Strings and Switch Statement

i'm having a problem with a switchstatement that uses strings as the argument and it looks something like this

Code:

void Game(Game Info,ifstream &fin)
{
	int b,c;
	string a;
	OpenRoom(Info,fin);
	cin>>a;
	while (a!="quit" || a!="exit")
	{
		switch (a)
		{
		case "remove":
			Remove(Info,fin);
			break;
		case "epuip":
			Equip(Info,fin);
			break;
		case "quit":
			break;
		case "northwest":
			Go(Info,fin,5);
			break;
		case "southwest":
			Go(Info,fin,7);
			break;
		case "nw":
			Go(Info,fin,5);
			break;
		case "sw":
			Go(Info,fin,7);
			break;
		case "northeast":
			Go(Info,fin,4);
			break;
		case "southeast":
			Go(Info,fin,6);
			break;
		case "ne":
			Go(Info,fin,4);
			break;
		case "se":
			Go(Info,fin,6);
			break;
		case "w":
			Go(Info,fin,3);
			break;
		case "e":
			Go(Info,fin,2);
			break;
		case "s":
			Go(Info,fin,1);
			break;
		case "n":
			Go(Info,fin,0);
			break;
		case "north":
			Go(Info,fin,0);
			break;
		case "east":
			Go(Info,fin,2);
			break;
		case "west":
			Go(Info,fin,3);
			break;
		case "south":
			Go(Info,fin,1);
			break;
		case "pick":
			cin>>a;
			switch (a)
			{
			case "up":
				Get(Info,fin);
				break;
			case "nose":
				cout<<"Thats really sick.\n";
				break;
			}
			break;
		case "get":
			Get(Info,fin);
			break;
		case "help":
			cout<<"While this function of the game is not yet complete, it does have a few tips.\n";
			break;
		case "drop":
			cin>>a;
			Drop(Info,fin);
			break;
		case "save":
			SaveGame(Info,false);
			break;
		case "Loki":
			Loki(Info);
			break;
		case "Dogma":
			Dogma(Info);
			break;
		case "buy":
			Buy(Info,fin);
			break;
		default:
			Error(24);
		}
	}
}

all of the functions are defined it just gives me an error for every line about a constant i'm using microsoft visual studio .net 2003 and visual c++ pro 6.0. if any one has any thoughts they would be apreciated.

Code Tags added by Kermi3

the actual error is

c:\documents and settings\alli-poo\my documents\visual studio projects\c++\ffec.cpp(471) : error C2051: case expression not constant

You can start by using code tags when you post code. It makes it much easier to read, thanks.

Your problem is that you can't use strings for switch statements. The only allowable constants are numbers (encompasses lots of things) and single characters. What you'll need to do is convert all of that into an if-elseif-else chain:

Code:

if (a == "remove") {
   Remove(Info,fin);
} else if (a == "equip") {
   Equip(Info,fin);
} else ...

Sry bout the Code tags i forgot and thx for the input about the switch statement i didn't know that....

Just a refinment of Speedy5's answer, in a switch you can only have integer values. That ecompasses a lot a lot (char, enums, ints, short ints, etc) but doesn't allow floats, doubles, etc.

Originally Posted by Thantos

Just a refinment of Speedy5's answer, in a switch you can only have integer values. That ecompasses a lot a lot (char, enums, ints, short ints, etc) but doesn't allow floats, doubles, etc.

Another slight refinement. Cases can only be constant integral expressions. So any use is limited to literals or const variables.

You may want something like this:

Code:

std::string Command;
if(Command == "North")
{
   ...
}
else if(Command == "South")
{
   ...
}
else if ...