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[C++] Using std::string as a Function Parameter?

Blogs > Revabug
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1 2 Next All
Revabug
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United Kingdom147 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-07-20 22:41:01
July 20 2009 22:33 GMT
#1
Okay so I've just started to learn C++..

After messing around with std::stings for a while I came up with the abstract idea of creating a function that returned the length of the string (not including whitespace)

Here's what I came up with:
+ Show Spoiler +

int Characters(string strString)
{
int nLength = 0;
for (int nChar = 0; nChar < strString.Length(); nChar++)
{
if (strString[nChar] != ' ')
nLength++;
}
return nLength;
}


However, of course this doesn't compile as std::string isn't a valid function parameter. So I ask, how could I get this to work? I've googled and check various tutorial sites but I haven't found anything on this.



Archaic
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
United States4024 Posts
July 20 2009 22:38 GMT
#2
I'm not a C++ programmer, but do you have to close the parentheses in the if statement? Also, should the for statement be nChar < strString.Length()? I don't know what >> means, but I'm just guessing it is greater than.
Revabug
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United Kingdom147 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-07-20 22:41:31
July 20 2009 22:40 GMT
#3
Yeah I had to type it out cause it wouldn't copy for some reason so there's some random mistakes but the actual code is fine (well, apart from it doesn't work :X)
micronesia
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
United States24784 Posts
July 20 2009 22:42 GMT
#4
Wait, couldn't you just return strString.length()? What exactly is going on lol.

When I did c++ I always used the AP Include files so I have no idea how to do string without apstring.h XD
ModeratorThere are animal crackers for people and there are people crackers for animals.
Archaic
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
United States4024 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-07-20 22:45:12
July 20 2009 22:44 GMT
#5
micronesia brings up a good point... This function is completely useless. You could just use string.Length() instead of creating a method to do the exact same thing.
EDIT: Just a random question, when using greater/less than signs, is it still shifters in C++ like in Java?
Revabug
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United Kingdom147 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-07-20 22:45:49
July 20 2009 22:44 GMT
#6
?

I don't want to include whitespaces (as I said in the op), so strString.Length() won't work
GogoKodo
Profile Blog Joined April 2003
Canada1785 Posts
July 20 2009 22:47 GMT
#7
On July 21 2009 07:42 micronesia wrote:
Wait, couldn't you just return strString.length()? What exactly is going on lol.

When I did c++ I always used the AP Include files so I have no idea how to do string without apstring.h XD

He's trying to get the length minus the whitespace I guess.
twitter: @terrancem
VarmVaffel
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
Norway378 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-07-20 22:49:46
July 20 2009 22:48 GMT
#8
In any case, since you say that string isn't a valid parameter, my guess is that you have forgotten to include string.h, or to use the std namespace.
GogoKodo
Profile Blog Joined April 2003
Canada1785 Posts
July 20 2009 22:49 GMT
#9
Not sure about your function since it's been so long since I did c++ but you should be able to google for c++ string function arguments to find the correct way.

On another note, currently you are only getting rid of the ' ' (spaces) in your count, and not any whitespace such as a tab. Might want to look into that as well.
twitter: @terrancem
Revabug
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United Kingdom147 Posts
July 20 2009 22:49 GMT
#10
(not including whitespace)

I don't want to include whitespaces

He's trying to get the length minus the whitespace I guess.


Adeny
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
Norway1233 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-07-20 22:55:25
July 20 2009 22:50 GMT
#11
Still, the actual length of the string and the string doesn't change, so the returned value from strString.length() will be constant throughout the entire loop no matter how many whitespaces. Just return strString.length() to a nSomething and use nChar < nSomething in the loop. I can't see why this wouldn't work?

To clarify, say your string is "HI MOM".

You get the length of the string which is 6 characters.
You loop through, count the H, nLength ++1;
Loop through, count the I, nLength ++1;
Loop through, won't count the whitespace.
Loop through, counts the M, nLength ++1;
Loop through, counts the O, nLength ++1;
Loop through, counts the M, nLength ++1;

At the end of this, you will have the length of the actual string which will still be 6 characters, and the nLength variable which you individually use to count the characters except for the whitespace which will be 5.
b3h47pte
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
United States1317 Posts
July 20 2009 22:50 GMT
#12
What IDE are you using? I loaded your code up into Visual Studios 2008 and it works fine.
http://pastebin.com/m1fe7c353

Results in

[image loading]


are you making sure you include iostream and using namespace std?
GogoKodo
Profile Blog Joined April 2003
Canada1785 Posts
July 20 2009 22:51 GMT
#13
Ok after a quick google I found some code using this syntax

void function (std::string &str)
{
}
twitter: @terrancem
Archaic
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
United States4024 Posts
July 20 2009 22:52 GMT
#14
Oh, I see what you mean now! If you want to ignore tabs, you may consider using the C++ equivalent of the Java:
strString[nChar] != ' ' && !(strString[nChar]+"").equals("\t");
The second part is converting the character to a string, to use .equals() function (in Java, Strings don't use ==), and comparing it to the string of a tab (\t).
But other than that, I can't really see an obvious problem. You may consider issues not within the code, but within your compiler.
GogoKodo
Profile Blog Joined April 2003
Canada1785 Posts
July 20 2009 22:53 GMT
#15
Make sure you're compiling the correct up to date version of the code and using the updated executable. Silly thing to point out but this is what cause several pages of confused people in konadora's blog asking for programming help.
twitter: @terrancem
Revabug
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United Kingdom147 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-07-20 22:59:40
July 20 2009 22:59 GMT
#16
I didn't realise I needed to add using namespace std; before the function, I thought I could just add it in int main() where the function would get called because that's when it would be run first..

Thanks
b3h47pte
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
United States1317 Posts
July 20 2009 23:21 GMT
#17
I'm glad I (we) could help! Good luck learning C++! It's a rewarding experience.
2Pacalypse-
Profile Joined October 2006
Croatia9545 Posts
July 20 2009 23:49 GMT
#18
I'm a C programmer, and I'm just wondering did C++ abandon pointers completely or can you still use them?

Moderator"We're a community of geniuses because we've found how to extract 95% of the feeling of doing something amazing without actually doing anything." - Chill
b3h47pte
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
United States1317 Posts
July 20 2009 23:54 GMT
#19
yea you can use pointers in C++.
2Pacalypse-
Profile Joined October 2006
Croatia9545 Posts
July 21 2009 00:08 GMT
#20
Oh ok.
And sorry for taking over the thread, but what's with this string data type?
What's the difference between string type and char[]?

Even though I prefer C over all other programs, I'm gonna have to do some C++ for uni this year so just getting prepared I guess...
Moderator"We're a community of geniuses because we've found how to extract 95% of the feeling of doing something amazing without actually doing anything." - Chill
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