Thread: Help with... (a loop I believe)

Hello...This is my first post here so it is a question and an introduction!

Well I have recently started learning about programming in general, so the whole thing is relatively new to me.. I am not currently taking any classes for programming so no need to worry about "doing my homework"... I do this because I want to so in turn I am learning it all on my own so I apologize in advance for any questions that may seem rather silly to a veteran programmer.. I have read part of the tutorial here and a book but I wanted to start to get experience with programming rather than continually just read about it.. (I learn much better actually doing it rather than reading it).

So onto my program (that I need some help with!)
I am trying to just make a basic calculations program for income/expenses using mainly numbers as input, I haven't quite learned about using chars well..

After the first incomechoice I am using if and else if for input of choice 1 or 2, I have else if ( incomechoice > 2 ) to display a message of Invalid entry... but I am having trouble getting it to loop back to the original function of the Please pick 1 or 2.

Any help is greatly appreciated and any comments on anything I should do/not do differently would be great.. This is my first program ever and so far I have written it with no help so please be gentle!

Code:

#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

int main()
{
    cout << "                            Welcome to Liquid Money!\n"<< endl;
    cout << "Please press enter to get started...\n";


cin.get();

    float paycheck;
    float salary;
    int incomechoice;
    float expenses;

    cout<<"Is your income Hourly (1) or Salary (2)?\n"<< endl;

    cout<<"Please pick 1 or 2: ";
    cin>> incomechoice;
    cout<<"\n\n\n";




    if    ( incomechoice == 1 )
    {

    cout<<"What is your NET pay on an average week?\n";
    cin>> paycheck;
    cin.get();
    }


    else if ( incomechoice == 2 )
{

        cout<<"What is your NET income for the year?\n";
        cin>> salary;
        cin.get();
}


    else if ( incomechoice > 2 )
    {
        cout<<"Invalid entry...\n";
    }

Okay well I figured out how to do it by using x < 4 and using a climbing number so I think it will repeat a few times then not work... But for now I added while ( x < 4 ) and for option 1 or 2 it will do x = x + 5 and for an invalid entry it will do x++..

It works but is there some other way that I should do it? I basically just want to know if I am on the right track or not! Thanks

Code:

#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

int main()
{
    cout << "                            Welcome to Liquid Money!\n"<< endl;
    cout << "Please press enter to get started...\n";


cin.get();

    float paycheck;
    float salary;
    int incomechoice;
    float expenses;
    int x = 0;

while ( x < 4 )

{
    cout<<"Is your income Hourly (1) or Salary (2)?\n"<< endl;

    cout<<"Please pick 1 or 2: ";
    cin>> incomechoice;
    cout<<"\n\n\n";




    if    ( incomechoice == 1 )
    {

    cout<<"What is your NET pay on an average week?\n";
    cin>> paycheck;
    cin.get();
    x = x + 5;

    }


    else if ( incomechoice == 2 )
{

        cout<<"What is your NET income for the year?\n";
        cin>> salary;
        cin.get();
        x = x + 5;
}


    else if ( incomechoice > 2 )
    {
        cout<<"Invalid entry...\n";
     x++;

    }

}

Originally Posted by MoonMan

Okay well I figured out how to do it by using x < 4 and using a climbing number so I think it will repeat a few times then not work... But for now I added while ( x < 4 ) and for option 1 or 2 it will do x = x + 5 and for an invalid entry it will do x++..

It works but is there some other way that I should do it? I basically just want to know if I am on the right track or not! Thanks

Some suggestions:
1. Read up on the break and continue statements to control loops ...It will make your code not depend on 'magic numbers' .
2. Indent properly.(Your current style is consistent ..but somewhat difficult to read)
3. You're just taking input here...nothing is done with the data.

Originally Posted by MoonMan

Edit: Can break be used with numbers or does it have to be a keyword? So rather I would have the user type either Hourly or Salary instead of 1 or 2?

It is totally up to you how you use it..
Only remember that it does ONE thing...that is break out from pretty much anything...
So..as long as your logic is robust..you can use it without problems.