Can someone explain to me this code?

Hi everyone.
I ran across this code researching the Monty Hall problem. I tried compiling it in Code-Blocks and got several errors. Two of the errors were from the last two include statements. The other I am having a problem understanding is the "assign" statement. Can anyone explain it to me? I appreciate it.

Code:

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#include <stdio.h>
#include <cstdlib>
#include <time.h>
#include "after.h"
#include "open.h"

using namespace std;
string s1, s2, s3, s4, s5, str, s1a, s2a, s3a, s4a, s5a, str2;

int reveal_non_chosen_loser(const int & winner);
int decide_non_chosen_loser(const int & winner, const int & chosen);
int higher(const int & a, const int & b);
int lower(const int & a, const int & b);

int wins, times; double percentage_won; char jazz = 'y';
bool first = true;
char x[1000]; char y[1000];

int game()
{
    int door = rand() % 3 + 1;
    ++times;
    //printf("Door = %d", door); printf("\n");
    int choice;
    if (first) { first = false; printf("Hello\nAnd Welcome\n"); }
    printf("Please choose a door: 1, 2 or 3.\nIf you choose correctly you will win.\n");
    scanf("%d", &choice);
    printf("You choose DOOR #%d %s", choice, "\n");
    int non_chosen_loser = decide_non_chosen_loser(door, choice);
    decide_non_chosen_loser(door, choice);
    printf("Lets have a look at whats behind door #%d", non_chosen_loser); printf(" shall we? \n");//, non_chosen_loser);
    int sw = rand() % 5; switch(sw){case 1: str = s1; str2 = s1a; break; case 2: str = s2; str2 = s2a; break; case 3: str = s3; str2 = s3a; break; case 4: str = s4; str2 = s4a; break; case 5: str = s5; str2 = s5a; break;    default: break; }
    char tch [1000];
    assign (str, tch);
    printf("%s", tch);
    printf("\nDo you want to switch to door #%d, or do you feel lucky today? \n", decide_non_chosen_loser(non_chosen_loser, choice));
    printf("Y/N\n");
    char jas;
    scanf("%d", &jas);
    if (jas == 'y' || jas == 'Y')
        choice = decide_non_chosen_loser(choice, non_chosen_loser);
    if (choice == door)
        {
            ++wins;
            printf("You win!!!!!!!!!\n");
        }
    else {  printf("!!!!You lose.\n");
            int itch = (sw + (rand() % 4) ) % 5 + 1;
            switch(itch) { case 1: str = s1; str2 = s1a; break; case 2: str = s2; str2 = s2a; break; case 3: str = s3; str2 = s3a; break; case 4: str = s4; str2 = s4a; break; case 5: str = s5; str2 = s5a; break;    default: break; }
            assign (str, x); assign (str2, y);
            printf("But don't worry you've still won a ");
            printf("\n%s%s", x, y );
            printf("    ");
            printf("\n");
    }
    return false;
}

int main()
{
    open window;
    srand(time(NULL));
    s1 = "A pile of cow dung. "; s2 = "A goat."; s3 = "A blank sheet of paper.  "; s4 = "Absolutely Nothing.  "; s5 = "A box.  ";
    s1a = "Ya know, manure makes excellent fertilizer. \n";
    s2a = "They are anything but pickey eaters and can be kept as a pet, if you want. \n";
    s3a = "You can write on it, or use it as spare firewood if you need to. \n";
    s4a = "Better luck next time. \n";
    s5a = "Maybe there's something in it. You never know. \n";
    bool again = false;
    do
    {
        game();
        printf("Do you want to play again? Y/N ");
        printf("\n");
        scanf("%c", &jazz);
        scanf("%c", &jazz);
        scanf("%c", &jazz);
        if (jazz == 'Y' || jazz == 'y')
            again = true;
        else again = false;
    }while (again);
    percentage_won = (double)wins / (double)times;
    printf("wins = %d", wins); printf(" times = %d", times);
    printf("\nYou winning percentage = %d", percentage_won);


    return 0;
}

int decide_non_chosen_loser(const int & winner, const int & chosen)
{
    int loser, temp = rand() % 2;
    if (winner != chosen)
        loser = (3 - (higher(winner, chosen) + lower(winner, chosen) ) % 3);
    else loser = ( ( (winner + temp) % 3) + 1);
    return loser;
}

int higher(const int &a, const int & b)
{
    if (a > b)
        return a;
    else return b;
}

int lower(const int & a, const int & b)
{
    if (a > b)
        return b;
    else return a;
}

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Unfortunately, you need to have the two missing header files as part of your project.

The assign statement looks wrong to me. string::assign should look like this

str.assign(tch);

or one of the overloads. That just copies tch as the value of str. The call in your code could always be something else from one of the headers though. It's hard to say for sure.

Well you could go through your code and put in a newline after every ;

Rather than having stupidly long lines that cause scroll bars in browsers.

What I would like to ask is why there is printf, scanf and char in a C++ program?

I cannot tell you why, I did NOT write this code. I am trying to understand a few things about it that is all. I am aware of the lack cout and cinn statements. I started on C++, my problem was the 'assign' statement. I googled the hell out of it and the only thing that came close is either fortran or verilog. My only thought is the writer had it in the last two include statements that are not with the program.

Well, as long as you understand that it's bad, then it's fine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Elysia

Well, as long as you understand that it's bad, then it's fine.

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Have you ever ran across that 'assign' statement? It looks like the writer is trying to assign a variable that has been assigned a string to an array. What would be a better way if you do not mind sharing with me?

If the author had bothered to use C++ facilities in the first place, the conversion to an array would not be necessary.
However, barring that, std::string has a member function c_str() which will return a pointer to a C-style string which you can pass to C functions.
If you need to modify the string, then it's better to do

std::vector<char> vec(mystr.begin(), mystr.end());
vec.push_back('\0');

Then to get a modifiable array, you simply do

char* array = &vec[0];

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Elysia

If the author had bothered to use C++ facilities in the first place, the conversion to an array would not be necessary.
However, barring that, std::string has a member function c_str() which will return a pointer to a C-style string which you can pass to C functions.
If you need to modify the string, then it's better to do

std::vector<char> vec(mystr.begin(), mystr.end());
vec.push_back('\0');

Then to get a modifiable array, you simply do

char* array = &vec[0];

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Sweet! Thanks! Much appreciated.