#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
  ifstream indata;
  char ch;
  int count = 0;

  indata.open("test.dat");

  indata.get(ch);

  do
  {
    if (ch != '.' && ch != ';')
      count++;
    indata.get(ch);
  } while (ch != '.' && ch != ';');
  cout << "The number of characters is "
       << count << "." << endl;

  return 0;
}