Need Help With ptr** Because Im Going Crazy!!

[37oyvCM9]

Hi Everyone,

newbie here, right I am trying to make a poker game....and I have a deck class and I want to transfer my array of community and hole cards over to my player class so I can start checking hand values etc.

Everything I have tried is just giving me a nightmare...pass by ref, returning pointer the list goes on trust me lol.

I thought if I popped my code up here I could get some much needed advice before my head spontaneously com-bust's(literal stack overflow)!

Yes my code is terrible, yes I should comment more, yes there are alot of things that code be improved but Im just a newbie and am trying to sort out all my bad habits.

Thanks in advance for some much needed advice!

Deck.cpp

 #include "Deck.h"



//Construct deck from 52 cards
Deck::Deck()
{
	//Loop through suits array
	for (int numSuits = 0; numSuits < SUITS; numSuits++)
	{
		//Loop through faces array for every item in suits array
		for (int numFaces = 0; numFaces < FACES; numFaces++)
		{
			//For every iteration call card constructor and pass in values
			//Items being created on heap so have to be pointers
			Card* card = new Card((Face)(numFaces + 1), (Suit)(numSuits + 1));
			
			//Save pointer of card into _deck array and increment counter
			p_deck[_numCardCounter] = card;
			//Assign values to vector deck
			p_vecDeck.push_back(p_deck[_numCardCounter]);
			//increment counter
			_numCardCounter++;
		}
	}
	//Shuffle deck
	shuffleDeck();
	delete[]p_deck; //by deleting this am I deleting above as well being that they're stored in the array
}


//Depending on what turn it is deal the correct amount of cards
void Deck::dealCommunityCards(short turn)
{
	//Cast turn to type communityCards and check value
	switch ((CommunityCards)turn)
	{
	case CommunityCards::FLOP:
		for (int i = 0; i < NUM_FLOP_CARDS; i++)
		{
			//If equals FLOP then set first 3 elements of communityCards[] to the last three values of the vecDeck
			p_communityCards[i] = p_vecDeck.back();
			//Get rid of the last 3 elements of vecDeck
			p_vecDeck.pop_back();
		}
		break;
	case CommunityCards::TURN:
		//If equals TURN set element 4 of communityCards[] to the last element of vecDeck
		p_communityCards[3] = p_vecDeck.back();
		//Get rid of last element of vecDeck
		p_vecDeck.pop_back();
		break;
	case CommunityCards::RIVER:
		//If equals RIVER set element 5 of communityCards to the last element of vecDeck
		p_communityCards[4] = p_vecDeck.back();
		//Get rid of last element of vecDeck
		p_vecDeck.pop_back();
		break;
	default:
		std::cout << "There was a problem storing vecDeck into community Cards" << std::endl;
		break;
	}
}
//Print community cards
void Deck::printCommunityCards(short turn)
{
	std::cout << "COMMUNITY CARDS: | ";
	//Loop through cards on table 
	for (int i = 0; i < turn; i++)
	{
		//Store each element into temp Card variable
		Card* card = p_communityCards[i];
		//Print the card using GetFace and GetSuit from Card.h
		std::cout << card->GetFaceName() << " of " << card->GetSuitName() << " | ";
	}
	std::cout << std::endl;
}

//Depending on how many players in hand deals the relative number of cards
void Deck::dealHoleCards(short numOfPlayers)
{
	switch (numOfPlayers)
	{
	case 1:
		for (int i = 0; i < 2; i++)
		{
			p_holeCards[i] = p_vecDeck.back();
			p_vecDeck.pop_back();
		}
		break;
	case 2:
		for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++)
		{
			p_holeCards[i] = p_vecDeck.back();
			p_vecDeck.pop_back();
		}
		break;
	case 3:
		for (int i = 0; i < 6; i++)
		{
			p_holeCards[i] = p_vecDeck.back();
			p_vecDeck.pop_back();
		}
		break;
	case 4:
		for (int i = 0; i < 8; i++)
		{
			p_holeCards[i] = p_vecDeck.back();
			p_vecDeck.pop_back();
		}
		break;
	case 5:
		for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
		{
			p_holeCards[i] = p_vecDeck.back();
			p_vecDeck.pop_back();
		}
		break;
	case 6:
		for (int i = 0; i < 12; i++)
		{
			p_holeCards[i] = p_vecDeck.back();
			p_vecDeck.pop_back();
		}
		break;
	default:
		std::cout << "there was a problem dealing hole cards" << std::endl;
		break;
	}
}
//Print hole Cards
void Deck::printHoleCards(short numPlayers)
{
	std::cout << "HOLE CARDS: | ";
	//Loop through cards
	for (int i = 0; i < (numPlayers * 2); i++)
	{
		//Store each element into temp Card variable
		Card* card = p_holeCards[i];
		//Print the card using GetFace and GetSuit from Card.h
		std::cout << card->GetFaceName() << " of " << card->GetSuitName() << " | ";
	}
	std::cout << std::endl;
}

//Combine community cards and holeCards into an array to check values
void Deck::combineComHole(short holeCards, short turn)
{
	
	//Loop through community cards and store in combinedCards array
	for (int i = 0; i < turn; i++) 
	{
		p_combinedCards[i] = p_communityCards[i];
	}
	//Loop through holeCards and add to combinedCards array
	for (int j = turn; j < (turn + holeCards); j++)
	{
		p_combinedCards[j] = p_holeCards[j - turn];
	}
}

//Clear VecDeck for next hand
void Deck::clearVecDeck(short holeCards, short turn)
{
	//clear vector ready for next hand
	for (unsigned int i = 0; i < NUM_CARDS_IN_DECK - (holeCards + turn); i++)
	{
		p_vecDeck.pop_back();
	}

}

Deck::~Deck()
{
	
}

deck.h

#pragma once
#include <algorithm>
#include <vector>
#include "Card.h"
#include "Enums.h"

class Deck
{

public:
	Deck();
	~Deck();

	void printCommunityCards(short turn);
	void dealCommunityCards(short turn);
	void dealHoleCards(short numOfPlayers);
	void printHoleCards(short numPlayers);
	void combineComHole(short holeCards, short turn);
	void clearVecDeck(short holeCards, short turn);

	//getters
	Card getCombinedCards() { return **p_combinedCards; };

private:
	//Functions
	void shuffleDeck() { std::random_shuffle(p_vecDeck.begin(), p_vecDeck.end()); }

    //Constants
	const static short NUM_CARDS_IN_DECK = 52; //Reps number of cards in deck
	const static short NUM_FLOP_CARDS = 3; //Number of cards in flop
	const static short NUM_TURN_CARDS = 4; //Number of cards in turn
	const static short NUM_RIVER_CARDS = 5; //Number of cards in river

    //Integers
	short _numCardCounter = 0; //Counter for initializing number of cards in deck
	short _numPlayersToDealTo = 0; //Sets number of players at table - number between 1 - 6

    //Cards
	Card** p_deck = new Card*[NUM_CARDS_IN_DECK]; // A pointer to an array of Card pointers (how to access without errors)....
	                                              // If it where allocated on the stack would it only be a pointer?
	
	std::vector<Card*> p_vecDeck; //Deck that I can take a cards away from to deal...wasn't sure how to make it work with p_deck
	Card* p_communityCards[5]; // Cards face up on table
	Card* p_holeCards[12]; //Cards dealt to players
	Card* p_combinedCards[7]; //Combined community and holeCards ready for checking hand values

};

So mainly I want to take Card* p_combinedCards[7] and make it accesible in another class...No i dont want it in global scope, I need help passing it through a function as its a pointer to a pointer. and I'm not sure how to pass it(kinda like a kidney stone extremely hard to pass lol... i digress).

Anyway many Thanks Guys,
Paul

[a k n]

Look at friendship in: http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/inheritance/
There can by many ways to pass a member function. Other than directly giving access through friendship (which is generally a bad idea), you can just have a getter function.

class Deck
{
...
public:
    Card** getCombinedCards()
    {
        return p_combinedCards;
    }
...
};

//access it
Card** cards = deck.getCombinedCards();
//use the above like an array
std::cout << cards[i]->GetFaceName() << std::endl;

Why are you using arrays instead of std::vector, if you are using std::vector, you can just pass a reference in the getCombinedCards() function

[37oyvCM9]

I will be using vector instead but for some stupid reason I started with an array and havnt changed it yet...

I tried with Card** getCombinedCards(){ return p_combinedCards }; but when I go to iterate in the other class to assign it there it is just staying stationary or crashing. Hold on will I dig out my example...Sh*t i deleted it but I was doing this...

player.h

class Player
{
public:
    void setPlayerHand(Card* combinedCards);

private:
     Card* p_playerHand[7];

};

player.cpp

Player::Player()
{
	//Sets _playerID equal to number of number of players created
	static short playerID = 1;
	_playerID = playerID;
	playerID++;
}
void Player::setPlayerHand(Card* combinedCards)
{
       p_playerHand[0] = &combinedCards ;
}

main.cpp( for completeness

players[0].setPlayerHand(&deck.getCombinedCards()); //obvisiouly has int main etc in there. 

Okay I know that p_playerHand[0] will eventually go into a for loop....BUT how the hell do I increment my combinedCards parameter to grab the next element of the bloody array.

Like I said newbie here so take it easy guys, my head already feels like it spinning around like pete burn's Proverbial record.

Cheers Paul

[48T7M4Gy]

Why not operate with one deck? All you need is have an attribute that records who, if any, a card is dealt to and whether it is discarded/available. Run through the list and you know what a players hand is.

If you pass a ** array back then you need to pass the sizes of the two dimension back

eg in main()

type** array = X.getArray(); // need corresponding method in class X of course that returns a type**

for (int i = 0; i < X.get_I_Size();
 ... and another for loop for X.get_J_Size()
{
    std:: cout << array[i][j];// or whatever
}

[a k n]

Card* p_playerHand[7];

That's what you are doing wrong, make it

Card** p_playerHand;

And here's your new function

void Player::setPlayerHand(Card** combinedCards)
{
       p_playerHand = combinedCards;
}

All of this could be less confusing if you use std::vector (and a reference to it, which you'll have to initialize at the constructor)

Edit:
Also, I suggest read up on std::unique_ptr, since you are creating objects with, unique_ptr will make things safer if not easier.

[37oyvCM9]

Hi AKN,

Thanks very much for that, Its working now! I had a glaring error in my main.cpp as well that was causing my array to go out of bounds(where the crash was coming form!). If not for your help I wouldn't of found it.

code now looks like this

void Player::setPlayerHand(Card** combinedCards, int size)
{
	for (int i = 0; i < size; i++)
	{
		p_playerHand[i] = combinedCards++;
		std::cout << (*p_playerHand[i])->GetFaceName() << " Of " << (*p_playerHand[i])->GetSuitName() << std::endl;
		
	}
	
}

I will def have a look at std::unique_ptr!. std::cout is only there to test.

Cheers,
Paul(alot less stressed :)

[37oyvCM9]

Kermot,

You where right as well mate thanks,

I will be operating with a vector later which is already in the constructor I just wanted to get this working first.

I am not using a multi dimensional array, just an array of card objects(struct) as it makes more sense to me that way.

Thanks for your help though! :)

cheers,
Paul

[48T7M4Gy]

That's all good Paul.

It depends where you are on the learning spectrum. Multi-dimension arrays are a bit cumbersome keeping them synchronised, I agree.

Ideally create objects, relate them appropriately, 'stuff' them into STL containers of some sort and shuffle them (or it) around and use the data at will, not unlike a database. The more you know the better the choices.

[37oyvCM9]

The more you know the better the choices.

Def agree lol! I've only been at the language six months now so massive learning curve.

I understand multi-dimension arrays just didn't think it was right for this.

STL no idea lol, I haven't gone there yet as I want to get a firm grasp of the core language first...Not sure im saying that right but every time I look at the STL's I stagger a lil bit(like a drunk man climbing Everest more like lol).

I should change my name to The Sultan of BrokenCode because Ill be back here again in dire straits(bad joke i know but if I didn't do them the good ones would be lost) again.

Later:)

[48T7M4Gy]

Maybe ACDC - Highway to Hell - stay on the road ;)

[37oyvCM9]

Cheers :) ...I wrote that down for plagiarism purposes lol....taken it easy - eagles.... later K:)