Problem Outputting Array Element

I am having problems trying to output a string thats in an array. There are three member function of a class that I am trying to use to get this done.

The first is setPlayerAbilities() which assigns what abilities a player can have.

Code:

void Player::setPlayerAbilities(){
	if (PlayerState == "Mage"){
		string MageAbilities[14]={"Mana Burn", "Fireball", "Frostbolt", "Lightening Bolt", "Chain Lightening", "Earth Shatter",
								  "Mana Shield", "Mana Siphon", "FlameWalker", "WaterWalker", "Mana Shield Nova", "Mana Siphon Nova", 
								  "FlameWalker Nova", "WaterWalker Nova" };
		
		}

	if (PlayerState == "Warrior"){
		string WarrAbilities[11]={"Howl", "Sunder", "FireBlade", "IceBlade", "LighteningBlade", "Soul Siphon", "Berserk",
								  "Sweeping Strikes", "Hostile Charge", "Heal", "Attack" };
		
		}

}

The second is a function that controls the menu options. It starts by giving the player 2 choices (1.CastSpell or 2. VeiwSpells). The loop I have it in is horrendous I know but it works for now. Once the player selects 1 (CastSpell), I then pass the integer cast to the member function CastSpell() (which in turn calls the function). There is a lot of text here...Ill try to cut it down as much as I can so you see more of the code, less of the text.

Code:

void Player::callPlayerUI(){
	int choice = 0;
	int cast;
	int use;
	int control; // This is used to prevent the error message after inputing a invalid choice options when viewing spells

	if (PlayerState == "Mage"){
		setPlayerAbilities();
		while (choice >= 3 || choice < 1){

		cout <<"=============================================="<<endl;
		cout <<"Hit Points: test value       Mana: test value|"<<endl;
		cout <<"| 1.CastSpell                    2.ViewSpells|"<<endl;
		cout <<"=============================================="<<endl;
		cin >>choice;

		if (choice == 1){
			cout <<"============================================="<<endl;
			cout <<"|[1]ManaBurn          [8]Mana Siphon        |"<<endl;
			cout <<"|[2]Fireball          [9]FlameWalker        |"<<endl;
			cout <<"|[3]Frostbolt         [10]WaterWalker       |"<<endl;
			cout <<"|[4]LBolt             [11]Mana Shield Nova  |"<<endl;
			cout <<"|[5]ChainL            [12]Mana Siphon Nova  |"<<endl;
			cout <<"|[6]Earth shatter     [13]FlameWalker Nova  |"<<endl;
			cout <<"|[7]Mana Shield       [14]WaterWalker Nova  |"<<endl;
			cout <<"============================================="<<endl;
			cin >>cast;
			CastSpell(cast);

		}
		if (choice == 2){
			cout <<"+++++++++++++++++LIST SPELLS+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++"<<endl;
			cout <<"+++++++++++++++++++++++++++END SPELLS+++++++++++++++++++++++++"<<endl;
			choice = 0;
			control = 1;
		}
		if (choice > 2 || choice <1 && control != 1){
			cout <<"Error, try again"<<endl;
		choice = 0;
		}
		}
		}
		
		/* YOU CAN IGNORE EVERYTHING FROM HERE DOWN */
		/* =+!+!+!+!+!+!+!+ Start Warrior Section +!+!+!+!+!+!+!+ */

	if (PlayerState == "Warrior") {
		while (choice >= 3 || choice < 1){
		cout <<"=============================================="<<endl;
		cout <<"|              Hit Points: test value        |"<<endl;
		cout <<"| 1.UseAbility                2.ViewAbilities|"<<endl;
		cout <<"=============================================="<<endl;
		cin >>choice;

		if (choice == 1){
			cout <<"============================================="<<endl;
			cout <<"|[1]Attack            [7]Soul Siphon        |"<<endl;
			cout <<"|[2]Sunder            [8]Berserk            |"<<endl;
			cout <<"|[3]Fire Blade        [9]Sweeping Strikes   |"<<endl;
			cout <<"|[4]Ice Blade         [10]Hostile Charge    |"<<endl;
			cout <<"|[5]Lightening Blade  [11]Heal              |"<<endl;
			cout <<"|[6]Howl                                    |"<<endl;
			cout <<"============================================="<<endl;
			cin >>use;
		}
		if (choice == 2) {
			cout <<"\n\n!+!+!+!+!+!+!+!+!+!+!+!+Abilities+!+!+!+!+!+!+!+!+!+!+!+!+"<<endl;
			choice = 0;
			control = 1;
		}
			if (choice > 2 || choice <1 && control != 1){
			cout <<"Error, try again"<<endl;
			choice = 0;
		}

	}
	if (PlayerState != "Warrior" && PlayerState != "Mage"){
		cout <<"Error, no PlayerState!!!!"<<endl;
	}
	}
}

The last is the CastSpell() member function that is supposed to receive the integer (cast) from the previous function and output an element of the array (cast - 1 since array elements start from 0).

Code:

void Player::CastSpell(int cast){
	setPlayerAbilities();
	cout <<MageAbilities[cast-1];
}

However, nothing is printed or output. I've changed the cout message to say "You have casted " <<MageAbilities[cast-1] <<", grats"...but it prints everything but the array element.

One problem I see is that the arrays created in Player::setPlayerAbilities() are local variables. As such, they do not exist in Player::CastSpell(int).

By the way, are you sure you do not want to learn about inheritance and polymorphism first? Your project looks like an excellent chance to experiment with these object oriented concepts.

The MageAbilities array is created local to the setPlayerAbilities method; accessing this outside of the method results in undefined behavior.

Originally Posted by laserlight

One problem I see is that the arrays created in Player::setPlayerAbilities() are local variables. As such, they do not exist in Player::CastSpell(int).

By the way, are you sure you do not want to learn about inheritance and polymorphism first? Your project looks like an excellent chance to experiment with these object oriented concepts.

I was starting to think that. I tried modifying setPlayerAbilities to return the array but failed miserably and it really doesn't seem like a great idea.

Would doing away with setMageAbilities() member function and just defining them as private variables be the best way to do it?

As far as using polymorphism and inheritance, I prefer to get the entire project done first without learning anything new. After its complete I plan on reviewing the code, cleaning it up and then start looking at learning and applying those tools.

I tried modifying setPlayerAbilities to return the array but failed miserably and it really doesn't seem like a great idea.

It looks like all mages will have those same abilities, as will all warriors. As such, you could make them into static const member arrays of strings.

Originally Posted by laserlight

It looks like all mages will have those same abilities, as will all warriors. As such, you could make them into static const member arrays of strings.

I am not sure what you mean as I don't know what it does.

I changed my code a bit. I removed setPlayerAbilties and just declared the array as a private variable but gives me errors about undeclared identifiers and syntax errors.

Here is the class

Code:

class Player {
public:
	void setPName(string); 
	string getPName();
	string getPlayerState(int); //set up at StartGame()...int is either 1 for warrior or 2 for mage
	//void setPlayerAbilities();  temporarily removed
	void setPlayerStats(); // health,mana,stamina,intel,ap,sp,agility,defense,luck,str
	string CastAbility(); // casts ability
	string getPlayerLoc(); // gets the players location;
	void PInventory(); // may not be used if I can help it
	void callPlayerUI(); // used to bring up options for doing all things
	int modifyStats(); // lower currentHealth and/or mana based on damage taken or spells casted
	void CastSpell(int); // Recieves cast int from callUI function
	friend class Game;
private:
	string setPlayerLoc; // sets player location
	int PMaxMana; // players max mana
	int PMaxHealth; // players max health
	int PStamina; // players stamina
	int PAgility; // players chance to dodge
	int PAP; // players attack power
	int PIntel; // players intellect
	int PSP; // players spell power (+damage)
	int PStr; //players strength
	int PLuck; // players luck
	int currentHP; //current health
	int currentMP; // current mana
	string PlayerState; // hold the sting of what class the player is...warrior or mage
	string PName; // players name
	string MageAbilities[14]={"Mana Burn", "Fireball", "Frostbolt", "Lightening Bolt", "Chain Lightening", "Earth Shatter",
							  "Mana Shield", "Mana Siphon", "FlameWalker", "WaterWalker", "Mana Shield Nova", "Mana Siphon Nova", 
							  "FlameWalker Nova", "WaterWalker Nova"}; // array of which abilites the Mage can use
	string WarrAbilities[1]; // array of which abilities the warrior can use
	string castedSkill;
};

And the member where I try to use it.

Code:

void Player::CastSpell(int cast){
	// setPlayerAbilities(); removed for now
	cout <<MageAbilities[cast];
}

I get the following errors that point me to where I declare the array and one in the cout statment of the member function.

Code:

1>c:\documents and settings\xxxx\my documents\visual studio 2008\projects\simple rpg\simple rpg\Player.h(33) : error C2059: syntax error : '{'

1>c:\documents and settings\xxxx\my documents\visual studio 2008\projects\simple rpg\simple rpg\Player.h(33) : error C2334: unexpected token(s) preceding '{'; skipping apparent function body

1>c:\documents and settings\xxxx\my documents\visual studio 2008\projects\simple rpg\simple rpg\Player.h(325) : error C2065: 'MageAbilities' : undeclared identifier

You cannot initialize members within class declarations (except static integral constants).

The correct way is to make MageAbilities static:

Code:

class Player
{
    ... elided ...
    static string MageAbilities[14]; //magic numbers are not good
};

And then declare and initialize it outside the class declaration:

Code:

string Player::MageAbilities[14] = {"Mana Burn", etc};

Making it static is under the assumption that all Players are going to have the same list of MageAbilities. Of course you could for example have a regular vector<string> and add abilities to it as any individual player learns them.