Thread: Question about loops

Ok so I'm pretty lost in this programming class, I have to write a program for PowerBall, where the user enters a date and the number of people playing and the program outputs 6 random numbers for each person. This is what I've got so far (try not to laugh!)

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <cstdlib>
#include <fstream>

using namespace std;

//declare variables
string dateNum;
int participants;
int rand1, rand2, rand3, rand4, rand5, PB;

void getInfo ();
void generateRandom ();

int main ()
{
	getInfo();
	generateRandom ();
	cout<<dateNum<<endl;
	cout<<rand1<<" "<<rand2<<" "<<rand3<<" "<<rand4<<" "<<rand5<<"     "<<PB<<endl;
	return 0;
}
void getInfo()
{
	//get information from user
  	cout<<"Enter date of lottery: (mm/dd/yy): ";
	cin>>dateNum;
	cout<<endl;
	cout<<"Enter number of participants: ";
	cin>>participants;
	cout<<endl;
}

void generateRandom ()
{
	//generate random numbers
	for(participants= 1; participants <= 25; participants++)
	{
		rand1 = (rand()%49)+1;	
		rand2 = (rand()%49)+1; 	
		rand3 = (rand()%49)+1;	
		rand4 = (rand()%49)+1;	
		rand5 = (rand()%49)+1;	
		PB = (rand()%49)+1;	
	}
}

But I can't get it to loop based on the number of participants. Thanks so much in advance!!

>> otherwise it is quite pointless to break up the program into functions in the first place.

I disagree with this, but I think your larger point is that global variables are generally not good practice and the data should be passed to and from the functions instead of via global variables.

Thank you!

And I agree about the functions, I'm just required to have 3 in addition to the main, so I just broke up the steps into separate functions. I ended up doing this instead:

Code:

void generateRandom ()
{
	int counter=0;
	for(;;)
	{
		if (counter<participants)
		{
			cout<<(rand()&#37;49)+1<<"	"<<(rand()%49)+1<<"	"<<(rand()%49)+1<<"	"<<(rand()%49)+1<<"	"<<(rand()%49)+1<<"		"<<(rand()%49)+1<<endl;
			counter++;
		}
		else
			break;
	}
}

Originally Posted by lroberts1016

Thank you!

And I agree about the functions, I'm just required to have 3 in addition to the main, so I just broke up the steps into separate functions. I ended up doing this instead:

Code:

void generateRandom ()
{
    int counter=0;
    for(;;)
    {
        if (counter<participants)
        {
            cout<<(rand()%49)+1<<"    "<<(rand()%49)+1<<"    "<<(rand()%49)+1<<"    "<<(rand()%49)+1<<"    "<<(rand()%49)+1<<"        "<<(rand()%49)+1<<endl;
            counter++;
        }
        else
            break;
    }
}

What is the deal with the red code? Why not loop that?