Thread: checking cin for words

You might try including <cstring> and declaring name as a string instead of an int. Or, since it looks like you don't want to use namespaces, include <string.h>.

try this handy little function strcmp

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
  char name[30];//make it a char instead of a int
  cin.getline(name,30,'\n');//getline does not terminate at white spaces like cin>>
  if(strcmp(name,"bob")==0)//Very nice function :)
  {
      cout<<"Hi bob"<<endl;
  }
  else
  {
      cout<<"Hi"<<endl;
  }
  return 0;
}

Oh and to explain why you need

Code:

if(strcmp(name,"bob")==0)

is because strcmp returns 0 on it being true and non zero on the comprason being false

its called an array basically its declaring name to be able to hold 30 char's try this on for size

Code:

char name[30]="Brian";//declare a 30 element char array
for(int i = 0,i<30,i++)//loop though to print out whats at which element 
{
  cout<<name[i]<<endl;//print out the current value at this element
}

prog-bman - In your example above you used strcmp which is in <cstring>, but you included <string> instead. That code won't work until you fix the header include.

killdragon - <cstring> holds c style string functions like strcmp. You might also recognize this as <string.h>, they are basically the same except <cstring> is the newer, preferred version.

If you want to learn strings to get words and stuff, I would suggest learning the string class. It might be easier to learn, and it is probably harder to mess up, than the C style character array strings used in prog-bman's example. The standard string class is also a more C++ way of doing things (as opposed to C). The header for the string class is <string>, and is completely different than <cstring> and <string.h>.

And just for more info, here is the sample program using the string class:

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
  string name; // make it a string instead of a char array or int
  getline(cin, name); // this version of getline takes cin as an argument.
  if (name == "bob")
  {
      cout<<"Hi bob"<<endl;
  }
  else
  {
      cout<<"Hi"<<endl;
  }
  return 0;
}

Originally Posted by jlou

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
  string name; // make it a string instead of a char array or int
  getline(cin, name); // this version of getline takes cin as an argument.
  if (name == "bob")
  {
      cout<<"Hi bob"<<endl;
  }
  else
  {
      cout<<"Hi"<<endl;
  }
  return 0;
}

Yes the string class is safer to work with sorry

I'm sure all of everyone's methods who replied work, but I (out of a bit of a challenge) created my own method. Basically it tests to see if 0-9 are included in the string.

Code:

#include <iostream.h>
#include <string.h>

int main()
{
	char name[30];
	int i;
	int error_val;

	do
	{
	cout<<"Enter your name: ";
	cin.getline(name, 30, '\n');

	cout<<"\nYour name is: ";
	for(i=0; i<=strlen(name); i++)
	{
		if(name[i]!='0' && name[i]!='1' && name[i]!='2' && name[i]!='3' && name[i]!='4' && name[i]!='5' && name[i]!='6' && name[i]!='7' && name[i]!='8' && name[i]!='9')
		{
			cout<<name[i];
			error_val=0;
		}
		else
		{
			cout<<"\n\nPlease do not use numbers.\n\n";
			error_val=1;
			break;
		}
	}
	}while(error_val!=0);
	return 0;
}

Also, progbman, it's shorter than:

Originally Posted by prog-bman

Code:

if(strcmp(name,"bob")==0)

if you just use:

Code:

if(!strcmp(name,"bob"))

Also, progbman, it's shorter than:

Quote:
Originally Posted by prog-bman
Code:
if(strcmp(name,"bob")==0)



if you just use:

Code:
if(!strcmp(name,"bob"))

It compiles to exactly the same machine code, so it doesn't matter.

Originally Posted by killdragon

Code:

C:\Program Files\DevStudio\MyProjects\test\main.cpp(32) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ';' before 'return'
C:\Program Files\DevStudio\MyProjects\test\main.cpp(33) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ';' before '}'
Error executing cl.exe.

test.exe - 2 error(s), 0 warning(s)

Well usually when the compiler tell you that you have errors and that you are missing the ; it usually means that you are missing them somewhere.....if you look closely enough I bet you can find them . If not, the error messages even tell you what line they are on. Good Luck!