int getdir (string dir, vector<string> &files)
{
   DIR *dp;
   struct dirent *dirp;
   if((dp = opendir(dir.c_str())) == NULL) {
     cout << "Error(" << errno << ") opening " << dir << endl;
     return errno;
   }
 
   while ((dirp = readdir(dp)) != NULL) {
      files.push_back(string(dirp->d_name));
   }
   closedir(dp);
   return 0;
}
 
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
    List_3358<int> *newList=new List_3358<int>[33971];
    long long int num;
    num = 0;
    int sizey;
    int county = 0;
    int abc=0;
    int mastercount=0;
 
 
    string rand; // used to convert argv into a string
    for(int i = 1; i < argc-1; i++)
    {
      rand = rand+argv[i];
    }
    char tempo = *argv[argc-1]; // this and the line below stores the last parameter(the number) into an int
    int n = atoi(&tempo);
    string test; // used for running the program
    string dir = string(rand);
    vector<string> files = vector<string>(); // a vector created 
 
    getdir(dir,files); //runs the getdir function to get the file names
 
    for (unsigned int i = 0;i < files.size();i++) {
        cout << files[i] << endl;
    } //prints the file names (good for testing)
    ifstream fin[files.size()];//makes an array of fins
    ofstream fout;
    fout.open("test.txt");//opens the text output file
 
 
 
    const int SIZE = n;
    string str1[SIZE];
    string sum;
 
 
 
    //master loop, runs the main loop until there are no more files to read
    for(int z =2; z<files.size();z++){
    test=rand;
    test = test+files[z];
    cout << endl << test.data() << endl;
    fin[z].open(test.data());
    char firstName[100];
    num = 0;
    //sum = "";
 
 
 
       for(int i=0; i<SIZE; i++) //gets the original SIZE words into the string array.
       {
           fin[z] >> str1[i];
           mastercount++;
           //sum = sum + str1[i];
 
           strcpy(firstName, str1[i].c_str());
           sizey=strlen(firstName);
           //cout << endl << " " << firstName << " ";
           for(int q = 0; q<sizey; q++)
           {
              num = num + (int(firstName[q])*(q+1));
              //cout << num << endl;
           }
 
       }
       newList[num%33971].insert(z);
       fout << " " << num << " ";
       fout << endl << "|  ";
       for(int p=0; p<SIZE; p++)
         fout << str1[p] << " ";
 
       fout << "  |";
 
    while(!fin[z].eof())  // this loop gets six words, one word at a time, until the file is empty.
    {
       num = 0;
       for(int q = 0; q<SIZE-1; q++)
       {
               str1[q]=str1[q+1];
       }
       fin[z] >> str1[SIZE-1];
       mastercount ++;
       for(int np=0; np<SIZE; np++) //gets the original SIZE words into the string array.
       {
           strcpy(firstName, str1[np].c_str());
           sizey=strlen(firstName);
           //cout << sizey << " " << firstName;
           //cout << endl << firstName << endl;
           for(int nq = 0; nq<sizey; nq++)
           {
              num = num + int(firstName[nq])*(nq+1);
              //cout << num << endl;
           }
 
       }
       //cout << endl;
       newList[num%33971].insert(z);
       fout << " " << num << " ";
 
       fout << endl << "|  ";
       for(int r=0; r<SIZE; r++)
         fout << str1[r] << " ";
 
       fout << "  |";
 
    }
 
 
 
 
    fout << endl << endl << endl << endl << endl << endl << endl << endl << endl << endl << endl << endl << endl << endl << endl;
    fin[z].close();
 
 
    }
    fout.close();
    cout << 33946%num << endl;
    cout << sum << endl;
    newList[13699%33971].getCurrent();
    for (int rh=2;rh<files.size(); rh++){
    for (int rq=rh;rq<files.size(); rq++){ county =0;
    for(int x = 0; x < 33971; x++)
    {
            if(!newList[x].isEmpty())
            {
            if (newList[x].testy(rh,rq))
            {
               county++;
            }
            }
    }
 
    if (county >= 300)
        cout << "Number of collisions between file " << rh << " and " << rq << ": " << county << endl;
 
    }
    }
    cout << " " << mastercount;
    system("PAUSE");
    return 0;
}

for(int i=0;i<SIZE;i++)
{
    fin>>str1[i];
    mastercount++;
    char* ptr=str1.c_str();
    for(unsigned int q=0;q<ptr;q++,ptr++)
      num+=static_cast<int>(*ptr)*(q+1);
}

List_3358<int> *newList=new List_3358<int>[33971];

const size_t TABLESIZE = 33971; // what is it and why...
typedef list<int> VChain;
...
VChain* pHash = new VChain[TABLESIZE];

char tempo = *argv[argc-1]; 
// this and the line below stores the last parameter(the number) into an int
int n = atoi(&tempo);

vector<string> files = vector<string>();
// absolutely the same effect as in clear and simple
vector<string> files;
// but the 1st strange construct is (potentially) more expensive.