C++11 - Program cuts off first letter of every input [Using: cin.ignore and getline)

Question

Good day! I was wondering why my program (Written in C++11) keeps cutting off the first character of every user input. Here is my code:

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <fstream>

using namespace std;

int main() {

  ofstream dataFile;
  dataFile.open("studentData.txt");

  string set1, set2, set3, set4;

cout << "How long was the fish when you first measured it?" << endl;
cin.ignore();
getline(cin, set1);
dataFile << set1 << endl;

cout << "How long is the fish now?" << endl;
cin.ignore();
getline(cin, set2);
dataFile << set2 << endl;

cout << "Where was the fish when you first tagged it?" << endl;
cin.ignore();
getline(cin, set3);
dataFile << set3 << endl;

cout << "Where is the fish now?" << endl;
cin.ignore();
getline(cin, set4);
dataFile << set4 << endl;

dataFile.close();

return 0;
}

Here is the output if the input is as follows: set1 - 12 inches set2 - 24 inches set3 - Valdosta, Georgia set4 - Miami, Florida

2 inches
4 inches
aldosta, Georgia
iami, Florida

Why is this happening? I've read up on using cin.ignore and cin.getline, however, I am unable to find a proper solution. Is it my syntax? Am I improperly using the functions? Please bear in mind I am a beginner to programming in C++! ^^

-- Thanks!

Answer 1

Remove the calls to cin.ignore() , because it's ignoring your first character. The following code worked for me.

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <fstream>

using namespace std;

    int main() {

      ofstream dataFile;
      dataFile.open("studentData.txt");

      string set1, set2, set3, set4;

    cout << "How long was the fish when you first measured it?" << endl;
    getline(cin, set1);
    dataFile << set1 << endl;

    cout << "How long is the fish now?" << endl;
    getline(cin, set2);
    dataFile << set2 << endl;

    cout << "Where was the fish when you first tagged it?" << endl;
    getline(cin, set3);
    dataFile << set3 << endl;

    cout << "Where is the fish now?" << endl;
    getline(cin, set4);
    dataFile << set4 << endl;

    dataFile.close();

    return 0;
    }