returning arrays from functions

here is the code:

Code:

---

#include <windows.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <conio.h>
#include <fstream.h>
#include <iostream.h>
#include <string.h>

int keypress=0;
char message[50];

int space1gone=0;
int space2gone=0;

void frame (int xmin,int ymin,int xmax,int ymax);
void gotoxy(int,int);
void getmove(char message[], int space1gone, int space2gone);
char determinemessage(char message[], int keypress);

void frame (int xmin, int ymin, int xmax, int ymax)
{
  int count;
  gotoxy(xmin,ymin);
  putchar(218);
  gotoxy(xmax,ymin);
  putchar(191);
  gotoxy(xmin,ymax);
  putchar(192);
  gotoxy(xmax,ymax);
  putchar(217);
  gotoxy(xmin+1,ymin);
  for(count=xmin; count<xmax-1; count++)
      putchar(196);
  gotoxy(xmin+1,ymax); 
  for(count=xmin; count<xmax-1; count++)
      putchar(196); 
  for(count=ymin+1; count<=ymax-1; count++)
  {
      gotoxy(xmin,count);
      putchar(179);
  } 
  for(count=ymin+1; count<=ymax-1; count++)
  {
      gotoxy(xmax,count);
      putchar(179);
  }
}

void gotoxy(int x, int y)
{
        HANDLE hConsoleOutput;
        COORD dwCursorPosition;

        dwCursorPosition.X = x;
        dwCursorPosition.Y = y;
        hConsoleOutput = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
        SetConsoleCursorPosition(hConsoleOutput,dwCursorPosition);
}

void getmove(char message[], int space1gone, int space2gone)
{
        char tempmessage[50];

        if(space2gone==0) //checks if first spot is open
        {
                if(space1gone==0) //checks if second spot is open
                {
                        gotoxy(1,22);
                        cout<<message;
                        space1gone=1;
                }
                else if(space1gone==1) //first spot is used, second is open
                {
                        gotoxy(1,23);
                        cout<<message;
                }
        }
        else if(space2gone==1) //second spot is used
        {
                strcpy(tempmessage, message);
                gotoxy(1,22);
                cout<<tempmessage;
                gotoxy(1,23);
                cout<<message;
        }

}

char determinemessage(char message[], int keypress)
{
        if(keypress==72)
                strcpy(message, "You moved up");
        if(keypress==75)
                strcpy(message, "You moved left");
        if(keypress==80)
                strcpy(message, "You moved down");
        if(keypress==77)
                strcpy(message, "You moved right");
        return message;
}

---

that's the header file, here is main:

Code:

---

#include <iostream.h>
#include <windows.h>
#include <conio.h>
#include <fstream.h>
#include "functions.h"

int main()
{
        frame(0,0,55,20); //Biggest box
        frame(56,0,79,24); //Right-side box
        frame(0,21,55,24); //Message Box

        for(;;)
        {
            if(kbhit())
                {
                    keypress=_getch();
                        message=determinemessage(message, keypress);
                        getmove(message, space1gone, space2gone);
                }
        }
        return 0;
}

---

i use msvc++. i think it is evident that i am trying to return the array of chars called message. how would i declare a function that returns an array of chars, not just a char?

i tried 'determinemessage[](....etc)'

anybody help?

I don't know. Here's some advise though. When you post code, turn off smileys

You don't need to return a char*. The contents of message are modified within the determine message function.

i don't know what you mean. what would the code look like?

ok i got it. but, now when i run it, it goes EXTREMELY SLOW! I hit the arrow keys like 10 times, then like 5 seconds later they all print out.

2 problems that are just annoying me, and yes, i know am a complete perfectionist: 1, you're bumping posts, 2, youre asking people to write the code for you.

I thought that you could return an array as long as you put return array_name;. If that doesn't work, you could try using a pointer, and then of course you could always have it modify a global variable.

I figured it out. Here is the problem now though. IT GOES REALLY SLOW!

Code:

---

#include <iostream.h>
#include <windows.h>
#include <conio.h>
#include <fstream.h>
#include "functions.h"

int main()
{
        frame(0,0,55,20); //Biggest box
        frame(56,0,79,24); //Right-side box
        frame(0,21,55,24); //Message Box

        for(;;)
        {
            if(kbhit())
                {
                    keypress=_getch();
                        determinemessage(message, tempmessage, keypress);
                        getmove(message, tempmessage, space1gone, space2gone);
                }
        }
        return 0;
}

---

Code:

---

#include <windows.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <conio.h>
#include <fstream.h>
#include <iostream.h>
#include <string.h>

int keypress=0;
char message[50];
char tempmessage[50];

int space1gone=0;
int space2gone=0;

void frame (int xmin,int ymin,int xmax,int ymax);
void gotoxy(int,int);
void getmove(char message[], char tempmessage[], int space1gone, int space2gone);
void determinemessage(char message[], char tempmessage[], int keypress);

void frame (int xmin, int ymin, int xmax, int ymax)
{
  int count;
  gotoxy(xmin,ymin);
  putchar(218);
  gotoxy(xmax,ymin);
  putchar(191);
  gotoxy(xmin,ymax);
  putchar(192);
  gotoxy(xmax,ymax);
  putchar(217);
  gotoxy(xmin+1,ymin);
  for(count=xmin; count<xmax-1; count++)
      putchar(196);
  gotoxy(xmin+1,ymax); 
  for(count=xmin; count<xmax-1; count++)
      putchar(196); 
  for(count=ymin+1; count<=ymax-1; count++)
  {
      gotoxy(xmin,count);
      putchar(179);
  } 
  for(count=ymin+1; count<=ymax-1; count++)
  {
      gotoxy(xmax,count);
      putchar(179);
  }
}

void gotoxy(int x, int y)
{
        HANDLE hConsoleOutput;
        COORD dwCursorPosition;

        dwCursorPosition.X = x;
        dwCursorPosition.Y = y;
        hConsoleOutput = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
        SetConsoleCursorPosition(hConsoleOutput,dwCursorPosition);
}

void getmove(char message[], char tempmessage[], int space1gone, int space2gone)
{
        if(space2gone==0) //checks if first spot is open
        {
                if(space1gone==0) //checks if second spot is open
                {
                        gotoxy(1,22);
                        cout<<message;
                }
                else if(space1gone==1) //first spot is used, second is open
                {
                        gotoxy(1,23);
                        cout<<message;
                }
                space1gone=1;
        }
        else if(space2gone==1) //second spot is used
        {
                gotoxy(1,22);
                cout<<tempmessage;
                gotoxy(1,23);
                cout<<message;
        }
        space2gone=1;

}

void determinemessage(char message[], char tempmessage[], int keypress)
{
        strcpy(tempmessage,message);

        if(keypress==72)
                strcpy(message, "You moved up");
        if(keypress==75)
                strcpy(message, "You moved left");
        if(keypress==80)
                strcpy(message, "You moved down");
        if(keypress==77)
                strcpy(message, "You moved right");
}

---

i dont know why it does that. someone try compiling it please

Why exactly are you creating a temp array? When you pass arrays by name you pass them by reference, therefore their is no need for a temp array or to assign a return value. This should speed up your program.

I have a table that can hold two lines. I want to print on the first line, if it's take but the second line is free then print there, and if both are used, then I catch the PREVIOUS message in tempmessage, print that in line 1, and the new message in line 2. So it sort of 'scrolls'.

I have two problems now.

1) It goes *VERY* slow

2) It doesn't keep printing in my box

here is the code:

Code:

---

#include <iostream.h>
#include <windows.h>
#include <conio.h>
#include <fstream.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string>
#include <stdio.h>

int keypress=0;
char message[50];
char tempmessage[50];

int space1gone=0;
int space2gone=0;

void frame (int xmin,int ymin,int xmax,int ymax);
void gotoxy(int,int);
void printmove(char message[], char tempmessage[], int& space1gone, int& space2gone);
void determinemessage(char message[], char tempmessage[], int keypress);

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
int main()
{
        frame(0,0,55,20); //Biggest box
        frame(56,0,79,24); //Right-side box
        frame(0,21,55,24); //Message Box

        for(;;)
        {
            if(kbhit())
                {
                    keypress=_getch();
                        determinemessage(message, tempmessage, keypress); //Determine what to print
                        printmove(message, tempmessage, space1gone, space2gone); //print in correct spot
                }
        }
        return 0;
}
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

void frame (int xmin, int ymin, int xmax, int ymax)
{
  int count;
  gotoxy(xmin,ymin);
  putchar(218);
  gotoxy(xmax,ymin);
  putchar(191);
  gotoxy(xmin,ymax);
  putchar(192);
  gotoxy(xmax,ymax);
  putchar(217);
  gotoxy(xmin+1,ymin);
  for(count=xmin; count<xmax-1; count++)
      putchar(196);
  gotoxy(xmin+1,ymax); 
  for(count=xmin; count<xmax-1; count++)
      putchar(196); 
  for(count=ymin+1; count<=ymax-1; count++)
  {
      gotoxy(xmin,count);
      putchar(179);
  } 
  for(count=ymin+1; count<=ymax-1; count++)
  {
      gotoxy(xmax,count);
      putchar(179);
  }
}

void gotoxy(int x, int y)
{
        HANDLE hConsoleOutput;
        COORD dwCursorPosition;

        dwCursorPosition.X = x;
        dwCursorPosition.Y = y;
        hConsoleOutput = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
        SetConsoleCursorPosition(hConsoleOutput,dwCursorPosition);
}

void printmove(char message[], char tempmessage[], int& space1gone, int& space2gone)
{
        if(space2gone==0) //checks if first spot is open
        {
                if(space1gone==0) //checks if second spot is open
                {
                        gotoxy(1,22);
                        cout<<message;
                }
                else if(space1gone==1) //first spot is used, second is open
                {
                        gotoxy(1,23);
                        cout<<message;
                }
                space1gone=1;
        }
        else if(space2gone==1) //second spot is used
        {
                gotoxy(1,22);
                cout<<tempmessage;
                gotoxy(1,23);
                cout<<message;
        }
        space2gone=1;

}

void determinemessage(char message[], char tempmessage[], int keypress)
{
        strcpy(tempmessage,message);

        if(keypress==72)
                strcpy(message, "You moved up");
        if(keypress==75)
                strcpy(message, "You moved left");
        if(keypress==80)
                strcpy(message, "You moved down");
        if(keypress==77)
                strcpy(message, "You moved right");
}

---

i would really appreciate some help ;)

It goes slow because of the kbhit() function. Plain and simple. Try and find away around using that particular function, though you might have to.

well actually i figured out it wasnt the kbhit, it was that nothing was being displayed until a couple of hits.

and I also learned that function CANNOT return arrays themselves.

I've got a nice working program so far now :)