clear screen.. is this the right way

It works, but im just wondering if there is an easier / better way to do it.

also, i used the pause command, which waits for you to press a key to continue.

is there any command to make it wait 5 secs and then continue automaticly?

Code:

// Guessing Game

#include <iostream>
#include <ctime> 

using namespace std;

int main()
{
int rNumber;  // Random number variable
int Guess;    // Your input variable

cout << "Welcome to Reece's, Guess the number game...\n\n\n\n\n";
// random number
srand(time(NULL));
rNumber = rand() % 15 + 1;

for ( ;; )
   {
      cout <<"Enter your answer: ";
      cin >> Guess;
	  system("cls");
      if ( Guess == rNumber )
      {
         cout <<" CONGRATS\n\n\n\n";
		 break;
      }
      if ( Guess > 0 && Guess < 15 )
      {
         cout << "Nope, wrong answer...\n";
		 system("PAUSE");
		 system("cls");
      }
      else
      {
         cout <<"ERROR! Enter a number above 0 but below 15.\n";
		 system("PAUSE");
		 system("cls");
      }
   }
cout << "The answer is " << rNumber << endl;
system("PAUSE");
return 0;
}

System is in fact the worst way possible to do lots of stuff. FAQ.

I'm sure some kind of sleep function of sorts is probably provided for use with Milliseconds as the parameter I bet.. though I'm too lazy to look it up to verify.

Pointless side note: Maybe its just me, but infinite loops look better with a while statement rather than a for .. eh maybe I'm the only one.

Code:

system("cls");

Advantages:       None really.

Disadvantages:  Spawns a process to do the dirty work for you.
It's bad for security reasons. 
For example, someone could map cls to another program, and yours would run it without realising.

I use system("cls") and it seems to work perfectly.
Does the word "someone" or a program that is
already existing on your computer?
Even so, what could be so bad about the system clearing the screen on accident?

I believe the bad thing is when you accidentally download some virus that calls itself cls.exe. You come along and have this (unnecessary and annoying to many experienced users) attempt to clear the screen, but instead start this virus and hell ensues...

Or something like that.

> Does the word "someone" or a program that is
already existing on your computer?
It could exist on your computer, or it could be some malicious person out to get you. Don't limit yourself to what is "possible" with programming. You must be paranoid to code safely. For instance, someone gets a hold of your new program and gets a decompiler. Now they can see your source code and all its loopholes.

Now they know that any Windows user who bought your program has this particular system() loophole. And hackers will look for the slightest exploitations to bring whole systems down: they could attack users individually, or attack your whole network if your computers at work run this program, because all they have to do is replace cls.bat with a virus.

Windows provides Sleep(), declared in <windows.h>, and taking a parameter in milliseconds.

use clrscr(); for clearscreen (libary conio.h)

Code:

clock_t start_time;
start_time = clock ();
while ((clock()-start_time)<5*CLOCKS_PER_SEC) {}

for time delay, fiddle with the 5 to change the secs
I think that also use conio.h

Originally Posted by Whizza

use clrscr(); for clearscreen (libary conio.h)

Code:

clock_t start_time;
start_time = clock ();
while ((clock()-start_time)<5*CLOCKS_PER_SEC) {}

for time delay, fiddle with the 5 to change the secs
I think that also use conio.h

This could work if you compiler supports it. But generally it is a non standard function. We try not to encourage the use of non standard code here.

Originally Posted by sand_man

This could work if you compiler supports it. But generally it is a non standard function. We try not to encourage the use of non standard code here.

Generally it applies to Windows based applications but an alternate console.h libary is normally used in its stead for those who dont support conio (normally macs)

Originally Posted by Whizza

Code:

clock_t start_time;
start_time = clock ();
while ((clock()-start_time)<5*CLOCKS_PER_SEC) {}

That's going to KILL your CPU. Honestly, I've tried.

Originally Posted by jafet

That's going to KILL your CPU. Honestly, I've tried.

Uhhuh in what sense???

In the sense that your CPU usage will go way up. This is not good if you only have 1 processor (100% CPU usage), or you're using a laptop (battery will deplete faster).

> Uhhuh in what sense???
clock_t is just a long in most implementations, and CLOCKS_PER_SEC is a clock_t(1000). Now, your computer can do calculations about a million times faster than you (and I'm being nice) so that solution just busies the CPU with tons of math to do and a lot of return values being put on the stack as well.

A cleaner way is probably just to pause for input with cin.get(); like usual.