2d arrays and strings

[lousy beginner]

Hi there,

I need some help (obviously...), so if anyone can give me some advice
I'd really appreciate it!
I have a c++ project to do (for college) which can take input from the
user in the form of an emoticon (;) :) :-| etc) and then output a
short description of the emoticon.
But I've only started reading on two-dimensional arrays, and i still
don't know how to use them properly, so I can't even get past the
initialising part of the program... how do i use multi-character
arrays?... do i start a for-loop to fill in the 2d array which holds
the emoticons? or do i use {} and in between i put the emoticons,
separated by commas?... (is strcpy involved in any way in here?)
please help, i promise i'll do my best with the other parts of the
project if i can get help for this one!
thanks for readin,

lousy 1st-year-computer-student

[jbruno4000]

Re: 2d arrays and strings

>Hi there,[color=blue]
>
>I need some help (obviously...), so if anyone can give me some advice
>I'd really appreciate it!
>I have a c++ project to do (for college) which can take input from the
>user in the form of an emoticon (;) :) :-| etc) and then output a
>short description of the emoticon.
>But I've only started reading on two-dimensional arrays, and i still
>don't know how to use them properly, so I can't even get past the
>initialising part of the program... how do i use multi-character
>arrays?... do i start a for-loop to fill in the 2d array which holds
>the emoticons? or do i use {} and in between i put the emoticons,
>separated by commas?... (is strcpy involved in any way in here?)
>please help, i promise i'll do my best with the other parts of the
>project if i can get help for this one!
>thanks for readin,
>
>lousy 1st-year-computer-student
>
>
>
>
>
>[/color]

Here are 2 ways you could initialize your array:

char emoticon[6] = {';', '(', ')', ':', '-', '|'};

anotherway is to load them within the program:

char emoticon[6];

cout <<"enter first symbol: ";
for(int i = 0; i < 6; i++)
{
cin >> emoticon[i];
cout << endl << "Enter next symbol: ";
}

[Jupiter5F]

Re: 2d arrays and strings

[color=blue]
>cout <<"enter first symbol: ";
>for(int i = 0; i < 6; i++)
>{
> cin >> emoticon[i];
> cout << endl << "Enter next symbol: ";
>}
>
>
>[/color]
Actually, a better way to write that is:

for(int i = 0; i < 6; i++)
{
cout << endl << "Enter symbol: ";
cin >> emoticon[i];
}

That way you don't end up with an extra output statement when you're done.

[Sean Kenwrick]

Re: 2d arrays and strings


"jbruno4000 " <jbruno4000@aol .com> wrote in message
news:2003113012 1805.25936.0000 1233@mb-m05.aol.com...[color=blue][color=green]
> >Hi there,
> >
> >I need some help (obviously...), so if anyone can give me some advice
> >I'd really appreciate it!
> >I have a c++ project to do (for college) which can take input from the
> >user in the form of an emoticon (;) :) :-| etc) and then output a
> >short description of the emoticon.
> >But I've only started reading on two-dimensional arrays, and i still
> >don't know how to use them properly, so I can't even get past the
> >initialising part of the program... how do i use multi-character
> >arrays?... do i start a for-loop to fill in the 2d array which holds
> >the emoticons? or do i use {} and in between i put the emoticons,
> >separated by commas?... (is strcpy involved in any way in here?)
> >please help, i promise i'll do my best with the other parts of the
> >project if i can get help for this one!
> >thanks for readin,
> >
> >lousy 1st-year-computer-student
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >[/color]
>
> Here are 2 ways you could initialize your array:
>
> char emoticon[6] = {';', '(', ')', ':', '-', '|'};
>
> anotherway is to load them within the program:
>
> char emoticon[6];
>
> cout <<"enter first symbol: ";
> for(int i = 0; i < 6; i++)
> {
> cin >> emoticon[i];
> cout << endl << "Enter next symbol: ";
> }
>[/color]

A better way (IMHO) is as follows:

char * emoticons[]={
":-)",
";-)",
":-(".
};

It easier to read (and to type). Then each element of the array called
emoticons is a pointer to a null terminated string and you can access each
character of the emoticon like you would for a 2d array e.g:

c=emoticons[0][0]; // this would be a :

also you can do string comparisons like:

if(strcmp(emoti cons[0],":-)")==0)
printf("WhooHoo \n");

Hope this helps...

Sean

[jbruno4000]

Re: 2d arrays and strings

>A better way (IMHO) is as follows:[color=blue]
>
>char * emoticons[]={
> ":-)",
> ";-)",
> ":-(".
>};
>
>It easier to read (and to type). Then each element of the array called
>emoticons is a pointer to a null terminated string and you can access each
>character of the emoticon like you would for a 2d array e.g:
>
>c=emoticons[0][0]; // this would be a :
>
>also you can do string comparisons like:
>
>if(strcmp(emot icons[0],":-)")==0)
> printf("WhooHoo \n");
>
>Hope this helps...
>
>Sean
>
>
>[/color]
I initially thought your version was the sort of thing the originator was after
but it all seemed too easy. Anyway ...

[red floyd]

Re: 2d arrays and strings

jbruno4000 wrote:
[color=blue][color=green]
>>A better way (IMHO) is as follows:
>>
>>char * emoticons[]={
>> ":-)",
>> ";-)",
>> ":-(".
>>};
>>[/color][/color]

I'd make it:

const char * emoticons[] = {
// yada yada yada
};

That's more of the intent of that sort of table anyways.