While-loop skipping over lines

[dreaxbamf]

I'm working on a version of the game Connect 4. It's mostly working right, except for one problem. I'm using a while loop to control the game play. It works right the first two loops, but after that, the loop gets stuck on the first function, playerMove. It also does not call printBoard, so I can't really see what's happening to the array. What would cause the loop to skip over the rest of the code after playerMove?

  void gamePlay(char**gameBoard, int winSize){

	bool playerWin=false; //just a coupla booleans to keep track of win status
	bool compWin=false; 		

	//game functions
	while(!playerWin&&!compWin){
		printBoard(gameBoard, winSize); 

		playerMove(gameBoard, winSize); 
		if(checkRow(gameBoard, winSize)||checkColumn(gameBoard, winSize)
		||checkLeftDiagonal(gameBoard, winSize)||checkRightDiagonal(gameBoard, winSize)) //checking for win
			playerWin=true;

		compMove(gameBoard, winSize);
		if(checkRow(gameBoard, winSize)||checkColumn(gameBoard, winSize)
		||checkLeftDiagonal(gameBoard, winSize)||checkRightDiagonal(gameBoard, winSize)) //checking for win
			compWin=true;		
	} 

	if(checkTie(gameBoard, winSize)) 
			std::cout<<"It's a draw!";

	if(playerWin)
			std::cout<<"You are the winner!";

	if(compWin)
			std::cout<<"You lost!";
}

[kooth]

It will be difficult to help without seeing all of your code. if you don't have a debugger, put some output statements in each routine to find out exactly where it's hanging up.

[dreaxbamf]

Sorry about that. Here's the rest of the code. I've tried debugging and the statements test, but I still can't figure it out.

//This is a modified version of Connect Four, in which you can choose the number of connections
//Made by Andrea Roark, A01974967
#include <iostream>
#include <ctime>

/* Prompt the user for how many connections to win the game. The number of connections must
be 3, 4, 5, or 6. */
int getSize(){

	int input;
	std::cout<<"Welcome to Connect N! \nHow many connections would you like? \nPlease enter a number between 3 and 6.";
	std::cin>>input;
	std::cin.ignore();

	if(input<3) //validating input. if they can't follow directions they don't get to make decisions
		input=3;

	if(input>6) //perhaps not the nicest option but you know
		input=6;

	return input; 
}

/* Create a dynamic 2D character array for the game board */
//used this guy for reference http://aprogrammersday.blogspot.com/2010/09/char-array-of-strings-in-c-and-c-plus.html
char** buildBoard(int winSize){
	
	/*	Hint:
	Step 1) char **GameBoard = new char *[WinSize+EXTRA_ROWS];
	Step 2) use loop to allocate the char array for each of the rows.*/

	char**gameBoard=new char*[winSize+1];		//double pointer of type char
		for(int i=0; i<(winSize+2); i++){		//maximum number of rows
			gameBoard[i]=new char[winSize+2];		//each index of the array of pointers is an array of chars
			for(int j=0; j<(winSize+3); j++){               //max number of cols
				gameBoard[i][j]=' ';				//initializing each char in the array
			}
		}
	return gameBoard; 
}

/* Provide a pretty display of the game board */
void printBoard(char**gameBoard, int winSize){

	//do some pretty stuff here
	std::cout<<"  C O N N E C T "<<winSize<<std::endl;

	//index array label
	int *index; 
	index=new int [winSize+3];	
	for(int i=0; i<=(winSize+3)-1; i++){
		index[i]=i;
		std::cout<<"| "<<index[i];
	}
	std::cout<<"|"<<std::endl;

	//print gameBoard
	for(int i=0; i<(winSize+2); i++){
		for(int j=0; j<(winSize+3); j++){
			std::cout<<"| "<<(gameBoard[i][j]);
		}
		std::cout<<"|"<<std::endl;
	}
}

/* Ask the player for their move. Specifically, it asks the player for the column that the player
wishes to drop his piece into and sets the value of the lowest row of that column that is not occupied
by an 'x' or an 'o' to 'o'. */
void playerMove(char**&gameBoard, int winSize){

	int colChoice; 
	bool done=false; 
		
	std::cout<<"Enter your column choice: "<<std::endl;
	std::cin>>colChoice;
	std::cin.ignore();
	
	//if you can't enter the right number. . .
	if(colChoice<0) 
		colChoice=0;

	//then I'll pick it for you. 
	if(colChoice>winSize+3)
		colChoice=winSize+3;

	for(int i=winSize+1; i>=0; i--){
		if(gameBoard[i][colChoice]==' '){
			gameBoard[i][colChoice]='o';
		break;
		}

		if(gameBoard[0][colChoice]!=' ') //checking to make sure if column has space. 
			std::cout<<"That column is full. "; playerMove(gameBoard, winSize); //If the top row is not empty, it is full
	}
}

/* Randomly generate the computer move. Specifically, it uses rand() function to generate the
column that the computer wishes to drop his piece into and sets the value of the lowest row of that
column that is not occupied by an 'x' or an 'o' to 'x'. */
void compMove(char**gameBoard, int winSize){

	int compChoice;
	srand(static_cast<unsigned int>(time(NULL))); //initializing random number generator for computer's moves
	compChoice=rand()%(winSize+3)-1;

	for(int i=(winSize+2)-1; i>=0; i--){	
		if(gameBoard[i][compChoice]==' '){
			gameBoard[i][compChoice]='x';
			break;
		}
	}
}

/* Check for a victory by horizontally-laid pieces. If there are N game pieces in a continuous
horizontal line, the last player that placed pieces wins. */
bool checkRow(char**gameBoard, int winSize){

	for(int i=0; i<=winSize; i++){
		for(int j=0; j<=(winSize+3)-1; j++){
			if(gameBoard[i][j]=='o'){
				for(int k=0; k<=winSize; k++)
					if(gameBoard[i][j+k]=='o'){ 
						int count=0; 
						++count; 
							if(count==winSize)
								return true;
					} 
			}

			if(gameBoard[i][j]=='x'){
				for(int k=0; k<=winSize; k++)
					if(gameBoard[i][j+k]=='x'){
						int count=0; 
						++count; 
							if(count==winSize)
								return true;
				} 
			}
		}
	}
	return false; 
}

/* Check for a victory by vertically-laid pieces. If there are N game pieces in a continuous vertical
line, the last player that placed pieces wins. */
bool checkColumn(char**gameBoard, int winSize){

	for(int i=0; i<winSize; i++){ //rows
		for(int j=0; j<(winSize+3)-1; j++){ //columns
			if(gameBoard[i][j]=='o'){
				for(int k=0; k<winSize; k++){
					if(gameBoard[i+k][j]=='o'){ 
						int count=0; 
						++count; 
							if(count==winSize)
								return true;
					}
				}
			}

			if(gameBoard[i][j]=='x'){
				for(int k=0; k<winSize; k++){
					if(gameBoard[i+k][j]=='x'){ 
						int count=0; 
						++count; 
							if(count==winSize)
								return true;
					}
				}
			}
		}
	}
	return false;
}

/* Check for a victory by diagonally-laid pieces, rising to the right. If there are N game pieces in
a continuous diagonal line, the last player that placed pieces wins. */
bool checkRightDiagonal(char**gameBoard, int winSize){

	//checks for player win
	for(int i=winSize; i>=0; i--)
		for(int j=0; j<=(winSize+3)-1; j++)
			if(gameBoard[i][j]=='o'){
				for(int k=0; k<=winSize; ++k)
					if(gameBoard[i-k][j-k]=='o'){
						int count=0;
						++count; 
							if(count==winSize)
								return true;
					}
			}

	//checks for comp win
	for(int i=(winSize+2)-1; i>=0; i--)
		for(int j=0; j<=(winSize+3)-1; j++)
			if(gameBoard[i][j]=='x'){
				for(int k=0; k<=winSize; k++)
					if(gameBoard[i-k][j-k]=='x'){
						int count=0; 
						++count; 
							if(count==winSize)
								return true;
					}
			}

	return false; //I guess nobody won
}

/* Check for a victory by diagonally-laid pieces, rising to the left. If there are N game pieces in a
continuous diagonal line, the last player that placed pieces wins. */
bool checkLeftDiagonal(char**gameBoard, int winSize){

	//checks for player win
	for(int i=(winSize+2)-1; i>=0; i--)
		for(int j=(winSize+3)-1; j>=0; j--)
			if(gameBoard[i][j]=='o'){
				for(int k=0; k<=winSize; k++)
					if(gameBoard[i-k][j-k]=='o'){
						int count=0; 
						++count; 
							if(count==winSize)
								return true;
					}
			}

	//checks for comp win
	for(int i=(winSize+2)-1; i>=0; i--)
		for(int j=(winSize+3)-1; j>=0; j--)
			if(gameBoard[i][j]=='o'){
				for(int k=0; k<=winSize; k++)
					if(gameBoard[i-k][j-k]=='o'){
						int count=0; 
						++count; 
							if(count==winSize)
								return true;
					}
			}
	return false;
}

/* Check for a tie. If all columns are filled and there are not any N game pieces in a continuous
horizontal, vertical, and diagnoal line, no player is the winner. */
bool checkTie(char**gameBoard, int winSize){

	//keeps count of moves made
	static int moves=0;
	++moves;

	//if moves equal total slots, game is tie
	if(moves==(winSize+2)*(winSize+3)) 
		return true;

	else return false;
}

/* Clean up the game board. That is, deallocate the game board from memory */
void deleteBoard(char**gameBoard, int winSize){

	for(int i=0; i<=winSize+2; i++){
		delete[] gameBoard[i];
		gameBoard[i]=NULL;
	}	

	delete[] gameBoard; 
	gameBoard=NULL;
	return; 
}

[dreaxbamf]

void gamePlay(char**gameBoard, int winSize){

	bool playerWin=false; //just a coupla booleans to keep track of win status
	bool compWin=false; 		

	//game functions
	while(!playerWin&&!compWin){
		printBoard(gameBoard, winSize); 

		playerMove(gameBoard, winSize); 
		if(checkRow(gameBoard, winSize)||checkColumn(gameBoard, winSize)
		||checkLeftDiagonal(gameBoard, winSize)||checkRightDiagonal(gameBoard, winSize)) //checking for win
			playerWin=true;

		compMove(gameBoard, winSize);
		if(checkRow(gameBoard, winSize)||checkColumn(gameBoard, winSize)
		||checkLeftDiagonal(gameBoard, winSize)||checkRightDiagonal(gameBoard, winSize)) //checking for win
			compWin=true;		
	} 

	if(checkTie(gameBoard, winSize)) 
			std::cout<<"It's a draw!";

	if(playerWin)
			std::cout<<"You are the winner!";

	if(compWin)
			std::cout<<"You lost!";
}


int main(){
 
	int winSize=getSize();
	char**gameBoard=buildBoard(winSize);

	gamePlay(gameBoard, winSize);

	deleteBoard(gameBoard, winSize);

	return 0;
}

So in the gamePlay function, after two loops, it skips the printBoard function and gets stuck on the playerMove function. It just keeps asking for the column choice

[dreaxbamf]

Nevermind! I figured it out. It was because I was trying to call playerMove from playerMove.