bool load_file(char filename[], int b_map[][50], int f_map[50][50], char c_map[50][50], int &width, int &height, char test_name[])
{
    //create a array for the extention
    char ext[10];
    char support[2][10] = { ".sim1", ".sim2" };

    char determine;

    //creates temp names for width and height
    int width1, height1;

    //create a variable to hold file type
    ///sim1 or sim2
    int sim_type;

    ifstream fin;

    //check to see if the file extention is supported and determine if the file is sim1 or sim2
    get_extension(test_name, ext);
    //is it sim1?
    if (strcmp(ext, support[0]) == 0)
    {
        sim_type = 1;
    }
    //is it sim2?
    else if (strcmp(ext, support[1]) == 0)
    {
        sim_type = 2;
    }
    //if neither, end
    else
    {
        cout << "File type not supported." << endl;
        return false;
    }

    //open the file
    fin.open(test_name);

    //check to see if the file opened
    if (!fin)
    {
        cout << test_name << " could not be loaded." << endl;
        return false;
    }

    //gets the file name
    fin.getline(filename, 999);

    //gets the length and width from the file
    fin >> width1;
    fin >> height1;

    //check to see if the height and width are in the range
    if (width1 < 2 || width1 > 50 || height1 < 2 || height1 > 50)
    {
        //cout range error
        cout << RANGE_ERR << endl;
        cout << "Size must be between 2 and 50" << endl;
        //close the file
        fin.close();
        //return false
        return false;
    }

    //copy temp data over to permanent vairables
    width = width1;
    height = height1;


    //fills the array
    for (int h = 0; h < height; h++)
    {
        for (int w = 0; w < width; w++)
        {
            //load based on sim1 type
            if (sim_type == 1)
            {
                fin >> b_map[h][w];
                f_map[h][w] = b_map[h][w];
                c_map[h][w] = ' ';
            }

            //load based on sim2 type
            if (sim_type == 2)
            {
                fin >> b_map[h][w];
                fin >> f_map[h][w];
                fin >> determine;
                if (determine == '_')
                {
                    c_map[h][w] == ' ';
                }
                else
                {
                    c_map[h][w] = determine;
                }
            }
        }
    }

    //close the file
    fin.close();

    //return true that the function succeeded
    return true;

}