string removeCloseTokens(string in){
    string out; //string to be returned
    int i = 0;
    int size = 0;
    size = in.size(); // mesures size of string
    size -= 3; // take away '>' char and NULL terminator, takes to last letter

    while(i < size){ // i know this could be a for loop, but i cant even get it to work this way
        cout << "the in string contains: " << in[i+2] << endl
        << "the out string contians: " << out[i] << endl;
        out[i] = in[i+2]; //start the in string on 3rd spot to remove "</"
        i++; // increment i
        out[i] = NULL; // set last letter to NULL
    }

    return out;
}

string removeCloseTokens(const string & inputString)
{
	string outputString = inputString;

 	outputString.erase(outputString.begin());	   ///< remove '<'
 	outputString.erase(outputString.begin());	   ///< remove '/'
 	outputString.erase(outputString.size() - 1);       ///< remove '>'

	/*
	// or
	outputString.erase(0, 2);			///< remove '</'
	outputString.erase(outputString.size() - 1);	///< remove '>'
	*/

	return outputString;
}