Basic C++ Syntax

Switch case statements are a substitute for long if statements that compare a variable to several "integral" values ("integral" values are simply values that can be expressed as an integer, such as the value of a char). The basic format for using switch case is outlined below. The value of the variable given into switch is compared to the value following each of the cases, and when one value matches the value of the variable, the computer continues executing the program from that point.

switch ( ) {

case this-value:

Code to execute if == this-value

break;

case that-value:

Code to execute if == that-value

break;

...

default:

Code to execute if does not equal the value following any of the cases

break;

}

#include

using namespace std;

void playgame()

{

cout << "Play game called";

}

void loadgame()

{

cout << "Load game called";

}

void playmultiplayer()

{

cout << "Play multiplayer game called";

}

int main()

{

int input;

cout<<"1. Play gamen";

cout<<"2. Load gamen";

cout<<"3. Play multiplayern";

cout<<"4. Exitn";

cout<<"Selection: ";

cin>> input;

switch ( input ) {

case 1: // Note the colon, not a semicolon

playgame();

break;

case 2: // Note the colon, not a semicolon

loadgame();

break;

case 3: // Note the colon, not a semicolon

playmultiplayer();

break;

case 4: // Note the colon, not a semicolon

cout<<"Thank you for playing!n";

break;

default: // Note the colon, not a semicolon

cout<<"Error, bad input, quittingn";

break;

}

cin.get();

}

The prototype for that function is:

istream& getline(char *buffer, int length, char terminal_char);

The char *buffer is a pointer to the first element of the character array, so that it can actually be used to access the array. The int length is simply how long the string to be input can be at its maximum (how big the array is). The char terminal_char means that the string will terminate if the user inputs whatever that character is. Keep in mind that it will discard whatever the terminal character is.

It is possible to make a function call of cin.getline(arry, 50); without the terminal character. Note that 'n' is the way of actually telling the compiler you mean a new line, i.e. someone hitting the enter key.

For a example:

#include

using namespace std;

int main()

{

char string[256]; // A nice long string

cout<<"Please enter a long string: ";

cin.getline ( string, 256, 'n' ); // Input goes into string

cout<<"Your long string was: "<< string <

cin.get();

}