C++: Store contents of text file into 2D array as strings (trouble with null terminator?) -

i'm working bit more arrays , reading files try , deeper understanding of them, apologize if ask lot of questions in regards that.

i have program supposed read characters file , store characters strings 2d array. example, file contains header number , list of names:

5 billy joe sally sarah jeff 

so 2d array in case have 5 rows , x number of columns (one row per names). program reads file 1 char @ time. think i'm having problem inserting null terminator @ end of each row indicate it's end of string, overall, i'm not sure what's going wrong. here code:

#include <iostream> #include <fstream> #include <string> #include <cstdlib> using namespace std;  const int max_name_length = 50;  void printnames(char [][max_name_length + 1], int);  int main(void) {     ifstream inputfile;     string filename;     int headernum, = 0, j;     const int max_names = 10;     char ch;     char names[1][max_name_length + 1];      cout << "please enter name of input file: ";     cin >> filename;      inputfile.open(filename.c_str());      if (inputfile.fail())     {         cout << "input file not opened. try again." << endl;     }      inputfile >> headernum;      if (headernum > max_names)     {         cout << "maximum number of names cannot exceed " << max_names << ". please try again." << endl;         exit(0);     }      inputfile.get(ch);      while (!inputfile.eof())     {         (i = 0; < headernum; i++)         {             (j = 0; j < max_name_length; j++)             {                 if (ch == ' ' || ch == '\n')                 {                     names[i][j] = '\0';                 }                  else                 {                     names[i][j] = ch;                 }             }         }          inputfile.get(ch);     }      cout << names[0] << endl;     //printnames(names, headernum);      return 0; }  void printnames(char fnames[][max_name_length + 1], int fheadernum) {     int i;      (i = 0; < fheadernum; i++)     {         cout << fnames[i] << endl;     } } 

it compiles, , here output: http://puu.sh/7pyxv.png

so wrong here! i'm incline specific problem lies if (ch = ' ' etc) statement, more that, i'm sure. i'm having trouble figuring out problem lies. always, and/or guidance appreciated!

now have feedback on initial code. here simpler way of doing (and bit more c++ like):

#include <iostream> #include <fstream> #include <string>  using namespace std;  int main(int argc, char **argv) {   ifstream inputfile;   string filename;    cout << "please enter name of input file: ";   cin >> filename;    inputfile.open(filename.c_str());    if (inputfile.fail())   {       cout << "input file not opened. try again." << endl;       return 1;   }    int headernum = 0;   inputfile >> headernum;   if(inputfile.eof()) {       cout << "error reading input file contents." << endl;       return 1;   }    string *names = new string[headernum];   for(int = 0; < headernum; i++)     inputfile >> names[i];    for(int = 0; < headernum; i++)     cout << names[i] << endl;  }