help using switch

**New001** · 05-28-2004

I am trying to create a text game that lets the user type something, then depending on what they typed it would respond with a different thing. Something like this:

cin>> x;

switch (x)
{
case 'die' : cout<<"That was stupid, You lose\n";
break;
case 'fight' : cout<<"You chose to stay and fight\n";
//... several more options
default : cout<<"That is not a valid command, Try again\n";
}

But I can not get this to work. If i add char x; then I can get it to work, but each case can only be one letter long. Is there a way to get it so one could type in a command as a full word at cin>>x; and have it select the right case statement?

**bennyandthejets** · 05-28-2004

1. The single apostrophes are only useful when using one character. Ie, 'die' has no meaning.

2. Placing a string within double quotes will resolve to the address of the string, so even that wont work.

3. When you switch a pointer to char, it is actually switching the address of the char buffer, not the contents of it. So you cannot really use a switch statement. Try this:

Code:

if (!lstrcmpi(x,"die"))
{
   cout<<"That was stupid, You lose\n";
}
else if (!lstrcmpi(x,"fight"))
{
    cout<<"You chose to stay and fight\n";
}
else
{
    cout<<"That is not a valid command, Try again\n";
}

4. Use code tags please.

EDIT: I forgot to explain my code. lstrcmpi() compares the contents of the two specified char buffers and returns 0 if they are the same. It also returns other values but I wont get into that here. The code above is pretty much exactly the same as a switch statement, in terms of native code, but it's the only way to do it with char buffers.

**skorman00** · 05-28-2004

If you want to stick with the switch, you can have a function that will take in a string, and return a number depending on what that string is. That way the switch can test the value of that number.

**New001** · 05-28-2004

Originally Posted by skorman00

If you want to stick with the switch, you can have a function that will take in a string, and return a number depending on what that string is. That way the switch can test the value of that number.

That sounds great, but how would that be done?

**skorman00** · 05-28-2004

However you want it to be done. Look at what entries you will recognize, and determine the best way to differentiate them. It may be as simple as the number of letters in the string, or maybe the integral sum of the character values. Just make sure word will always give the same output, and you probably dont want different words giving the same output.

An alternative would be to display what actions the user could take, and take in a number value instead of the word, like this:

What do you want to do?
1. Die
2. Fight

If you only have a few entries that you will recognize, the if would be better suited, but if you want many, a switch would be easier to read/follow.

**bennyandthejets** · 05-29-2004

Good idea skorman. I could imagine such a setup:

Code:

#define STR_DIE 1
#define STR_FIGHT 2

int GetStringIndex(char *lpString)
{
    if (!lstrcmpi(lpString,"die"))
        return STR_DIE;
    if (!lstrcmpi(lpString,"fight"))
        return STR_FIGHT;

    return -1;
}

//somewhere else
	cin >> x;
	switch (GetStringIndex(x))
	{
	case STR_DIE:
		//Do die stuff
		break;
	case STR_FIGHT:
		//Do fight stuff
		break;
	default:
		//Everything else
		break;
	}

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