How to do a case insensitive search for strings! I need to be able to type lower and uppercase letters. This is my code so far:

[aa300171]

// Search the stock's index given a symbol
int searchStockBySymbol(int numStocks, string *stockSymbols)
{
bool found = false;
string symbol;
cout << "Enter the symbol: ";
getline(cin, symbol);

for (int i = 0; i < numStocks; i++)
{
if (stockSymbols[i].compare(symbol) == 0)
{
found = true;
return i;
}
}
if (found == false)
{
cout << "ERROR! Symbol not found!" << endl;
}

exit (-2);
}

[JLBorges]

Not the most efficient, but this should be adequate for the task at hand:

#include <string>
#include <cctype>

// return a string with all upper case characters converted to lower case
std::string to_lower( std::string str )
{
    for( char& c : str ) c = std::tolower(c) ;
    return str ;
}

// return true if a and b compare equal ignoring case
bool eq_nocase( std::string a, std::string b ) { return to_lower(a) == to_lower(b) ; }

// return position of the stock in the array, -1 if not found
int find_stock_by_symbol( const std::string* stock_symbols, int num_symbols,
                          const std::string& symbol_to_find )
{
   if( stock_symbols != nullptr )
   {
       for( int i = 0 ; i < num_symbols ; ++i )
           if( eq_nocase( stock_symbols[i], symbol_to_find ) ) return i ;
   }

   return -1 ; // not found
}

[aa300171]

Thank you. I'm trying to compile it, but it's giving me errors saying "str' is undefined.

[JLBorges]

It may help if you post the code that you tried to compile,
along with the verbatim text of the error diagnostic (which would contain the offending line number).

[aa300171]

This is my entire code. I have to look up a trading symbol, case insensitive. My code isn't compiling after I added your suggestion. I'm not sure if I'm editing it correctly.

#include <iostream>
#include <iomanip>
#include <fstream>
#include <sstream>
#include <string>
using namespace std;

// Function prototypes
void ArrSort(string *[], int);

// Get the stock information from the file
void loadStocksFromFile(ifstream &inFile, int numStocks, string
*stockSymbols, string *stockNames, int *stockNumShares, double *stockPrices)
{
for (int i = 0; i < numStocks; i++)
{
string stockInfo = " ";
getline(inFile, stockInfo);

stringstream ss(stockInfo);

// Get stock symbol
string stockSymbol;
getline(ss, stockSymbol, ' ');

// Get company name
string stockName = "";
string token;

while (true)
{
getline(ss, token, ' ');

if (token[token.size() - 1] == '#')
{
token = token.substr(0, token.size() - 1);
stockName += token;

break;
}

stockName += token;
stockName += " ";
}

// Get number of shares
int stockNumShare = 0;
getline(ss, token, ' ');
stringstream(token) >> stockNumShare;

// Get price per share
double stockPrice = 0;
getline(ss, token, ' ');
stringstream(token) >> stockPrice;

// Store the information
stockSymbols[i] = stockSymbol;
stockNames[i] = stockName;
stockNumShares[i] = stockNumShare;
stockPrices[i] = stockPrice;
}
}

// Search the stock's index given a symbol
int searchStockBySymbol(int numStocks, string *stockSymbols)
{
bool found = false;
string symbol;
cout << "Enter the symbol: ";
getline(cin, symbol);

for (int i = 0; i < numStocks; i++)
{
if (stockSymbols[i].compare(symbol) == 0)
{
found = true;
return i;
}
}
if (found == false)
{
cout << "ERROR! Symbol not found!" << endl;
}

exit(-2);
}

// Sort the array of pointers
void ArrSort(string *iparr[], int size)
{
int startScan, minIndex;
string *minElem;

for (startScan = 0; startScan < (size - 1); startScan++)
{
minIndex = startScan;
minElem = iparr[startScan];

for (int index = startScan + 1; index < size; index++)
{
if (*(iparr[index]) < *minElem)
{
minElem = iparr[index];
minIndex = index;
}
}
iparr[minIndex] = iparr[startScan];
iparr[startScan] = minElem;
}

//Display the trading symbol 3 to a line
cout << "Available stocks: " << endl;
cout << endl;
for (int count = 0; count < size; count++)
{
if (count > 0 && (count % 3) == 0)
cout << endl;
cout << *iparr[count] << ' ';

}
cout << endl;
}

int main()
{
// Prompt user to enter filename
string filename;
cout << "Enter the filename: ";
getline(cin, filename);
cout << endl;

// Open the file
ifstream inFile;
inFile.open(filename.c_str());

// Display error message if the file cannot be opened
if (!inFile.is_open())
{
cout << "ERROR! File cannot be opened." << filename << endl;
return -1;
}

// Read the first line in the file to identify the number of stocks
string numStocksTemp = "";
getline(inFile, numStocksTemp);
int numStocks = 0;
stringstream(numStocksTemp) >> numStocks;

// Allocate memory for parallel arrays
string *stockSymbols = new string[numStocks];
string *stockNames = new string[numStocks];
int *stockNumShares = new int[numStocks];
double *stockPrices = new double[numStocks];

// Call the loadStocksFromFile function
loadStocksFromFile(inFile, numStocks, stockSymbols, stockNames, stockNumShares, stockPrices);

// Close the file
inFile.close();

//create array of pointers
string **SortedArray = nullptr;
SortedArray = new string *[numStocks];

//store address
for (int count = 0; count < numStocks; count++)
SortedArray[count] = &stockSymbols[count];

ArrSort(SortedArray, numStocks);

// Perform a search
cout << endl;
int index = searchStockBySymbol(numStocks, stockSymbols);
cout << endl;

// Display the stock information
cout << endl;
cout << fixed;
cout << setw(30) << left << "Company Name:";
cout << setw(25) << right << stockNames[index];
cout << endl;

cout << setw(30) << left << "Number of Shares:";
cout << setw(25) << right << stockNumShares[index];
cout << endl;

cout << setw(30) << left << "Current Price (per share):";
cout << setw(25) << right << setprecision(2) << stockPrices[index];
cout << endl;

cout << setw(30) << left << "Current Value:";
cout << setw(25) << right << setprecision(2) << (stockNumShares[index] * stockPrices[index]);
cout << endl;
cout << endl;

// Delete the memory
delete [] SortedArray;
delete [] stockSymbols;
delete [] stockNames;
delete [] stockNumShares;
delete [] stockPrices;

return 0;
}

[JLBorges]

> My code isn't compiling after I added your suggestion. I'm not sure if I'm editing it correctly.

Post the code that is not compiling, along with the verbatim text of the error diagnostic.

[aa300171]

#include <iostream>
#include <iomanip>
#include <fstream>
#include <sstream>
#include <string>
#include <cctype>
using namespace std;

// Function prototypes
void ArrSort(string *[], int);

// Get the stock information from the file
void loadStocksFromFile(ifstream &inFile, int numStocks, string
*stockSymbols, string *stockNames, int *stockNumShares, double *stockPrices)
{
for (int i = 0; i < numStocks; i++)
{
string stockInfo = " ";
getline(inFile, stockInfo);

stringstream ss(stockInfo);

// Get stock symbol
string stockSymbol;
getline(ss, stockSymbol, ' ');

// Get company name
string stockName = "";
string token;

while (true)
{
getline(ss, token, ' ');

if (token[token.size() - 1] == '#')
{
token = token.substr(0, token.size() - 1);
stockName += token;

break;
}

stockName += token;
stockName += " ";
}

// Get number of shares
int stockNumShare = 0;
getline(ss, token, ' ');
stringstream(token) >> stockNumShare;

// Get price per share
double stockPrice = 0;
getline(ss, token, ' ');
stringstream(token) >> stockPrice;

// Store the information
stockSymbols[i] = stockSymbol;
stockNames[i] = stockName;
stockNumShares[i] = stockNumShare;
stockPrices[i] = stockPrice;
}
}

// return a string with all upper case characters converted to lower case
std::string to_lower(std::string str)
{
for (char& c : str) c = std::tolower(c);
return str;
}

// return true if a and b compare equal ignoring case
bool eq_nocase(std::string a, std::string b) { return to_lower(a) == to_lower(b); }

// return position of the stock in the array, -1 if not found
int find_stock_by_symbol(const std::string* stock_symbols, int num_symbols,
const std::string& symbol_to_find)
{
if (stock_symbols != nullptr)
{
for (int i = 0; i < num_symbols; ++i)
if (eq_nocase(stock_symbols[i], symbol_to_find)) return i;
}

return -1; // not found
}

// Sort the array of pointers
void ArrSort(string *iparr[], int size)
{
int startScan, minIndex;
string *minElem;

for (startScan = 0; startScan < (size - 1); startScan++)
{
minIndex = startScan;
minElem = iparr[startScan];

for (int index = startScan + 1; index < size; index++)
{
if (*(iparr[index]) < *minElem)
{
minElem = iparr[index];
minIndex = index;
}
}
iparr[minIndex] = iparr[startScan];
iparr[startScan] = minElem;
}

//Display the trading symbol 3 to a line
cout << "Available stocks: " << endl;
cout << endl;
for (int count = 0; count < size; count++)
{
if (count > 0 && (count % 3) == 0)
cout << endl;
cout << *iparr[count] << ' ';

}
cout << endl;
}

int main()
{
// Prompt user to enter filename
string filename;
cout << "Enter the filename: ";
getline(cin, filename);
cout << endl;

// Open the file
ifstream inFile;
inFile.open(filename.c_str());

// Display error message if the file cannot be opened
if (!inFile.is_open())
{
cout << "ERROR! File cannot be opened." << filename << endl;
return -1;
}

// Read the first line in the file to identify the number of stocks
string numStocksTemp = "";
getline(inFile, numStocksTemp);
int numStocks = 0;
stringstream(numStocksTemp) >> numStocks;

// Allocate memory for parallel arrays
string *stockSymbols = new string[numStocks];
string *stockNames = new string[numStocks];
int *stockNumShares = new int[numStocks];
double *stockPrices = new double[numStocks];

// Call the loadStocksFromFile function
loadStocksFromFile(inFile, numStocks, stockSymbols, stockNames, stockNumShares, stockPrices);

// Close the file
inFile.close();

//create array of pointers
string **SortedArray = nullptr;
SortedArray = new string *[numStocks];

//store address
for (int count = 0; count < numStocks; count++)
SortedArray[count] = &stockSymbols[count];

ArrSort(SortedArray, numStocks);

// Perform a search
cout << endl;
//int index = searchStockBySymbol(numStocks, stockSymbols);
int index = find_stock_by_symbol(const std::string* stock_symbols, int num_symbols,
const std::string& symbol_to_find);
cout << endl;

// Display the stock information
cout << endl;
cout << fixed;
cout << setw(30) << left << "Company Name:";
cout << setw(25) << right << stockNames[index];
cout << endl;

cout << setw(30) << left << "Number of Shares:";
cout << setw(25) << right << stockNumShares[index];
cout << endl;

cout << setw(30) << left << "Current Price (per share):";
cout << setw(25) << right << setprecision(2) << stockPrices[index];
cout << endl;

cout << setw(30) << left << "Current Value:";
cout << setw(25) << right << setprecision(2) << (stockNumShares[index] * stockPrices[index]);
cout << endl;
cout << endl;

// Delete the memory
delete [] SortedArray;
delete [] stockSymbols;
delete [] stockNames;
delete [] stockNumShares;
delete [] stockPrices;

return 0;
}


1>------ Build started: Project: ConsoleApplication1, Configuration: Debug Win32 ------
1> StockLookUp.cpp
1>g:\stocklookup.cpp(184): error C2062: type 'int' unexpected
========== Build: 0 succeeded, 1 failed, 0 up-to-date, 0 skipped ==========

[JLBorges]

Modify the 'Perform a search' part as follows:

/********************************************************************************
// Perform a search
    cout << endl;
//int index = searchStockBySymbol(numStocks, stockSymbols);
    int index = find_stock_by_symbol(const std::string* stock_symbols, int num_symbols,
                                     const std::string& symbol_to_find);
    cout << endl;
    *********************************************************************************/

    // perform a search
    std::cout << "Enter the symbol to be searched: " ;
    std::string symbol_to_searh_for ;
    std::getline( std::cin, symbol_to_searh_for ) ;
    int index = find_stock_by_symbol( stockSymbols, numStocks, symbol_to_searh_for ) ;

    if( index == -1 ) // not found
    {
        std::cerr <<  "ERROR! Symbol not found!\n" ;
        return 2 ;
    }

// Display the stock information