Text message decoder (loops)

[tk13]

Get a line of text from the user. Output that line. Then output the line again,this time expanding all of the found common text message abbreviations. You can do this by using a loop.
Ex:
Enter text: My BFF is David. IDK who your BFF is.
You entered: My BFF is David. IDK who your BFF is.
Expanded: My best friend forever is David. I don't know who your best friend forever is.
Support these abbreviations:

BFF -- best friend forever
IDK -- I don't know
JK -- just kidding
TMI -- too much information
TTYL -- talk to you later
Note: If an abbreviation appears more than once, every instance gets expanded.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Attempt at solution:
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
using namespace std;

int main() {

string userText;
unsigned int i=0;

cout << "Enter text: "<< endl;
getline (cin, userText);
cout << "You entered: " << userText << endl;
getline (cin, userText);

while(i < userText.length())
{
if(userText.at(i)== IDK) {
userText.replace(i,3, "I don't know");
}
if (userText.at(i)== TTYL) {
userText.replace(i,4,"talk to you later");
}
if (userText.at(i)== BFF){
userText.replace(i,3,"best friend forever");
}
if (userText.at(i)== JK){
userText.replace(i,2,"just kidding");
}
if (userText.at(i)== TMI){
userText.replace(i,3,"too much information");
}
}
cout << "Expanded: "<< userText << endl;
getline (cin, userText);


return 0;
}


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I know something is wrong with my if statements but I'm not quite sure how to fix them.

[AbstractionAnon]

Your problem description is very vague. Please be as specific as you can be. If you're getting compile errors, say so and include the list of compile errors.

A few of problems I see are:

1) Line 17,20,23,26,29: Your abbreviations are not quoted. The compiler thinks they are undefined identifiers.

2) If the abbreviation occurs in the middle of a word, you're going to do the replacement in the middle word. Better to use the cin >> operator to read one word at a time and then check the word read.

PLEASE USE CODE TAGS (the <> formatting button) when posting code.
It makes it easier to read your code and also easier to respond to your post.
http://www.cplusplus.com/articles/jEywvCM9/
Hint: You can edit your post, highlight your code and press the <> formatting button.

[tk13]

i obtain this error when using quotes:

 main.cpp:39:22: error: ISO C++ forbids comparison between pointer and integer [-fpermissive]
 if (userText.at(i)== "TMI"){

I've also tried using the .find() method but this results in a runtime error.

do you know another way around these errors?

[banhbaobrandon]

Did you find a way past your errors? I'm doing the same assignment and I'm totally stuck right now.

[tk13]

no I haven't. I'm really confused.

[xismn]

std::basic_string::at returns a reference to the character at the specified location.
"TMI" is a string. You're trying to compare a single character to a string.