Printing One Asterick in a 2D array

[ec252]

Why isn't my code working the way I want it to?

I am having a problem with my code. I have to create a snake game and just right now(at the moment) I only need help printing ONE asterick'*' onto my 2d array titled snake where there is a border and display. Anyways, you don't understand how many times I have tried to accomplish this. I keep getting it wrong where the asterick is outside of the 2d array or it is in the same place every time I run the program so can someone please please help me to produce ONE (*)asterick on my 2d array that has my border already like [_] this. I'm thinking I need to create two integers and make them have a random number stored where I then would go like snake[int][int] = '*'; and then I would cout it. However like I said I'm having trouble and I've been on a lot of websites trying to get help. One last point. I was wondering if I need a for loop and if char a1 and a2 need to be integers, not characters. literally all I need is one asterick at a random place on the 2d array.

  
#include <iostream>
#include <conio.h>
#include <time.h>
#include <stdlib.h>


using namespace std;


void Cursor(int, int);


int main() {

srand(time(0));

char snake[100][100];
char a1, a2;

char move;


int x, y, Xmax, Ymax, S1, S2, a;



//Imax = width
Xmax = 50;
//Jmax= height
Ymax = 22;

S1 = 10;
S2 = 10;




//Initializing the 2D Array
for (y = Ymax - 1; y >= 0; y--) {
for (x = 0; x < Xmax; x++) {
snake[x][y] = '±';
}
}

//Update the 2D Array
for (y = Ymax - 2; y >= 1; y--) {
for (x = 1; x < Xmax - 1; x++) {
snake[x][y] = ' ';
}
}



for (a = 1; a < 1; a++) {
a1 = rand() % Xmax;
a2 = rand() & Ymax;
snake[a1][a2] = '*';


}

cout << snake[a1][a2];


//Snake[S1][s2] = '±';


//Printing the 2D Array
for (y = Ymax - 1; y >= 0; y--) {
for (x = 0; x < Xmax; x++) {
cout << snake[x][y];
}
cout << endl;
}





cout << "\n\nWhere would you like to move (a, s, d, w)?";


Cursor(S1, (Ymax - 1) - S2);
cout << 's';
Cursor(43, 24);


do {

move = _getch();




if (move == 'a' && snake[S1 - 1][S2] == ' ') {
Cursor(S1, (Ymax - 1) - S2);
cout << ' ';
S1--;
Cursor(S1, (Ymax - 1) - S2);
cout << 's';
}


else if (move == 's' && snake[S1][S2 - 1] == ' ') {
Cursor(S1, (Ymax - 1) - S2);
cout << ' ';
S2--;
Cursor(S1, (Ymax - 1) - S2);
cout << 's';
}

else if (move == 'd' && snake[S1 + 1][S2] == ' ') {
Cursor(S1, (Ymax - 1) - S2);
cout << ' ';
S1++;
Cursor(S1, (Ymax - 1) - S2);
cout << 's';
}


else if (move == 'w' && snake[S1][S2 + 1] == ' ') {
Cursor(S1, (Ymax - 1) - S2);
cout << ' ';
S2++;
Cursor(S1, (Ymax - 1) - S2);
cout << 's';
}


Cursor(43, 24);







} while (move == 'a' || move == 's' || move == 'd' || move == 'w');


char exit;

cout << "\n\nPlease press a key and <enter> to exit";
cin >> exit;

return 0;

}


#include <Windows.h>

void Cursor(int x, int y) {
COORD Cord;
Cord.X = x;
Cord.Y = y;
SetConsoleCursorPosition(GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE), Cord);

}

[mgoetschius]

Here are some things.

1. a1 and a2 need to be int, not char.

2. Look at your for loop on line 55. You set a equal to one, then test if a is less than one. So, the code inside the loop never runs. You don't need that loop anyway, just delete lines 55 and 61.

3. You have a typo on line 57, the & should be a %

That should fix most of the problems you are having. However, I will say again, lines 56 and 57 will give you a random number between 0 and Ymax/Xmax. Since you are drawing your border around the outside within your array, you'll have to make an adjustment or occasionally, your * will end up on the border.

4. On line 18 you do this: char snake[100][100]; Why? when Xmax/Ymax are 50 and 22. You aren't filling the array thus wasting memory. I recommend you declare Xmax and Ymax as const int the do this: char snake[XMax][YMax];

Hope this helps.

[ec252]

thank you so much. This helped a lot!

[mgoetschius]

You're welcome, but in the future, don't double post here and in the general forum.

[ec252]

I am fairly new to this website and I do not know if it will email you my reply but I hope it does. I have done everything you asked and now my only problem is printing the snake[a1][a2]. To clarify, I don't know where to place cout << snake[a1][a2] in my code. If I put it in the do while loop or before my for loop that prints it, it won't work. Can you explain to me where I place this and if I need to add something because I can't print the asterick because I don't know where it should be on my code

[mgoetschius]

You shouldn't have to add in a separate line for cout << snake[a1][a2] It should print to the screen whey you print your whole snake array on lines 70-75 in the code above. If it's not working, post your current code.

[ec252]

I'm sorry, I worked on it today and it works now. I must have done something wrong before I replied. Thank you for all your help