C++ Made Easy: Learning to Program in C++ HELP!!!

**Y0ung Talent** · 09-28-2010

Hey Guys just joined i have been using this site on and off for a few weeks now and am slowly workign through the c++ section but have come across a problem maybe i am reading it wrong or something but have been stuck for a few days.

Lesson 5: Switch case -> Test yourself -> question 4.

Code:

int x=0;
switch(x)
{
  case 1: cout<<"One";
  case 0: cout<<"Zero";
  case 2: cout<<"Hello World";
}
A. One
B. Zero
C. Hello World
D. ZeroHello World

No matter how many times i re-read this section i keep getting B as the answer as int x =0 and so i read that as case 0 now i know this is a very basic question but help would be great THANKS.

**laserlight** · 09-28-2010

Recall fall through for a switch.

**frog** · 09-28-2010

You would think it to be answer B, but in fact this switch() statement is missing something: breaks. Without a "break" keyword at the end of each "case" in a switch statement, the compiler will read top-to-bottom from the start point. As a rule, always include break; at the end of each case.

I make the mistake sometimes of leaving out break when coding, especially if I get distracted before I reach the end of defining a case. You might consider typing break as soon as you start defining a case, so that you can't forget. Developing good habits like this will save you hours upon hours of frustration in the long run.

Code:

switch (x) {
case 0:
//Your code. Comes later!
break;
}

Within switch() statements, you should consider a case marker as being like an <a> anchor in HTML. It only tells the program where to jump to, it does not tell the program to stop when it finds another anchor. In your example, the program jumps to case 0, and then reads until it finds a break; or the switch() statement ends.

**BMJ** · 09-28-2010

Yeah, somewhat confusing.

If you don't specify a "break" after some case block then program flow continues linearly, hence it "falls through" to the subsequent cases.

Perhaps the C language designers should have made breaking the default behavior and required falling through to be explicit.

**Y0ung Talent** · 09-29-2010

so i did read the code right x=0 so it goes case 0 then continued on and did the next case as well what im now getting confused with is the switch(x) part what does this actually mean?

**laserlight** · 09-29-2010

Originally Posted by Y0ung Talent

what im now getting confused with is the switch(x) part what does this actually mean?

Ah. That means that you simply skipped or forgot something along the way, e.g., this tutorial on switch.

**Y0ung Talent** · 09-29-2010

ok thanks i understand it now thanks for all the help.

**Salem** · 09-30-2010

> Perhaps the C language designers should have made breaking the default behavior and required falling through to be explicit.
Have you ever seen "Duff's device"?
Duff's device from FOLDOC

**Elysia** · 09-30-2010

Originally Posted by Salem

Have you ever seen "Duff's device"?
Duff's device from FOLDOC

NICE!!!
Talk about abusing the language.

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