Intro + help

Hey all, i'm new to the whole programming scene. I came to this site to learn the basics of C++ so I can have a better understanding of programming language so that I may later apply these skills to UT2004 and soon UT3.

Although I had scucessfully made some mutators in the past, making them took a very long time and by the time I was done I look back at the poorly put together code and still wonder what some of it means.

Anyhow, I am having a problem with this counting program that I threw together... This is driving me crazy. The only way i can get this piece of code to work is to put it inside the FOR loop. otherwise if I place it as a seperate IF statement, the program will completley pass it up. I will post the entire code for the program.

Code:

---

#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

int main () {

  int m;
  int specified;
  int n;

  cout<<"Pick a number 1-50 : ";
  cin>> specified;
  cin.ignore();
  cout<<"Pick method of sorting : \n ==================== \n 1 : multiple rows\n 2 : Single row \n ==================== \n \n";
  cin>> m;
  cin.ignore();

  if ( m == 1 ) {
    for (int n = 0; n < specified + 1; n++) {
      cout<< n <<endl;
    }
  }

  else if ( m == 2 ) {
    for (int n = 0; n < specified + 1; n++) {
      cout<< n <<", ";
    }
  }

  else {
    cout<<"bad input";
  }
 
  if ( n == specified ) {
    cout<< n <<"... finished!";
  }
  return 0;
}

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This works but not the way I intended. I wish to append "... finished!" to the end of the counting sequence instead of another comma.

This works, but I was told by a friend that it is a redundant check and could be done better.

Code:

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  else if ( m == 2 ) {
    for (int n = 0; n < specified + 1; n++) {
      cout<< n <<", ";
     
        if ( n == specified ) {
            cout<< n <<"... finished!";
        }
    }
  }

---

Some answers why this does not work outside the FOR loop will clear up alot of confusion... This same problem plagued me in U script... :(

In your original code, 'n' is undefined here.

Code:

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  if ( n == specified ) {
    cout<< n <<"... finished!";
  }

---

in other words, you haven't assigned it a value, so it could be anything

Your previous loop has not modified 'n', instead it has created a new variable, in a different scope, which also happens to be called 'n'

Code:

---

    for (int n = 0; n < specified + 1; n++) {
      cout<< n <<endl;
    }

---

To avoid confusion, I would suggest giving this variable a different name, or, if you're actually intending to update the 'outer' variable n, remove the int keyword from the loop.

Also, be aware that your loop is counting to specified+1 - so the final value of 'n' will be specified+1

Quote:

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Also, be aware that your loop is counting to specified+1 - so the final value of 'n' will be specified+1

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The final value will be specified. Replacing "< var + 1" might be clearer as "<= var".

Thanks for the replies guys, I really appriceate it. :) Anyhow, I have been experimenting with the beginners tutorial knowledge trying to make the program a bit more complex and support a few extra options. With alot of trial and error, this is what came out of the "counting program."

Compiler that was used was Code::Blocks on Win XP... Although I tihnk it should work on just about anything...

Anyways If you guys can help me out, please look over the code and post suggestions of how I might make more efficent use of the code if possible.

Again, thank you guys for your time replying, it really helped out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CodeMonkey

The final value will be specified. Replacing "< var + 1" might be clearer as "<= var".

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I think you're getting confused between the final value of n and the value of n during the final iteration of the loop (Which are both different things). The loop is terminated when 'n's value causes the loop condition to yield false - this will happen when 'n' is incremented, after the final iteration, to specified+1.