Thread: Need help naming data structures

//I'm learning to make a simple program that allows the user to create profiles which store information on each person. I got the whole create a structure thing but I need to know how to let the user type in what they want the name of the structure to be (since there will be different names). Rather than a set name for the structure. Take a look at my code:

#include <iostream.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <stdio.h>

struct database
{
char name[30];
float id_number;
};

int main()
{

struct database employee;

char input_name[30];
float input_id;

printf("Name: ");
cin.getline(input_name,30,'\n');
printf("ID: ");
cin>>input_id;


strcpy( employee.name, input_name);
employee.id_number = input_id;


printf("\nName = %s", employee.name );
printf("\nSalary = %6.2f", employee.id_number );

return 0;
}

//Right now it asks the user to input some information, and reports it under the structure titled "employee". What if I don't want "employee". I want them to choose what goes there. I'm sure this is beginners stuff to you guys so I'll thank you in advance for all the advice. Thanks.

//Mike

It's quite simple.... you can't do it the way you like to do it... You can, on the other hand, get the same effect by using an std::map<char*, database*>, and store the name as search key and the employee structure as value...

The user does not name the structure, you do. The user only enters the required data and your program writes it to a (disk)
file for storage. The file is either developed as a sequential or random access file.

Think of it as a file of student name(s) with thier course(s)
numbers, grades, instructors names, SSN.

Code:

    struct database 
    { 
        char nameLast[15]; 
        char nameFirst[10]; 
        char ssn[10];
        char crsNum[9]; 
        char instName[15]
    };

hth,

Originally posted by Unregistered
You can, on the other hand, get the same effect by using an std::map<char*, database*>, and store the name as search key and the employee structure as value...

ahh. I'm gonna learn to use that method. Not sure exactly how to use std::map<char*, database*> right now.. anyone care to elaborate? Or point me in the right direction?

I think you might want another approach. Learn the basics first
than get advanced. However, you can review the following if
you think it will help.

Code:

CMap

template< class KEY, class ARG_KEY, class VALUE, class
ARG_VALUE >class CMap : public CObject

Parameters

KEY

Class of the object used as the key to the map.

ARG_KEY

Data type used for KEY arguments; usually a reference to KEY.

VALUE

Class of the object stored in the map.

ARG_VALUE

Data type used for VALUE arguments; usually a reference to VALUE.

Remarks

CMap is a dictionary collection class that maps unique keys to
values. Once you have inserted a key-value pair (element) into
the map, you can efficiently retrieve or delete the pair using the
key to access it. You can also iterate over all the elements in the
map.

A variable of type POSITION is used for alternate access to
entries. You can use a POSITION to “remember” an entry and to
iterate through the map. You might think that this iteration is
sequential by key value; it is not. The sequence of retrieved
elements is indeterminate.

Certain member functions of this class call global helper functions
that must be customized for most uses of the CMap class. See
Collection Class Helpers in the Macros and Globals section of the
MFC Reference.

CMap incorporates the IMPLEMENT_SERIAL macro to support
serialization and dumping of its elements. Each element is
serialized in turn if a map is stored to an archive, either with the
overloaded insertion (<<) operator or with the Serialize member
function. 

If you need a diagnostic dump of the individual elements in the
map (the keys and the values), you must set the depth of the
dump context to 1 or greater.

When a CMap object is deleted, or when its elements are
removed, the keys and values both are removed.

Map class derivation is similar to list derivation. See the
articleCollections in Visual C++ Programmer’s Guide for an
illustration of the derivation of a special-purpose list class.

#include <afxtempl.h>

Class Members |  Base Class |  Hierarchy Chart

Sample   MFC Sample COLLECT

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