How to insert cout message into return statement

[elsa]

istream& ComplexNum::input(istream& in)
{	
	cout << "Enter real: ";
	return in >> real >> imaginary;
}

I have an overloaded input stream operator ">>" and I wanted to have a message before each keyboard request for value inside "real" and "imaginary" which are part of a class called ComplexNum. So, the console would display:

"Enter the real number: " //real number entered from keyboard here
"Enter the imaginary number: " //imaginary number entered from keyboard here

Currently, I have only been able to manipulate it from inside the main, but in the main, I can only get it to say something like, "Enter real & imaginary parts:" and won't allow me to break down the request for the whole Complex Number into two parts (which is both a real and imaginary number). Does this make sense?

I guess what I'm asking is...is there a way to break up the return statement to include cout statements that notify the user what she/he is inputting? I don't want it to say: "Enter a complex number" and leave the user confused as to why entering, say, "4" doesn't give positive feedback in the form of asking for the imaginary number...instead it's just a blank cursor that's waiting for the imaginary keyboard input.

[helios]

istream& ComplexNum::input(istream& in)
{	
	cout << "Enter real: ";
	in >> real;
	cout << "Enter the imaginary number: ";
	in >> imaginary;
	return in;
}

[elsa]

Thank you helios. I was doing:

cout << "Enter real: ";
return in >> real;
cout << "Enter the imaginary number: ";
return in >> imaginary;

You can imagine how much headache this was causing me. In an attempt to get two messages I was doing the most counterintuitive thing which is breaking up the return statement... Enjoy the rest of your week!

- elsa