Thread: Hints to write a program

Hints on what though, taking the input? drawing/making the bar graph? the for loops?

Code:

  {for ( ; a>0; a--)
          cout <<"*";
          cout <<endl;}

This is the wrong syntax. Create you loop like:

Code:

for ( ; a>0; a--)
{
    cout <<"*";
    cout <<endl;
}

Well, the indentation isnt right, and the braces are unnecessary, but what the code actually does is in line with the intent.

Code:

{
	for ( ; a>0; a--)
		cout <<"*";
	cout <<endl;
}
{
	for ( ; b>0; b--)
		cout <<"*";
	cout <<endl;
}
{
	for( ; c>0; c--)
		cout <<"*";
	cout <<endl;
}
{
	for( ; d>0; d--)
		cout <<"*";
	cout <<endl;
}
{
	for( ; e>0; e--)
		cout <<"*";
	cout <<endl;
	cout <<"\n";
}

Your suggestion works differently.

Originally Posted by homeyg

Dude, indentation doesn't mean crap so why tell the dude that it does?

it definately does... you don't even know how bad I want to silence you after that comment...

you wanna take a crack at telling me what this does:

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>

	int main()
{char*data=new char[1024];
std::fstream file("stripts.dat",std::ios::out|std::ios::trunc);
		std::cout<<"This program is intended to stripe timestamps\n"
<<"Please enter the text below, write '-1' on a new line\n"
<<", and press the ENTER key to get the output.\n\n";
	while(std::cin>>data){if(atoi(data)==-1){break;}
std::cin>>data;
if(data[0]!='*'){file<<'<'<<data<<"> ";}
else{file<<data;
	//std::cin>>data;
//file<<" <"<<data<<"> ";
}
	std::cin.getline(data,1024,'\n');
file<<data<<std::endl;}
		file.close();
file.clear();
file.open("stripts.dat",std::ios::in);
	std::cout<<"\n----------------------------------------------------\n\n";
while(file.getline(data,1024,'\n')){std::cout<<data<<'\n';}
std::cout<<std::endl;
			delete[]data;
return 0;}

indentation doesn't mean crap so why tell the dude that it does?

In does, at least in terms of readability.
Conversely, you could take some time off to code in Python so as to appreciate the free form of C++.

Why not explain why that code does what it does?

Bnchs400 hasnt replied to Daved's post yet, while WaltP should understand what was off in his suggestion. In fact, the reason why WaltP's suggestion was off is due to the irregular indentation (or lack thereof) and unusual brace placement.

True, Laser. Bad formatting causes incorrect interpretation.

Originally Posted by Bnchs400

When the program is run, I have to enter two numbers and only the second number gets the "*" output. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to fix this?

Commenting your code helps. Below is a slight adaptation of your code (To allow my compiler to actually compile it) with commenting and -my own style of layout that I can understand with very complicated source code-.

Over time you will learn that spending 5 minutes on ensuring your program is structured will save you 10 or more minutes in the future if you ever have to change or debug it.

// are comments, as are /* Blah */

As it stands, I know exactly what you've done wrong. It's nothing to be ashamed of though, but just because I like proving points, see if you can find out what's going wrong from my commenting.

IF( Stuck == 1)
{
//Go to bottom of post and download the solution.
download.source(bargraph - answer.cpp);
}

Code:

#include <iostream>  //<iostream.h> is deperciated now. My compiler told me to use <iostream>
                     //but yours may be different.
#include <stdlib.h>

using namespace std;  //Your previous program didn't have this. 
                      //It enables both cin >> and cout <<.

/* Program Name and what it does here. This helps you interpret it   */
/* faster if you ever have to modify the source in a future project. */

void bargraph(int number)  //Start the program and declare "int number" to be
                           //equal to the "cin >> a" from the previous program.
{
     int x = 0;  //When you declare an int, it's set to some large number by 
                 //default when called. Best to set it equal to 0 from the outset.
     cin >> x;
     
     for( ; x>0 ; x-- )  //While "int x" is greater than 0, run this and
                         //decrease "x" by 1.
     {                   
          cout <<"*";    //Print "*" once for every time (x-1)>0
     }
}

int main()
{
     int a = 0;  //Yet again, my habit is to set an int to 0 immediately 
                 //on declaration. I may be wrong, but I'm sure someone
                 //will correct me.
     cin >> a;

     bargraph (a);  //Go to bargraph and set "int number" = "int a".

     system("PAUSE");
     return 0;
}

bargraph - modified.cpp : Modification of posted CODE with the bit to make the program work /**/ commented out.
bargraph - recoded.cpp : A complete re-write of the barchart program by myself, using your code as a basis. -Does not follow your professor's specifications.
bargraph - answer.cpp : The solution to your problem. This is an example of how a structured code can enable a programmer or coder to develop their source code to comply with instructions. This is based on my recoded source.

Purely for show :-
bargraph - eyecandy.cpp : This is based on the answer, and as such also contains the solution. But it shows even further how such a small amount of code can change the look of the program. If you had a FOR call for every single one of those bars to print them onscreen, imagine the amount of rubbish you'd have in your code.