Using getline(cin, s) after cin [duplicate]

Question

I need the following program to take the entire line of user input and put it into string names:

cout << "Enter the number: "; int number; cin >> number;  cout << "Enter names: "; string names;  getline(cin, names); 

With the cin >> number command before the getline() command however (which I'm guessing is the issue), it won't allow me to input names. Why?

I heard something about a cin.clear() command, but I have no idea how this works or why this is even necessary.

Answer 1

cout << "Enter the number: "; int number; cin >> number;  cin.ignore(256, '\n'); // remaining input characters up to the next newline character                        // are ignored  cout << "Enter names: "; string names; getline(cin, names); 

Answer 2

Another way of doing it is to put a

cin.ignore ( std::numeric_limits<std::streamsize>::max(), '\n' );  

after your cin>>number; to flush the input buffer completely (rejecting all of the extra characters until a newline is found). You need to #include <limits> to get the max() method.