Problem - not sure what to try next...

Hello,

Like many people on these boards I am new to C++ programming, and also like many, I have come across a problem for which I'm having difficulty finding the answer.

I've had a check around the boards and other sites and it seems quite a familiar problem - the one whereby a program closes before you get to see the result. Well I'm having a similar problem.

After reading a few tutorials I decided to try to write a program which computes powers of integers. The user enters 'a' and 'b' and the program will return a^b. I thought about using a for loop to do this. Here is what I came up with

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <conio.h>

using namespace std;

int main(){
    
    int val;
    int pow;
    int res = 1;
    
    cout << "Please enter your number: ";
    cin >> val;
    cin.ignore();
    cout << "Please enter your power: ";
    cin >> pow;
    cin.ignore();
    
    for(int i=0; i<pow; i++){
            res = res * val;
            return res;
            }
            
            cout << "The answer is " << res;
            getch();
            return 0;
            }

Now the program lets the user enter the number and the power but once you hit return to get the result...poof!...the program closes. I have tried solutions such as cin.get() and getch() but to no avail. I would greatly appreciate some help on the matter. Even if you only tell me where I'm going wrong.

Thanks in advance

Stonehambey

Are you sure about the return statement in the middle of main?

Also suggest you don't place your } like that. That will only cause confusion and brings bugs.

Code:

	for(int i=0; i<pow; i++){
		res = res * val;
		return res;
	}
            
	cout << "The answer is " << res;
	getch();
	return 0;
}

Also keep indentation consistent. Use X number of spaces (typically 4) or a tab for each level to indent. Cout & co should be on the same line as the for's ending }. This makes the code more readable.

But as anon implies, the return in the loop is doing something you don't want it to, can you figure out what?

Originally Posted by Elysia

Also suggest you don't place your } like that. That will only cause confusion and brings bugs.

Code:

	for(int i=0; i<pow; i++){
		res = res * val;
		return res;
	}
            
	cout << "The answer is " << res;
	getch();
	return 0;
}

Also keep indentation consistent. Use X number of spaces (typically 4) or a tab for each level to indent. Cout & co should be on the same line as the for's ending }. This makes the code more readable.

Good idea. I have experience with html so I should've known better! Guess I was just being lazy, not a good start if I want to write more complicated programs :P

But as anon implies, the return in the loop is doing something you don't want it to, can you figure out what?

Hehe, well I'm very new to this but I will have a dig and see if I can figure it out. If not I may come back for another hint. Thanks for the kind replies

Stonehambey

Edit Well I simply took the return out of the program and it worked! Not entirely sure why yet but I'm sure it'll occur to me as I learn more about the language...

The RETURN says to exit the current function to return to the caller. In this case, the currently executing function was main(), and the caller was the operating system. Only when main() is finished processing do you want to return.

Todd