Code not working w/ Char

Ok, I have the following game board:

1 | 2 | 3
4 | 5 | 0
7 | 8 | 6

You're supposed to win the game when your board looks like this:

1 | 2 | 3
4 | 5 | 6
7 | 8 | 0

Which means you'd have to swap the 0 for the 6.
So for this example I defined an array of integers:

Code:

---

int GameBoard[9];
GameBoard[0] = 1;
GameBoard[1] = 2;
(...)
GameBoard[5] = 0;
(...)
GameBoard[8] = 6;

//Checks for end game conditions
if (Play == GameBoard[8])
    {
        if (GameBoard[7] == 0)
        {
            swap(GameBoard[8], GameBoard[7]);
            goto UpdateBoard;
        }
        if (GameBoard[5] == 0)
        {
            swap(GameBoard[8], GameBoard[5]);
            goto UpdateBoard;
        }
                else {
            cout<<"You can not move that piece. Please, try again!" <<endl <<endl;
            goto InitialBoard;


    }
UpdateBoard:
    cout<<"You win".;

---

Ok so the code works fine for the example above (Note that it will only work if you want to move the "6").

My issue is I can't make it work with a char type array, because the "0" is supposed to be an empty space and not a number.
I tried with the following code:

Code:

---

char GameBoard[9];
GameBoard[0] = '1';
GameBoard[1] = '2';
(...)
GameBoard[5] = ' ';
(...)
GameBoard[8] = '6';

//Checks for end game conditions
if (Play == GameBoard[8])
    {
        if (GameBoard[7] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[8], GameBoard[7]);
            goto UpdateBoard;
        }
        if (GameBoard[5] == ' ') //Note that I changed it from 0 to ' ' (Single space).
        {
            swap(GameBoard[8], GameBoard[5]);
            goto UpdateBoard;
        }
                else {
            cout<<"You can not move that piece. Please, try again!" <<endl <<endl;
            goto InitialBoard;


    }

UpdateBoard:
    cout<<"You win".;

---

Ok so I used the same method for an array of characters but it doesn't work as integers do.
If I try to move the "6" piece, I will just get the error message "You can not move that piece. Please, try again!", but if you look closely GameBoard[7] is, in this case, an empty space and it should swap successfully, should it not?

Thanks in advance.

Maybe I'm missing something, but where are you actually assigning an initial value to GameBoard[7]?

It's there, I just skipped to define the whole array on this code. It's on the original one though

I think the confusion may lie in the difference between integer 6 and the character '6'. Run this little program as a hint. (Note: I'm a 'C' guy, which explains the code, but it should run for you).

Code:

---

#include <stdio.h>

int main()
{
    printf("The value of  integer  6 is:  %d\n",6);
    printf("The value of character 6 is:  %d\n",'6');

    return 0;
}

---

So does that mean you're omitting part of your code? If so, please post your whole code. I have an inkling that you're running your program in debug mode in Visual Studio (right?). If this is the case, here's something you should be aware of. If I recall correctly, in a debug build Visual Studio automatically initializes arrays that are local to a function in a way that all their elements will be zero. In your case, that would lead to different behavior if your array elements are of type integer than if they were of type char. The reason for this is that the integer value of the space character (' ') is not zero.


EDIT: I was totally wrong about the red part.

Code:

---

#include <algorithm>
#include <iostream>


using namespace std;


int main()
{
        char GameBoard[9];


        GameBoard[0] = '1';
        GameBoard[1] = '2';
        GameBoard[2] = '3';
        GameBoard[3] = '4';
        GameBoard[4] = '5';
        GameBoard[5] = ' ';
        GameBoard[6] = '7';
        GameBoard[7] = '8';
        GameBoard[8] = '6';




InitialBoard:


        cout<<"  " <<GameBoard[0] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[1] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[2] <<endl;
        cout<<"-----+-----+-----" <<endl;
        cout<<"  " <<GameBoard[3] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[4] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[5] <<endl;
        cout<<"-----+-----+-----" <<endl;
        cout<<"  " <<GameBoard[6] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[7] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[8] <<endl <<endl;


NextMove:


        //Check end game conditions
        if (GameBoard[0] == '1' && GameBoard[1] == '2')
        {
                if (GameBoard[2] == '3' && GameBoard[3] == '4')
                {
                        if (GameBoard[4] == '5' && GameBoard[5] == '6')
                        {
                                if (GameBoard[6] == '7' && GameBoard[7] == '8')
                                {
                                        if (GameBoard[8] == ' ')
                                        {
                                                goto EndGame;
                                        }
                                }
                        }
                }
        }




        int Play;
        cout<<"Choose a number to move: ";
        cin>>Play;
        cin.ignore();
       
       
        //Checks for (in)valid moves
        if (Play == GameBoard[0])
        {
                if (GameBoard[1] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[0], GameBoard[1]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
                if (GameBoard[3] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[0], GameBoard[3]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
        }
        if (Play == GameBoard[1])
        {
                if (GameBoard[0] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[1], GameBoard[0]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
                if (GameBoard[2] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[1], GameBoard[2]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
                if (GameBoard[4] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[1], GameBoard[4]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
        }
        if (Play == GameBoard[2])
        {
                if (GameBoard[1] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[2], GameBoard[1]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
                if (GameBoard[5] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[2], GameBoard[5]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
        }
        if (Play == GameBoard[3])
        {
                if (GameBoard[0] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[3], GameBoard[0]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
                if (GameBoard[4] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[3], GameBoard[4]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
                if (GameBoard[6] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[3], GameBoard[6]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
        }
        if (Play == GameBoard[4])
        {
                if (GameBoard[1] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[4], GameBoard[1]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
                if (GameBoard[3] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[4], GameBoard[3]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
                if (GameBoard[5] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[4], GameBoard[5]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
                if (GameBoard[7] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[4], GameBoard[7]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
        }
        if (Play == GameBoard[5])
        {
                if (GameBoard[2] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[5], GameBoard[2]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
                if (GameBoard[4] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[5], GameBoard[4]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
                if (GameBoard[8] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[5], GameBoard[8]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
        }
        if (Play == GameBoard[6])
        {
                if (GameBoard[3] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[6], GameBoard[3]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
                if (GameBoard[7] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[6], GameBoard[7]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
        }
        if (Play == GameBoard[7])
        {
                if (GameBoard[6] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[7], GameBoard[6]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
                if (GameBoard[4] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[7], GameBoard[4]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
                if (GameBoard[8] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[7], GameBoard[8]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
        }
        if (Play == GameBoard[8])
        {
                if (GameBoard[7] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[8], GameBoard[7]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
                if (GameBoard[5] == ' ')
                {
                        swap(GameBoard[8], GameBoard[5]);
                        goto UpdateBoard;
                }
        }
        else {
                cout<<"You can not move that piece. Please, try again!" <<endl <<endl;
                goto InitialBoard;
        }


UpdateBoard:
        cout<<"  " <<GameBoard[0] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[1] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[2] <<endl;
        cout<<"-----+-----+-----" <<endl;
        cout<<"  " <<GameBoard[3] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[4] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[5] <<endl;
        cout<<"-----+-----+-----" <<endl;
        cout<<"  " <<GameBoard[6] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[7] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[8] <<endl;




        goto NextMove;


EndGame:


        cout<<"You win! :)";


        cin.get();


        }

---

I'm aware '6' is a char and 6 is an integer.
My point is, my code works for an array of integers (6) but it does not work for an array of chars ('6').

It fails to check the (in)valid moves.

Code:

---


if (Play == GameBoard[8])   
{       
      if (GameBoard[7] == ' ')       
    {           
            swap(GameBoard[8], GameBoard[7]);           
            goto UpdateBoard;       
      }       
      if (GameBoard[5] == ' ')       
      {           
            swap(GameBoard[8], GameBoard[5]);           
            goto UpdateBoard;       
      }
 }

---

If I define the array as int:
The code above works if you swap " ' ' " with "0", which means it recognizes GameBoard[7] to be 0,
If I define the array as char:
The code above does NOT recognize GameBoard[7] as a space ( ' ' )


And yes, I'm using Visual studio

Quote:

---

The code above does NOT recognize GameBoard[7] as a space ( ' ' )

---

This is not the problem. If you enter 6, you're not even getting to the GameBoard[7] comparison.

Code:

---

    if (Play == GameBoard[8])  // Play == 6, GameBoard[8] == '6', and 6 != '6'
    // so the entire following block is skipped
    {
        if (GameBoard[7] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[8], GameBoard[7]);
            goto UpdateBoard;
        }
        if (GameBoard[5] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[8], GameBoard[5]);
            goto UpdateBoard;
        }
    }
    // and this is executed instead
    else {
        cout<<"You can not move that piece. Please, try again!" <<endl <<endl;
        goto InitialBoard;
    }

---

Quote:

---

If I try to move the "6" piece, I will just get the error message "You can not move that piece. Please, try again!"

---

Ok I got it, because the user is inserting an integer and not a character, am I right?

I changed from:

Code:

---

int Play;

---

to:

Code:

---

char Play;

---

EDIT: It worked, forgot to change a small detail. Silly me!

Thank you so much for your help ! Failed to see a simple thing as that ! :)

Hmm, I've compiled and tested your program with that correction (i.e. turning int Play; into char Play;) and it appears to work.

I also want to point out that what I said in post #5 appears to be nonsense. Visual Studio does no such thing.

Yes it is working now, I highly appreciate!

The next thing to work on would be those gotos. Gotos create difficult-to-follow program flow. You should learn to use proper control structures (loops).

Well the main problem I can see is that you have been infected by the dreaded goto bug.

Basically at some point during learning, before the newbie has thoroughly learned proper use of program control statements, they become inadvertantly exposed to this hazardous thing known as "goto". This goto thing then invades their programs and multiplies in order to try and kill the program, and destroy the programmer's sensibility. Before long, they lose the ability to recognise simple logical constructs such as loops.
Exposure to other programming languages which do not contain this goto can help to immunise the programmer against goto, but can have other unwanted side-effects.
Prevention is generally better than cure, and the road to recovery can be a long one of retraining and rehabilitation. Prognosis improves the sooner treatment is started.

I'm quite aware 'gotos' are the easy but hazardous solution. Might have used them for some begginer programs where there's no way you can get lost, but I am definitely changing the way I think.
On my way to edit the algorithm.

Recently changed the main code so it would work with a loop, but it's only working for 1 move and only when I choose to move piece '6'.
I am most certainly missing something out on the loop. If anyone could give me a hand I'd be grateful.

Code:

---


#include <algorithm>
#include <iostream>


using namespace std;


int main()
{
    char GameBoard[9];


    GameBoard[0] = '1';
    GameBoard[1] = '2';
    GameBoard[2] = '3';
    GameBoard[3] = '4';
    GameBoard[4] = '5';
    GameBoard[5] = ' ';
    GameBoard[6] = '7';
    GameBoard[7] = '8';
    GameBoard[8] = '6';

bool WinGame = false;

while (WinGame != true)
{
    cout<<"  " <<GameBoard[0] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[1] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[2] <<endl;
    cout<<"-----+-----+-----" <<endl;
    cout<<"  " <<GameBoard[3] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[4] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[5] <<endl;
    cout<<"-----+-----+-----" <<endl;
    cout<<"  " <<GameBoard[6] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[7] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[8] <<endl <<endl;



    char Play;
    cout<<"Choose a number to move: ";
    cin>>Play;
    cin.ignore();


    //Checks for (in)valid moves
    if (Play == GameBoard[0])
    {
        if (GameBoard[1] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[0], GameBoard[1]);
        }
        if (GameBoard[3] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[0], GameBoard[3]);
        }
    }
    if (Play == GameBoard[1])
    {
        if (GameBoard[0] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[1], GameBoard[0]);
        }
        if (GameBoard[2] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[1], GameBoard[2]);
        }
        if (GameBoard[4] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[1], GameBoard[4]);
        }
    }
    if (Play == GameBoard[2])
    {
        if (GameBoard[1] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[2], GameBoard[1]);
        }
        if (GameBoard[5] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[2], GameBoard[5]);
        }
    }
    if (Play == GameBoard[3])
    {
        if (GameBoard[0] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[3], GameBoard[0]);
        }
        if (GameBoard[4] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[3], GameBoard[4]);
        }
        if (GameBoard[6] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[3], GameBoard[6]);
        }
    }
    if (Play == GameBoard[4])
    {
        if (GameBoard[1] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[4], GameBoard[1]);
        }
        if (GameBoard[3] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[4], GameBoard[3]);
        }
        if (GameBoard[5] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[4], GameBoard[5]);
        }
        if (GameBoard[7] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[4], GameBoard[7]);
        }
    }
    if (Play == GameBoard[5])
    {
        if (GameBoard[2] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[5], GameBoard[2]);
        }
        if (GameBoard[4] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[5], GameBoard[4]);
        }
        if (GameBoard[8] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[5], GameBoard[8]);
        }
    }
    if (Play == GameBoard[6])
    {
        if (GameBoard[3] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[6], GameBoard[3]);
        }
        if (GameBoard[7] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[6], GameBoard[7]);
        }
    }
    if (Play == GameBoard[7])
    {
        if (GameBoard[6] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[7], GameBoard[6]);
        }
        if (GameBoard[4] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[7], GameBoard[4]);
        }
        if (GameBoard[8] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[7], GameBoard[8]);
        }
    }
    if (Play == GameBoard[8])
    {
        if (GameBoard[7] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[8], GameBoard[7]);
        }
        if (GameBoard[5] == ' ')
        {
            swap(GameBoard[8], GameBoard[5]);
        }
    }
    else {
        cout<<"You can not move that piece. Please, try again!" <<endl <<endl;
    }

      //Checks end game conditions
      if (GameBoard[0] == '1' && GameBoard[1] == '2')
      {
          if (GameBoard[2] == '3' && GameBoard[3] == '4')
          {
              if (GameBoard[4] == '5' && GameBoard[5] == '6')
              {
                  if (GameBoard[6] == '7' && GameBoard[7] == '8')
                  {
                      if (GameBoard[8] == ' ')
                      {
                          WinGame = true;
                      }
                  }
              }
          }
      }
}
//Cycle ends

    //displays the final board


    cout<<"  " <<GameBoard[0] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[1] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[2] <<endl;
    cout<<"-----+-----+-----" <<endl;
    cout<<"  " <<GameBoard[3] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[4] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[5] <<endl;
    cout<<"-----+-----+-----" <<endl;
    cout<<"  " <<GameBoard[6] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[7] <<"  |  " <<GameBoard[8] <<endl;



    cout<<"You win! :)";


    cin.get();


    }

---

It works fine if you move piece '6' to the right place, yet if you try moving any other piece it will give an error message (even if that piece is close to the blank space). Also, I can't move '6' back.

instead of the if ( (Play == GameBoard[x]) ) use else if for each check but the first.

Even better would be to use a switch statement instead.
Kurt

I think part of your problem is in the following snippet:

Code:

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      int Play;
      cout << "Choose a number to move: ";
      cin >> Play;
      cin.ignore();


      //Checks for (in)valid moves
      if (Play == GameBoard[0])

---

The GameBoard variable is an array of char and Play is an int. Remember that the int 6 is not the same as the char '6'.

Jim

@Jim: Yes I fixed it before, I just copy and pasted an old code (without some fancy ass menus) so it would be readable at this point.

@ZuK: I'll try it out. It's weird if it works tho, because it used to work fine as is with goto's.

Quote:

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@Jim: Yes I fixed it before, I just copy and pasted an old code (without some fancy ass menus) so it would be readable at this point

---

Well if you can't post the correct code, don't expect much in the way of correct answers.

Jim

It is fixed now tho.

@Kurt: Tyvm, surprisingly your solution worked. This is another I-have-no-idea-why-it-works solution imo, considering it worked fine with normal if statements when I used goto's.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Khabz

@ZuK: I'll try it out. It's weird if it works tho, because it used to work fine as is with goto's.

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The way it is you will always get an error message if GameBoard[0] is not selected.
Kurt