Call by reference (original value)

[Oriol Serrabassa]

Is there a way to know what value n had for the first time?
I am unable to finish my code because I cannot give n the value it had at the beginning of the program.

In this program, n means the number of character there have to be to change line. My problem is that when n <= 0 since I am unable to give it the original value, the program will print a new line for each cycle.

Example (my program):
8
aiaiaiaiiii
.-...-..
.-
..
.-
..
..
..
..
STOP

Example (correct output):
.-...-..
.-...-..
......
STOP

I would be able to solve this by myself if there weren't these rules/restrictions.

RULES OF THE PROGRAM:
1. Cannot use arrays, vectors, algorithms or pointers
2. Use the function: void morse(char c, int& n)

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;

void morse(char c, int& n) {
	if (c == 'a') {
		cout << ".-";
		n -= 2;
	}
	if (c == 'e') {
		cout << ".";
		n -= 1;
	}
	if (c == 'i') {
		cout << "..";
		n -= 2;
	}
	if (c == 'o') {
		cout << "---";
		n -= 3;
	}
	if (c == 'u') {
		cout << "..-";
		n -= 3;
	}
	if (n <= 0) {
		cout << endl;
	}
}

int main () {
	int n;
	cin >> n;
	char c;
	bool loop = false;
	while (cin >> c) {
		morse (c, n);
		loop = true;
	}
	if (loop) cout << endl;
	cout << "STOP" << endl;
}

[integralfx]

Store it in a variable at the start of the function?

[Oriol Serrabassa]

Explain better or put a code example, thanks

[integralfx]

I don't know what there is to explain in something basic such as storing a value in a variable.

void morse(char c, int& n) {
    int orig = n;
    // ...
}

[Oriol Serrabassa]

I cannot see how this int orig = n; would make my code work. In each cycle, origin will be the same as n, making me lose the original value of n.

Anyway, I got the answer of how to solve the problem:

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;

void morse(char c, int& n) {
	if (c == 'a') {
		cout << ".-";
		n -= 2;
	}
	if (c == 'e') {
		cout << ".";
		n -= 1;
	}
	if (c == 'i') {
		cout << "..";
		n -= 2;
	}
	if (c == 'o') {
		cout << "---";
		n -= 3;
	}
	if (c == 'u') {
		cout << "..-";
		n -= 3;
	}
}

int main () {
	int n;
	cin >> n;
	int aux = n;
	char c;
	bool loop = false;
	while (cin >> c) {
		if (n <= 0) {
			cout << endl;
			n = aux;
		}
		morse (c, n);
		loop = true;
	}
	if (loop) cout << endl;
	cout << "STOP" << endl;
}