help with loops - super n00b

first post
i am 17 and have always liked computers and have built my own pc etc...
i am currently trying out programming while i decide if i should do a computer science degree... i want to be sure programming is 'for me' before i dive into a computer science which is mainly software engineering.
I am following the tutorial on this site and am up to page 3.
Cprogramming.com Tutorial: Loops

here is what i am having problems with:

Code:

#include <iostream>

using namespace std; // So the program can see cout and endl

int main()
{
  // The loop goes while x < 10, and x increases by one every loop
  for ( int x = 0; x < 10; x++ ) {
    // Keep in mind that the loop condition checks 
    //  the conditional statement before it loops again.
    //  consequently, when x equals 10 the loop breaks.
    // x is updated before the condition is checked.    
    cout<< x <<endl;
  }
  cin.get();
}

i can get the code to work, and i am trying to get my head around this line:

Code:

for ( variable initialization; condition; variable update ) {
  Code to execute while the condition is true
}

so
variable initialization is where you want to start counting (in this case 0 )
Condition is what you want to count up to? ( in this case 10, not including 10)
Then what is variable update? in this case it is x++ but what is this?

if someone could please help by confirming my understanding, and helping me on the x++ bit?


i apologise if this is a very basic question to be asking on such an advanced forum, bare with me

> Then what is variable update? in this case it is x++ but what is this?
Well it's anything you like, so long as it makes progress from your initial state (x=0) to the final state (x >= 10).

Without some kind of change to your conditional expression (say incrementing x), the loop would loop forever.

Originally Posted by antipesto93

variable initialization is where you want to start counting (in this case 0 )
Condition is what you want to count up to? ( in this case 10, not including 10)
Then what is variable update? in this case it is x++ but what is this?

This is where we count.