Else without a previous if

[flinthSLO]

I'm just starting out at C++ and I keep getting the error: 'else' without a previous 'if' even though I'm sure it should work.
Here's my code:

#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

int main()
{
   int age;
   cout <<"Please enter your age: ";
   cin>> age;
   cin.ignore();
   cin.get();
   if (age<20);
   {cout<<"Hey, you're pretty young.";

   else if (age<40);
   {
       cout<<"Still got a long way to go.";
   }
   else if (age<80);
   {
       cout<<"You're getting old.";
   }
   else (age>=100);
   {
       cout<<"Start counting seconds.";
   }
   }

}

[Gaminic]

Please use the code tags when posting code.

In either case: the 'if' statement doesn't need a semicolon (';').

Also: the 'else' statement doesn't need a condition. "age >=100" isn't being evaluated. Simply putting "else" will include all ">=80" cases right now.

[Albatross]

Your ifs and else-ifs should not have semicolons after them. Also, your first if is missing a closing } and you have one closing } too many at the end. Finally, an else clause shouldn't have a condition, so get rid of the ( ) and everything in between. :)

EDIT: Infernal ninjas.

-Albatross

[flinthSLO]

Ok, it works now, but when I enter a number less than 20, it also prints the statement for over or equal to 100. Or any other number aswell actually if its not 100.

[Albatross]

What does your updated code look like?

-Albatross

[flinthSLO]

Here it is.

#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

int main()
{
   int age;
   cout <<"Please enter your age: ";
   cin>> age;
   cin.ignore();
   if (age<20)
   {cout<<"Hey, you're pretty young.";
   }
   else if (age<40)
   {
       cout<<"Still got a long way to go.";
   }
   else if (age<80)
   {
       cout<<"You're getting old.";
   }
   else (age>=100);
   {
       cout<<"Start counting seconds.";
   }


}

EDIT: Also tried without the ( ), but it's the same.

[hanst99]

else (age>=100);
   {
       cout<<"Start counting seconds.";
   }

Leave the part in bold out, then it works.

[Albatross]

You forgot to remove the condition and ; on line 22.

EDIT: My ninja skills are dropping.

-Albatross

[flinthSLO]

Nope, it just says what it should for whatever number, but with the 'Start counting seconds.' as well.

[Albatross]

It works fine for me if you make the correction hanst99 indicated.

-Albatross

[whitenite1]

I notice you still have a semi-colon after else (age>=100) Remove it and things should work better. Also, you're not checking if age is between 80 and 99.

EDIT: I tried it with else if (age >=100) and it worked great.

[flinthSLO]

Okay thanks, it works now that I've added to test between age 80-99.

[olzi]

wouldnt a switch (case) be easier than multiple if else? just a suggestion.

eg.

#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

int main()
{
   int age;
   cout <<"Please enter your age: ";
   cin>> age;
   cin.ignore();
   swich (age)   {
case (age< 20);
     cout<<"Hey, you're pretty young.";
break;
case (age<40);
         cout<<"Still got a long way to go.";
break;
case (age<80);
          cout<<"You're getting old.";
break;
default;
        cout<<"Start counting seconds.";
break;

}
 

[Gaminic]

Switch doesn't work with conditionals. You could, however, transform the age value:

int iage = age/20;

This will turn <20 into 0, 20->40 into 1 and so on. Then, switch(iage) with case 1,2,3,4 & default will cover the entire age spectrum.

[olzi]

sorry my bad. set up the switch wrong, this would work, correct me if im wrong

switch(age)
{
case 1:
age < 20; //condition 1
cout << "Hey, you're pretty young" << endl;
break;
case 2:
age < 40; //condition 2
cout << "Still got a long way to go" << endl;
break;
case 3:
age<80; // condition 3
cout << "You're getting old" << endl;
break;
default: //default condition
cout << "Start counting seconds" << endl;
}

[Gaminic]

No, again: switch doesn't take conditionals. In fact, nothing takes conditionals in the form you just posted. In your code, lines 4, 8, and 12 are the same as typing "0;" or "1;" in your code. Even if it does compile, it will simply ignore those lines.

If you really want to use a switch, do this:

int iage = age/20;
switch(iage) {
  case 0: // This is the "age < 20" case. 
 ...
  case 3: // This it the "age < 80" case. 
  default: // This is the "age >= 80" case.
}

[olzi]

@Gaminic, this code compiled fine, but yea, like u said it ignores them lines, i thought switches could accept conditions, my bad.