User Input Validation

[mdh1559]

User Input Validation is frustrating. Is there a way I can make sure that spaces do not mess up my cin >> (a string here) from user and char input does not mess up cin >> (int here please) input? I have a few c++ books I can read. If I can just get advice on what to search or read about when it comes to being able to cleanly re-prompt a user to cout << "Hey thats invalid input, Try again PLEASE" << endl;

  #include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include "PatientRecord.h"
#include "Queue.h"

using namespace std;
int PatientRecord::patientRecordCount = 0;

int main()
{
	int a;// An integer to control the Do-While Loop
	// string and int variables for patient registration
	string last;
	string first;
	string bDay;
	string stuff;
	int iUrgency;

	PQueue <PatientRecord> hospital;
	PatientRecord patientInfo;

	do {
		cout << "Please choose one of the following:" << endl;
		cout << "+------------------------------+\n";
		cout << "| 1. Register a Patient        |\n";
		cout << "| 2. Display Patient Queue     |\n";
		cout << "| 3. Remove a Patient          |\n";
		cout << "| 4. Exit Registration Program |\n";
		cout << "+------------------------------+\n";
		cin >> a;
		getchar();
		switch (a)
		{
		case 1:
			cout << "Enter patients last " << endl;
			cin >> last;
			getchar();
			cout << "Enter patients first " << endl;
			cin >> first;
			getchar();
			cout << "Enter patients birth day" << endl;
			cin >> bDay;
			getchar();
			cout << "Describe symptoms" << endl;
			getline(cin, stuff); cout << endl;
			cout << "Enter priority" << endl;
			cin >> iUrgency;
			// Initialized the Patients Information using vRegisterPatient()
			patientInfo.vRegisterPatient(last, first, bDay, stuff, iUrgency);
			// Added the Patient to the PriorityQueue
			hospital.enqueue(patientInfo);

			break;
		case 2:
			hospital.displayQueue();
			cout << "====There are currently " <<  PatientRecord::patientRecordCount << " Patients in the Queue====" << endl;
			break;
		case 3:
			hospital.dequeue();
			PatientRecord::patientRecordCount--;
			break;
		case 4:
			cout << "You choose to exit the program." << endl;
			break;
		default:
			cout << "Invalid input, please enter 1, 2, 3., or 4" << endl;
		};
	} while (a != 4);
	
  //system("pause");
	return 0;
}

[Duthomhas]

Get all input as a string, then parse the string.

Use a trim function to remove leading and trailing spaces. Boost String Algorithms has one. And you can find one on the FAQ here: http://www.cplusplus.com/faq/sequences/strings/trim/

Small functions help a lot.

Hope this helps.

[mdh1559]

I will take a look at that in a few mins. Thank you very much. I was thinking to

1. Save user input into a string
2. Take each char out and place it in a char array
3. add what slashes or dashes I need following what ever char
4. Then display