Problem with while loop

[Nurlana]

Hi, guys. Need a bit of help. I have a program with try/catch block. It works fine till I press 'q' to quit program, then it gets into an infinite loop. Can anybody advise what I am doing wrong?

            #include <iostream>
#include <iomanip>
#include <string>
using namespace std;
const double CM_PER_INCH = 2.54;
const int INCHES_PER_FOOT = 12;
int main()
{
  int feet, inches, totalInches;
  double centimeter;
  char option;
  string nonDig = "You need to enter numeric digits please.";
  while (option!='q')
  {
  try
  {
    cout << "Please enter the length in feet and inches or enter 'q' to quit the program: ";
    cin >> feet >> inches;
    cout << endl;
    if (feet < 0 || inches < 0)
      throw string ("Negative number");
    else if (!cin)
      throw nonDig;
    totalInches = INCHES_PER_FOOT * feet + inches;
    centimeter = CM_PER_INCH * totalInches;
    cout << "The number in centimeters is: " << centimeter << "cm." << endl;
  }
  catch (int x)
  {
    cout << "Please enter other set of numbers." << endl;
  }
  catch (string s)
  {
      cout << s << endl;
  }
  catch (...)
  {
      cout << "Error in program. Try again" << endl;
  }
  }
  return 0;
}

[DRK]

1. You don't have any instruction to input option. The compiler gives you a hint what might be wrong
warning: 'option' may be used uninitialized in this function
but you ignore it.
2. Check if cin was successful first, then validate entered values.

[Nurlana]

OK, I changed the code as follows:

#include <iostream>
#include <iomanip>
#include <string>


using namespace std;


const double CM_PER_INCH = 2.54;
const int INCHES_PER_FOOT = 12;


int main()
{
  int feet, inches, totalInches;
  double centimeter;
  string nonDig = "You need to enter numeric digits.";
  bool done = false;


  while (!done)
  {
  try
  {
    cout << "Enter length in feet: ";
    cin >> feet;
    cout << "Enter length in inches: ";
    cin >> inches;
    cout << endl;


    if (feet < 0 || inches < 0)
      throw string ("Negative number. Enter positive number");
    else if (!cin)
      throw nonDig;


    done = true;
    totalInches = INCHES_PER_FOOT * feet + inches;
    centimeter = CM_PER_INCH * totalInches;


    cout << "The number in centimeters is: " << centimeter << "cm." << endl;
  }
  catch (int x)
  {
    cout << "Please enter other set of numbers." << endl;
  }
  catch (string s)
  {
      cout << s << endl;
  }
  catch (...)
  {
      cout << "Error in program. Try again" << endl;
  }
  }
  return 0;
}

Now it goes into infinite loop when I enter characters instead of digits. What is wrong now?
Thank you

[grumpy]

The code is only attempting to read numeric values. When the relevant statements ("cin >> feet" and "cin >> inches") encounter non-numeric input, they will stop and leave the offending non-numeric input in the stream - to be encountered next time reading input is attempted, so the process will repeat forever. The stream is also placed into an error condition, so your code (as written) throws an exception, but immediately catches it and continues.

What you need to do is read the input as characters (or as a set of characters i.e. a string). You can then examine the input to see whether the input is numeric or non-numeric.



Unrelated to your problem, your usage of exceptions is ridiculous. Exceptions are not intended for loop control. They are intended for circumstances where a function that detects an error cannot recover from it, not for passing control within a function.

[Nurlana]

Unrelated to your problem, your usage of exceptions is ridiculous. Exceptions are not intended for loop control. They are intended for circumstances where a function that detects an error cannot recover from it, not for passing control within a function.

Well, at least you lived to your username. Did it make your day adding nasty note at the end? I didn't thought of this task, it is my homework I am trying to do. And it specifically asks to continue loop till the correct input is entered. If you didn't notice, this site for the people trying to understand and learn and not show off with jerk comments. If the questions here are ridiculous for you, do everybody a favour and chose other site.

[grumpy]

And it specifically asks to continue loop till the correct input is entered.

And how does that justify your misuse of exceptions in any way? That's not a trick question. It doesn't.

this site for the people trying to understand and learn and not show off with jerk comments.

Welcome to the real world, cupcake, where people who know more than you do about something will not treat you like a precious adorable little flower. If you do something stupid in code, someone with more experience will tell you off for it - I've even seen people lose jobs over such things.

And if you think I've handled you poorly .... wait until you encounter some other members who have an even lower tolerance for stupidity than I do.

[Elysia]

Well, at least you lived to your username. Did it make your day adding nasty note at the end? I didn't thought of this task, it is my homework I am trying to do. And it specifically asks to continue loop till the correct input is entered. If you didn't notice, this site for the people trying to understand and learn and not show off with jerk comments. If the questions here are ridiculous for you, do everybody a favour and chose other site.

Come on. Take it with a grain of salt. No one threw any bad words at you, so it should all be fine.
No one here will benefit from making any enemies. I think you will find most people here knowledgeable and willing to help if you just keep a little open mind. Don't let it put you off.
Instead of, "you are mean," ask "what am I doing wrong, and how can I fix it?"