Enum and how to use it

Hello there!

I recently used an enum for the first time and I haven't figured out a solution for my problem. What I tried to do was retrieve the actual computer's date, get the month in a string and then turn into a number (through the enum) but I can't find a way to do so, since everytime I try printing the month I get 0. I tried the following:

Code:

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enum Months { dummy, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec }; //dummy is just a temporary solution for 0

string date = getDate(); //"Dec/2013"
string month = getMonth_str(date); //month = "Dec"
cout << month; //output: 0; Shouldn't it be 12?

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Thanks in advance

Are you expecting us to be psychic as to what getMonth_str() does?

I think it's pretty understandable if you actually take a look at the code.
Anyway, it receives a parameter (string date) in the format MM/AA and retrieves the month of that date (MM). As you can see in the comments for the string "Dec/2013" it outputs "Dec".

Give us the code to the functions so we can find your error. I'm sure you can see as we can see that the 5 lines of code you pasted is not the issue. Post your full solution if you want some help.

Code:

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string getDate() { //Returns date in the format Month/Year


    string year; string month;
    // mes e ano actuais
    time_t now = time(NULL);
    string dt = ctime(&now);


    istringstream iss(dt);
    for (unsigned i = 0; i < 5; ++i) {
        getline(iss,year,' ');
        if (i == 1)
            month = year;
    }
    ostringstream oss;
    oss << month << "/" << year;
    return oss.str();
}

string getMonth_str(const string& date) {


    istringstream ss(date);
    string month; getline(ss,month,'/');
    return month;
}


void function() {

    enum Months { dummy, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec }; //dummy is just a temporary solution for 0

    string date = getDate(); //"Dec/2013"
    string month = getMonth_str(date); //month = "Dec"
    cout << month; //output: 0; Shouldn't it be 12?
}

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In the above snippets where do you actually try to use your enumeration?

Why do you expect the string month to output any number?

Shouldn't it just return the month as a string ("Dec")?


Jim

That's what I'm having troubles with. I thought that by having the string "Dec" or of any other month, by printing it I'd get the number it's related to in the enum, but I realised otherwise.

Code:

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string month = getMonth_str(date); //month = "Dec"
cout << month

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This simply and reasonably outputs the string itself, but I want to be the same as

Code:

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cout << Dec; //output: 12

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and I'm a bit stuck with this

Then I suggest you don't need an enumeration. Think about using a vector/array to hold the months. Then iterate through this array and compare the current month to each element of the array, when you get a match you know the month number (the index).

Jim

Yeah that was my temporary solution, I guess Imma just stick with that, sounds like a better solution.

I really think you may want to find and read more about enum. You really don't seem to understand the concept.

Code:

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    enum Months { Jan = 1, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec };
    string months[] = {"dummy", "Jan", "Feb", "Mar", "Apr", "May", "Jun",
                        "Jul", "August", "Sep", "Oct", "Nov", "Dec"};
    cout << months[Aug] << endl;

---

Jim

While you're at it, be sure to take a look at the C++11 enums.