c++ - Best way to parse a stringstream -

i have std::stringstream contains data given file. file contains text binary data.

in beginning there string name, way:

std::string name; std::getline(stream, name, '\0'); 

later on, need retrieve contentlength. part i'm failing:

int32_t contentlength; stream >> contentlength; 

i learned won't work, since stream >> operator try convert instead of casting 4 bytes literal value of length.

i have seen low level (c) implementation of how that. guys advise me of more reliable way of doing it.

you can use read function read binary data.

stream.read((char*)&contentlength, sizeof(contentlength)); 

you need careful if share file between computers different endianness, in case bytes might need reversed.