.
• Menu System: A menu-driven interface to allow users to perform actions such as add, display, search, update, and delete contacts.

Contact Class

The Contact class stores the data for each contact. It includes member variables for the contact's name, phone number, and address, as well as getter and setter functions.

Contact Class Structure

class Contact {
private:
    std::string name;
    std::string phone;
    std::string address;

public:
    // Constructor to initialize contact details
    Contact(std::string name, std::string phone, std::string address)
        : name(name), phone(phone), address(address) {}

    // Getters and setters
    std::string getName() { return name; }
    std::string getPhone() { return phone; }
    std::string getAddress() { return address; }

    void setName(std::string name) { this->name = name; }
    void setPhone(std::string phone) { this->phone = phone; }
    void setAddress(std::string address) { this->address = address; }

    // Function to display contact information
    void display() {
        std::cout << "Name: " << name << "\nPhone: " << phone << "\nAddress: " << address << std::endl;
    }
};
    

File Handling

The phonebook application must store the contact data in a file. You can use file handling functions in C++ such as ofstream for writing and ifstream for reading files. Contacts will be read from and written to a text file or binary file.

Writing to a File

#include 

void writeToFile(std::vector& contacts) {
    std::ofstream file("phonebook.txt");

    for (const auto& contact : contacts) {
        file << contact.getName() << "\n";
        file << contact.getPhone() << "\n";
        file << contact.getAddress() << "\n";
    }

    file.close();
}
    

Reading from a File

#include 
#include 

void readFromFile(std::vector& contacts) {
    std::ifstream file("phonebook.txt");
    std::string name, phone, address;

    while (std::getline(file, name) && std::getline(file, phone) && std::getline(file, address)) {
        contacts.push_back(Contact(name, phone, address));
    }

    file.close();
}
    

Menu System

The application will present a menu to the user, allowing them to select an action. This can be implemented using a simple loop with switch or if statements to handle user input.

Menu Example

#include 
#include 

void displayMenu() {
    std::cout << "1. Add Contact\n";
    std::cout << "2. Display Contacts\n";
    std::cout << "3. Search Contact\n";
    std::cout << "4. Update Contact\n";
    std::cout << "5. Delete Contact\n";
    std::cout << "6. Exit\n";
}

int main() {
    std::vector contacts;
    int choice;

    while (true) {
        displayMenu();
        std::cin >> choice;

        switch (choice) {
            case 1:
                // Add a new contact
                break;
            case 2:
                // Display all contacts
                break;
            case 3:
                // Search a contact by name
                break;
            case 4:
                // Update a contact's information
                break;
            case 5:
                // Delete a contact
                break;
            case 6:
                std::cout << "Exiting the program...\n";
                return 0;
            default:
                std::cout << "Invalid option. Try again.\n";
                break;
        }
    }

    return 0;
}
    

Adding Contacts

To add a contact, prompt the user for input, create a new Contact object, and add it to the list of contacts.

Adding a Contact Example

void addContact(std::vector& contacts) {
    std::string name, phone, address;

    std::cout << "Enter name: ";
    std::cin.ignore();
    std::getline(std::cin, name);
    
    std::cout << "Enter phone number: ";
    std::getline(std::cin, phone);
    
    std::cout << "Enter address: ";
    std::getline(std::cin, address);
    
    contacts.push_back(Contact(name, phone, address));
}
    

Updating Contacts

To update a contact, prompt the user for the contact’s name, locate the contact in the list, and update the information as needed.

Updating a Contact Example

void updateContact(std::vector& contacts) {
    std::string name;
    std::cout << "Enter the name of the contact to update: ";
    std::cin.ignore();
    std::getline(std::cin, name);

    for (auto& contact : contacts) {
        if (contact.getName() == name) {
            std::string phone, address;
            std::cout << "Enter new phone number: ";
            std::getline(std::cin, phone);
            std::cout << "Enter new address: ";
            std::getline(std::cin, address);

            contact.setPhone(phone);
            contact.setAddress(address);

            std::cout << "Contact updated successfully.\n";
            return;
        }
    }
    std::cout << "Contact not found.\n";
}
    

The C++ Phonebook Application project is a great way to practice file handling, object-oriented programming (OOP), and basic CRUD operations. By developing this application, you will enhance your understanding of C++ programming, data structures, and file management.