While loop not ending.

Jan 29, 2012 at 7:20am
Hello, I have a few problems with a program im making which is supposed to simulate a battle. The user is supposed to enter a command and the program execute it. This loops in a while loop until the user or the enemy is defeated. The only problem I have so far is the while loop does not end once the user or computer's health is 0 or below.

Here is the code:
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#include <iostream>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <ctime>

using namespace std;

bool trueorfalse = true;
//prototypes
void helplist ();
void displaynumber (int yhealth, int ehealth);
void commandprompt ();

//health/etc. variable declaration
int yhealth, ehealth, damage, heal;

//displays health
void displaynumbers (int yhealth, int ehealth)
{
    cout << "\nYour Health " << yhealth << "\tEnemy Health " << ehealth <<"\n" <<  endl;
}

void commandprompt ()
{
    char x;
    bool input = false;

    while (!input)
    {
        cout << "Please enter a command: ";
        cin >> x;
        switch (x)
        {
            if (trueorfalse)
            {
                trueorfalse = false;
            }
            case 'h':
            case 'H':
                helplist();;
                break;
            case 'a':
            case 'A':
                damage = damage = rand() % 5 + 5;
                cout << "\nYou punched the enemy for " << damage << " damage" << endl;
                input = true;
                break;
            case 'b':
            case 'B':
                damage = damage = rand() % 13 + 2;
                cout << "\nYou kicked the enemy for " << damage << " damage" << endl;
                input = true;
                break;
            case 'c':
            case 'C':
                damage = damage = rand() % 30;
                if (damage == 0)
                {
                    cout << "\nYou missed" << endl;
                }
                else
                {
                    cout << "\nYou slashed the enemy for " << damage << " damage" << endl;

                }
                input = true;
                break;
            case 'd':
            case 'D':
                damage = damage = rand() % 100 + -50;
                if (damage > 0)
                {
                    cout << "\nYou cast magic on the enemy for " << damage << " damage" << endl;
                }
                else if (damage == 0)
                {
                    cout << "\nYou cast magic on the enemy but it did nothing" << endl;
                }
                else
                {
                    cout << "\nYou cast magic but accidently healed the enemy for " << damage * -1 << " health" << endl;
                }
                input = true;
                break;
            case 'e':
            case 'E':
                heal = damage = rand() % 50 + -50;
                if (heal > 0)
                {
                    cout << "\nYou healed yourself for " << heal << " health" << endl;
                }
                else if (heal == 0)
                {
                    cout << "\nThe potion did nothing" << endl;
                }
                else
                {
                    cout << "\nThe potion did not work quite right and lowered your health by " << heal * -1 << endl;
                }
                input = true;
                break;
            default:
                cout << "\nYou did not enter a valid command. Please try again. If you need help, type 'h' for a list of commands.\n" << endl;
        }
    }
}

//displays help
void helplist ()
{
    cout << "\nPlease type in the letter of the command you wish to use\n" << endl;
    cout << "---List of commands---" << endl;
    cout << "Punch (a) - Punch the enemy for damage" << endl;
    cout << "Kick  (b) - Kick the enemy with a sword for damage" << endl;
    cout << "Slash (c) - Slash the enemy for damage" << endl;
    cout << "Magic (d) - Cast magic on the enemy causing either damage or health" << endl;
    cout << "Potion(e) - Use a potion to heal yourself - it might have negetive effects\n" << endl;
}



int main()
{
    srand((unsigned)time(0));
    cout << "Welcome to the battle program! Type 'h' if you want a list of the possible commands. Remember to press the ENTER key after each command you type." << endl;
    //creates health for each side
    yhealth = 100;
    ehealth = 100;

    //starts loop
    while (yhealth > 0 || ehealth > 0)
    {
        displaynumbers (yhealth, ehealth);
        commandprompt ();
        ehealth = ehealth - damage;
    }
    if (yhealth < 1)
    {
        cout << "\nYou lose!";
    }
    else
    {
        cout << "\nYou win!";
    }
    return 0;
}


The program is not completely finished as you can tell. It would also help if you can critique it as I am kind of new to programming.

Many thanks,
DaPasta
Jan 29, 2012 at 7:48am
if (trueorfalse)
{
trueorfalse = false;
}

// not a clue what u are comparing here .... should be if (truefalse == ??)

Jan 29, 2012 at 7:50am
Since trueorfalse is a Boolean variable if (trueorfalse) just checks is it is true. But that works fine. What dosent work is the while loop that starts on line 130. It never ends.
Jan 29, 2012 at 8:04am
I dont have my compiler on my laptop to run your code...

it is still possible to endlessly loop inside commandpromt()

Does the displaynumbers() func keep displaying after you are done with command prompt ?
Jan 29, 2012 at 8:06am
no, everying works fine except for that one little loop in main ().
Last edited on Jan 29, 2012 at 8:12am
Jan 29, 2012 at 8:14am
well just to make sure u can add a line after commandprompt() like

cout<< " broke";

if you dont see broke then u never even got past commandpromt(); is what i am saying

your while (yhealth > 0 || ehealth > 0)

you never do anything with yhleath anyway u can take that out for now...


while (eheatlh>0) {


}
Jan 29, 2012 at 8:18am
the only reason i can see why you cant exit the loop is because ehealth never hits 0 for some reason ... you should check ehealth during the loop to make sure the math is actually happening .

after the line add.
ehealth = ehealth - damage;
cout<<ehealth; // so u can monitor the value to make sure the value is actually changing correctly.
Jan 29, 2012 at 8:22am
Ok, for some reason it was the while loop line

while (yhealth > 0 || ehealth > 0)

When I took out yhealth the program worked perfectly. But! In order to finish this off I need yhealth in their. Lets say the computer kills the user- then the program must end. But if yhealth wasn't in there then nothing would happen and the program would keep on going.

Oh, and the revised code is this:

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#include <iostream>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <ctime>

using namespace std;

bool trueorfalse = true;
//prototypes
void helplist ();
void displaynumber (int yhealth, int ehealth);
void commandprompt ();

//health/etc. variable declaration
int yhealth, ehealth, damage, heal;

//displays health
void displaynumbers (int yhealth, int ehealth)
{
    cout << "\nYour Health " << yhealth << "\tEnemy Health " << ehealth <<"\n" <<  endl;
}

void commandprompt ()
{
    char x;
    bool input = false;

    while (!input)
    {
        cout << "Please enter a command: ";
        cin >> x;
        switch (x)
        {
            case 'h':
            case 'H':
                helplist();;
                break;
            case 'a':
            case 'A':
                damage = damage = rand() % 5 + 5;
                cout << "\nYou punched the enemy for " << damage << " damage" << endl;
                input = true;
                break;
            case 'b':
            case 'B':
                damage = damage = rand() % 13 + 2;
                cout << "\nYou kicked the enemy for " << damage << " damage" << endl;
                input = true;
                break;
            case 'c':
            case 'C':
                damage = damage = rand() % 30;
                if (damage == 0)
                {
                    cout << "\nYou missed" << endl;
                }
                else
                {
                    cout << "\nYou slashed the enemy for " << damage << " damage" << endl;

                }
                input = true;
                break;
            case 'd':
            case 'D':
                damage = damage = rand() % 100 + -50;
                if (damage > 0)
                {
                    cout << "\nYou cast magic on the enemy for " << damage << " damage" << endl;
                }
                else if (damage == 0)
                {
                    cout << "\nYou cast magic on the enemy but it did nothing" << endl;
                }
                else
                {
                    cout << "\nYou cast magic but accidently healed the enemy for " << damage * -1 << " health" << endl;
                }
                input = true;
                break;
            case 'e':
            case 'E':
                heal = damage = rand() % 50 + -50;
                if (heal > 0)
                {
                    cout << "\nYou healed yourself for " << heal << " health" << endl;
                }
                else if (heal == 0)
                {
                    cout << "\nThe potion did nothing" << endl;
                }
                else
                {
                    cout << "\nThe potion did not work quite right and lowered your health by " << heal * -1 << endl;
                }
                input = true;
                break;
            default:
                cout << "\nYou did not enter a valid command. Please try again. If you need help, type 'h' for a list of commands.\n" << endl;
        }
    }
}

//displays help
void helplist ()
{
    cout << "\nPlease type in the letter of the command you wish to use\n" << endl;
    cout << "---List of commands---" << endl;
    cout << "Punch (a) - Punch the enemy for damage" << endl;
    cout << "Kick  (b) - Kick the enemy with a sword for damage" << endl;
    cout << "Slash (c) - Slash the enemy for damage" << endl;
    cout << "Magic (d) - Cast magic on the enemy causing either damage or health" << endl;
    cout << "Potion(e) - Use a potion to heal yourself - it might have negetive effects\n" << endl;
}



int main()
{
    srand((unsigned)time(0));
    cout << "Welcome to the battle program! Type 'h' if you want a list of the possible commands. Remember to press the ENTER key after each command you type." << endl;
    //creates health for each side
    yhealth = 100;
    ehealth = 100;

    //starts loop
    while (ehealth > 0)
    {
        displaynumbers (yhealth, ehealth);
        commandprompt ();
        ehealth = ehealth - damage;
    }
    if (yhealth < 1)
    {
        cout << "\nYou lose!";
    }
    else
    {
        cout << "\nYou win!";
    }
    return 0;
}
Last edited on Jan 29, 2012 at 8:23am
Jan 29, 2012 at 8:30am
you can try this ...


while ((yhealth > 0 || ehealth > 0))
{

}
Jan 29, 2012 at 8:35am
Sadly this dosen't work. I tried while ((yhealth > 0) || (ehealth > 0)) too. Some how I don't think this problem is going to be fixed today.
Jan 29, 2012 at 8:39am
um actually it is quite simple really
just add a if statement behind

ehealth = ehealth - damage;
if(yhealth == value u want it to exit here)
break;
Jan 29, 2012 at 8:41am
or

if(yhealth< whatever)
break;

this will break the while loop. you are in
Last edited on Jan 29, 2012 at 8:42am
Jan 29, 2012 at 8:44am
Ok so I fixed the problem by puting this after ehealth = ehealth - damage;

if (ehealth < 1)
{
break;
}
else if (yhealth < 1)
{
break;
}

That seemed to work but I'm sure there is a better way to do this. Oh well, this will suffice for now. Thanks for the help.
Jan 29, 2012 at 8:48am
1
2
if (ehealth < 1 || yhealth < 1)
{ break }


That should work fine...
Jan 29, 2012 at 9:03am
you are welcome...

you do not need braces for the if statements if you will only execute one line of code if you meet the condition.

braces are only for 2 or more statements after the if.

if (ehealth<1 || yhealth<1)
break;

that is much more cleaner, and u can replace
while (ehealth > 0)

with

while(1) now that u are using if()break;
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