getting a function to return to main??

how do i get my fuctions to return back to main. when it runs my function ends e.g. the member_list function after operation i want it to go back to main because thats where my menu is the program is supposed to finsih when the user presses 5.

can anyone tell me then how i get my function to return to main.

ive tried putting the menu outside main but i get errors

Code:

#include <iostream.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string>
#include <fstream.h>

const int maxmembers = 15;
const int maxbooks = 30;

struct cust
{
  string surname;
  string house_no;
  string road;
  string ID;
  int books_borrowed;
};

struct books
{
  string author;
  string title;
  string category;
  string ISBN;
  int loaned;
}; 

int member_list(cust c[])
{
 for(int i=0; i< maxmembers;i++)
    {
  cout<< "Surname\t\tHouse No\tRoad\t\tID" << endl;
  cout << c[i].surname;
  cout << c[i].house_no;
  cout << c[i].road;
  cout << c[i].ID << endl;
    }
}

int book_list(books b[])
{
 for(int i=0; i< maxbooks;i++)
    {
  cout<< "Author\t\t\tTitle\t\t\tCategory\tISBN" << endl;
  cout << b[i].author ;
  cout << b[i].title ;
  cout << b[i].category;
  cout << b[i].ISBN << endl;
    }
}

void issue_book(books b [], cust c[])
{
  string  member = 0;
  string ISBN = 0;
  cout << "Please enter ISBN number of book: " << endl;
  cin >> ISBN ;
  cout << "Please enter member ID: " << endl;
  cin >> member;
  for(int i=0; i < maxbooks; i++)
    {
      if (b[i].ISBN == ISBN)
	{
	  b[i].loaned ++;
	}
    }

  for(int i=0; i < maxmembers; i++)
    {
      if(c[i].ID == member)
	{
	  c[i].books_borrowed ++;
	}
    }
  //save_book(b);
  //save_user(c);
}
  
void return_book(books b[], cust c[])
{
  string member = 0;
  string ISBN = 0;
  cout << "Please enter ISBN number of book: " << endl;
  cin >> ISBN ;
  cout << "Please enter member ID: " << endl;
  cin >> member;
  for(int i=0; i < maxbooks; i++)
    {
      if (b[i].ISBN == ISBN)
	{
	  b[i].loaned --;
	}
    }
  for(int i=0; i < maxmembers; i++)
    {
      if(c[i].ID == member)
	{
	  c[i].books_borrowed --;
	}
    }
  //save_book();
  //save_user();
  
}

/*void save_book(books b[])
{
ofstream book_data;

 if (book_data.is_open())
   {
for(int i=0; i < maxbooks;i++)
  {
  book_data << b[i].author;
  book_data << ";";
  book_data << b[i].title;
  book_data << ";";
  book_data << b[i].category;
  book_data << ";";
  book_data << b[i].ISBN;
  book_data << ";";
  book_data << b[i].loaned;
  book_data << ";";
  }
 book_data.close();
   }
}*/


/*void save_user(cust c[])
{
ofstream user_data;

if (user_data.is_open())
  {
    for(int i=0; i < maxmembers;i++)
      {
 user_data << c[i].surname;
 user_data << ";";
 user_data << c[i].house_no;
 user_data << ";";
 user_data << c[i].road;
 user_data << ";";
 user_data << c[i].ID;
 user_data << ";";
 user_data << c[i].books_borrowed;
 user_data << ";";
  }
	user_data.close();
	{
}*/

int main()
{

//variables for type people and books
  books book[maxbooks];
  cust user[maxmembers];

  char uTest[1000];
  int cRead = 0;
  int nTest = 100;

  ifstream user_data;
  user_data.open("userdata.txt",ios::in);

do
  {
    user_data.getline(uTest,nTest,';');
    user[cRead].surname = uTest;
    user_data.getline(uTest,nTest,';');
    user[cRead].house_no = uTest;
    user_data.getline(uTest,nTest,';');
    user[cRead].road = uTest;
    user_data.getline(uTest,nTest,'\n');
    user[cRead].ID = uTest;

    if (user_data)
      {  int nTest[100];
	cRead++;
      }

  }while (user_data && cRead < maxmembers);

  user_data.close();

  ifstream book_data;
  book_data.open("bookdata.txt",ios::in);

do
  {
    book_data.getline(uTest,nTest,';');
    book[cRead].author = uTest;
    book_data.getline(uTest,nTest,';');
    book[cRead].title = uTest;
    book_data.getline(uTest,nTest,';');
    book[cRead].category = uTest;
    book_data.getline(uTest,nTest,'\n');
    book[cRead].ISBN = uTest;

    if (book_data)
      {
	cRead++;
      }

  }while (book_data && cRead < maxbooks);

  book_data.close();

  int choice;
  cout <<"Library Menu" << endl << endl ;
  cout <<"[1] List Library Members and Member Information" << endl;
  cout <<"[2] List Library Books and Book Information" << endl ;
  cout <<"[3] Issue Library Book" << endl ;
  cout <<"[4] Return Library Book" << endl ;
  cout <<"[5] Exit Library System" << endl ;
  cout <<"Enter Your Required Choice" << endl;
  cin >> choice;
  
  switch(choice)
    {
    case 1:
      member_list(user);
      break;
    case 2:
      book_list(book);
      break;
    case 3:
      issue_book(book,user);
      break;
    case 4:
      return_book(book,user);
      break;
    case 5:
      exit(1);
      break;
    default:
      cout << "This is not an option" << endl;
      break;
    
    }
}

...the program always 'returns' to main after it returns its value

not in this program it ends. when i run either member_list or book_list it lists the books then ends.

... the program always returns to it's caller....

Code:

#include <iostream>

void menu()
{
   int choice;

   do
   {
      cout <<"Library Menu" << endl << endl ;
      cout <<"[1] List Library Members and Member Information" << endl;
      cout <<"[2] List Library Books and Book Information" << endl ;
      cout <<"[3] Issue Library Book" << endl ;
      cout <<"[4] Return Library Book" << endl ;
      cout <<"[5] Exit Library System" << endl ;
      cout <<"Enter Your Required Choice" << endl;
      cin >> choice;

      switch(choice)
        {
        case 1:
          member_list(user);
          break;
        case 2:
          book_list(book);
          break;
        case 3:
          issue_book(book,user);
          break;
        case 4:
          return_book(book,user);
          break;
        case 5:   // just break; at the end of this function 
          break;  // the program will return to main (the caller)
        default:
          cout << "This is not an option" << endl;
          break;
        }
   } while(choice != 5);
}

int main(void)
{
   menu();
   return 0;
}

thanks for your help mate just another question really

ive done what you say and the program doesnt end but it doesnt return to my menu any suggestions ??

ive tried to call menu in the functions like this but i get 1 error mesage

void member_list(cust c[])
{
for(int i=0; i< maxmembers;i++)
{
cout<< "Surname\t\tHouse No\tRoad\t\tID" << endl;
cout << c[i].surname;
cout << c[i].house_no;
cout << c[i].road;
cout << c[i].ID << endl;
}
menu();
}

158 meerkat.cscs.wmin.ac.uk% library.cc: In function `void member_list(cust *)':
library.cc:37: implicit declaration of function `int menu(...)'

Don't call menu in the functions. Function menu calls member_list, function member_list calls menu, etc, etc. This is wrong.

Just put a while loop in main:

Code:

int menu()
{
   int choice;
   ...
   return choice;
}

int main(void)
{
   int choice;

   do {
      choice = menu();
   while(choice != 5) ;

   return 0;
}

thanks dude it works

158 meerkat.cscs.wmin.ac.uk% library.cc: In function `void member_list(cust *)':
library.cc:37: implicit declaration of function `int menu(...)'

This is because your menu() function is after the member_list() function. It's best to make use of function prototypes