Programming Forums > Application Development > C++

357mag · Jun 6th, 2007, 8:43 PM

I'm trying to expand my looking for the longest word program. This new version asks the user to input a maximum of 5 words and then outputs the longest word. The program I initially wrote worked great, but what I didn't like about it is that if the user entered 2 words that were the same length, the compiler would just output the first of the two words that were the same length.

So I'm trying to add just a little bit of additional code that will test to see if a word that has been entered is the same length as a word that was previously entered.

Only problem is that the code in my if statement is executed all the time, even before the user has had a chance to enter the second word. Maybe I have the if statement in the wrong place.

Here is my program:

(Toggle Plain Text)

int main()
{
	const int arraySize = 5;
	string words[arraySize];
	string max;
	char reply = 0;
	int count = 0;

	do
	{
		cout << "Enter a word: ";
		cin >> words[count++];
		
		cout << "Do you want to enter another? y/n:";
		cin >> reply;
		cout << endl;

        if (words[count].length() == words[count].length())
			cout << "Please enter a different word";

	}while (count < arraySize && tolower(reply) == 'y');

	if (count == arraySize)
		cout << "You cannot enter any more words." << endl;
	
	 max = words[0];

	for (int i = 0; i < arraySize; i++)
		if (words[i].length() > max.length())
			max = words[i];

	cout << endl << "The longest word is " << max << endl;

	return 0;

357mag · Jun 6th, 2007, 9:54 PM

I think I may know what the problem is. In my code I'm actually comparing the same value of count. So I'm actually comparing the length of the first word with the length of the first word. And since that is always true, the code in the if statement will always run.

Somehow I need to write the code so I'm comparing consecutive values of count like this:

(Toggle Plain Text)

if (count[0].length == count[1].length)
   

if (count[1].length  == count[2].length)

Only snag is I don't quite know how to do that. But I'm working on it.

357mag · Jun 6th, 2007, 9:57 PM

I mean:

(Toggle Plain Text)

words[0].length == words[1].length

words[1].length == words[2].lenght

I think that's what I mean.

peaceofpi · Jun 6th, 2007, 10:46 PM

(Toggle Plain Text)

words[i].length == words[i+1].length

Not entirely sure of the variables used, but that's the answer I'd give you

357mag · Jun 6th, 2007, 10:52 PM

I tried your suggestion but it doesn't work. Somehow I have to write the if statement or place it in some position that it will test for consecutive values of the counter variable. All my ideas have failed so far.

Sane · Jun 6th, 2007, 11:03 PM

The simplest solution with the knowledge you seem to currently have in C++ would be to keep an array of max's. If the length is equal, append to the array. If the length is greater, start the array over again.

If this doesn't make sense, I can demonstrate. But I don't want to ruin the fun.

Cache · Jun 6th, 2007, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 357mag

So I'm actually comparing the length of the first word with the length of the first word.

Nope. It compares the length of the string one element past the element used for input in the current iteration.

This is because you use post increment inside the subscript operator:

(Toggle Plain Text)

cin >> words[count++];

then in the same iteration:

(Toggle Plain Text)

if (words[count].length() == words[count].length())

Oops! Besides being a pointless test, it also overshoots the array length by one (eventually).

edit: peaceofpis code stinks too. lol.

peaceofpi · Jun 6th, 2007, 11:12 PM

After fully reading the code, I think I know. Switching the order of something seems to work, I hope this is what you're looking for

(Toggle Plain Text)

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

int main()
{
	const int arraySize = 5;
	string words[arraySize];
	string max;
	char reply = 0;
	int count = 0;

	do
	{
		cout << "Enter a word: ";
		count++;
		cin >> words[count];
		
        if (words[count].length() == words[count-1].length() )
			cout << "Please enter a different word" << endl;

		cout << "Do you want to enter another? y/n:";
		cin >> reply;
		cout << endl;

	}while (count < arraySize && tolower(reply) == 'y');

	if (count == arraySize)
		cout << "You cannot enter any more words." << endl;
	
	 max = words[0];

	for (int i = 0; i < arraySize; i++)
		if (words[i].length() > max.length())
			max = words[i];

	cout << endl << "The longest word is " << max << endl;
	return 0;
}

Sane · Jun 6th, 2007, 11:22 PM

Oh by the way... my comment explained how to show all the words that have the maximum length, which is how a program should handle this sort of situation. I don't think you should not allow the user to enter same length words. It doesn't make sense why one would need a program that behaves in such a manner.

peaceofpi · Jun 6th, 2007, 11:39 PM

edit 2: peaceofpis code stinks too. lol.

Even though it does what he asked for. Fixed code here:

(Toggle Plain Text)

	do
	{
		cout << "Enter a word: ";
		count++;
		cin >> words[count];

		if (count > 1)
			for (int i = 1; i <= count; i++)		
				if ( i != count && words[i].length() == words[count].length() )
				{
					cout << "Please enter a different word" << endl;
					break;
				}

edit: take back my added idea, coding gets sloppier as I go

Jun 6th, 2007, 8:43 PM	#1
357mag Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 148 Rep Power: 4	Need just a little help I'm trying to expand my looking for the longest word program. This new version asks the user to input a maximum of 5 words and then outputs the longest word. The program I initially wrote worked great, but what I didn't like about it is that if the user entered 2 words that were the same length, the compiler would just output the first of the two words that were the same length. So I'm trying to add just a little bit of additional code that will test to see if a word that has been entered is the same length as a word that was previously entered. Only problem is that the code in my if statement is executed all the time, even before the user has had a chance to enter the second word. Maybe I have the if statement in the wrong place. Here is my program: (Toggle Plain Text) int main() { const int arraySize = 5; string words[arraySize]; string max; char reply = 0; int count = 0; do { cout << "Enter a word: "; cin >> words[count++]; cout << "Do you want to enter another? y/n:"; cin >> reply; cout << endl; if (words[count].length() == words[count].length()) cout << "Please enter a different word"; }while (count < arraySize && tolower(reply) == 'y'); if (count == arraySize) cout << "You cannot enter any more words." << endl; max = words[0]; for (int i = 0; i < arraySize; i++) if (words[i].length() > max.length()) max = words[i]; cout << endl << "The longest word is " << max << endl; return 0; int main() { const int arraySize = 5; string words[arraySize]; string max; char reply = 0; int count = 0; do { cout << "Enter a word: "; cin >> words[count++]; cout << "Do you want to enter another? y/n:"; cin >> reply; cout << endl; if (words[count].length() == words[count].length()) cout << "Please enter a different word"; }while (count < arraySize && tolower(reply) == 'y'); if (count == arraySize) cout << "You cannot enter any more words." << endl; max = words[0]; for (int i = 0; i < arraySize; i++) if (words[i].length() > max.length()) max = words[i]; cout << endl << "The longest word is " << max << endl; return 0;

Jun 6th, 2007, 9:54 PM	#2
357mag Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 148 Rep Power: 4	I think I may know what the problem is. In my code I'm actually comparing the same value of count. So I'm actually comparing the length of the first word with the length of the first word. And since that is always true, the code in the if statement will always run. Somehow I need to write the code so I'm comparing consecutive values of count like this: (Toggle Plain Text) if (count[0].length == count[1].length) if (count[1].length == count[2].length) if (count[0].length == count[1].length) if (count[1].length == count[2].length) Only snag is I don't quite know how to do that. But I'm working on it.

Jun 6th, 2007, 9:57 PM	#3
357mag Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 148 Rep Power: 4	I mean: (Toggle Plain Text) words[0].length == words[1].length words[1].length == words[2].lenght words[0].length == words[1].length words[1].length == words[2].lenght I think that's what I mean.

Jun 6th, 2007, 10:46 PM	#4
peaceofpi hi: for(;;) goto hi; Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 116 Rep Power: 3	(Toggle Plain Text) words[i].length == words[i+1].length words[i].length == words[i+1].length Not entirely sure of the variables used, but that's the answer I'd give you __________________ How do you play Religious Roulette? Stand around in a circle and blaspheme till someone gets struck by lightning.

Jun 6th, 2007, 11:12 PM	#8
peaceofpi hi: for(;;) goto hi; Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 116 Rep Power: 3	After fully reading the code, I think I know. Switching the order of something seems to work, I hope this is what you're looking for (Toggle Plain Text) #include <iostream> #include <string> using namespace std; int main() { const int arraySize = 5; string words[arraySize]; string max; char reply = 0; int count = 0; do { cout << "Enter a word: "; count++; cin >> words[count]; if (words[count].length() == words[count-1].length() ) cout << "Please enter a different word" << endl; cout << "Do you want to enter another? y/n:"; cin >> reply; cout << endl; }while (count < arraySize && tolower(reply) == 'y'); if (count == arraySize) cout << "You cannot enter any more words." << endl; max = words[0]; for (int i = 0; i < arraySize; i++) if (words[i].length() > max.length()) max = words[i]; cout << endl << "The longest word is " << max << endl; return 0; } #include <iostream> #include <string> using namespace std; int main() { const int arraySize = 5; string words[arraySize]; string max; char reply = 0; int count = 0; do { cout << "Enter a word: "; count++; cin >> words[count]; if (words[count].length() == words[count-1].length() ) cout << "Please enter a different word" << endl; cout << "Do you want to enter another? y/n:"; cin >> reply; cout << endl; }while (count < arraySize && tolower(reply) == 'y'); if (count == arraySize) cout << "You cannot enter any more words." << endl; max = words[0]; for (int i = 0; i < arraySize; i++) if (words[i].length() > max.length()) max = words[i]; cout << endl << "The longest word is " << max << endl; return 0; } __________________ How do you play Religious Roulette? Stand around in a circle and blaspheme till someone gets struck by lightning.

Jun 6th, 2007, 10:52 PM	#5
357mag Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 148 Rep Power: 4	I tried your suggestion but it doesn't work. Somehow I have to write the if statement or place it in some position that it will test for consecutive values of the counter variable. All my ideas have failed so far.

Jun 6th, 2007, 11:03 PM	#6
Sane Banned Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Ontario Posts: 2,101 Rep Power: 6	The simplest solution with the knowledge you seem to currently have in C++ would be to keep an array of max's. If the length is equal, append to the array. If the length is greater, start the array over again. If this doesn't make sense, I can demonstrate. But I don't want to ruin the fun.

Jun 6th, 2007, 11:22 PM	#9
Sane Banned Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Ontario Posts: 2,101 Rep Power: 6	Oh by the way... my comment explained how to show all the words that have the maximum length, which is how a program should handle this sort of situation. I don't think you should not allow the user to enter same length words. It doesn't make sense why one would need a program that behaves in such a manner.

Jun 6th, 2007, 11:39 PM	#10
peaceofpi hi: for(;;) goto hi; Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 116 Rep Power: 3	edit 2: peaceofpis code stinks too. lol. Even though it does what he asked for. Fixed code here: (Toggle Plain Text) do { cout << "Enter a word: "; count++; cin >> words[count]; if (count > 1) for (int i = 1; i <= count; i++) if ( i != count && words[i].length() == words[count].length() ) { cout << "Please enter a different word" << endl; break; } do { cout << "Enter a word: "; count++; cin >> words[count]; if (count > 1) for (int i = 1; i <= count; i++) if ( i != count && words[i].length() == words[count].length() ) { cout << "Please enter a different word" << endl; break; } edit: take back my added idea, coding gets sloppier as I go __________________ How do you play Religious Roulette? Stand around in a circle and blaspheme till someone gets struck by lightning.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Programming Forums > Application Development > C++

Need just a little help