New to programming: Have question on preferred method of coding! (C++)

[yaustar]

Originally Posted by Protector one

Will only call it once. Isn't the latter better? Or are they behaviorally equivalent? (I.e. will they compile to the same byte code?)

The latter is 'better' but I have no idea whether they will. compile out to be the same

[yaustar]

Originally Posted by nef

On a side note, to Adrir. I've never, ever seen someone using a namespace or class within a function. I don't doubt it's possible, but what are the advantages to this? I would have to strictly disagree it's conventional, solely because I've never seen it done

As side by Adrir, the using directive obeys scope and it is something I started doing due to past experiences with projects that have batch/unity builds where doing anything in global scope can potentially lead to a problem.

[nef]

Originally Posted by Protector one

Will only call it once. Isn't the latter better? Or are they behaviorally equivalent? (I.e. will they compile to the same byte code?)

I don't think it would compile into the same thing. I mean, compilers are smart, but i doubt their that smart.

[Protector one]

Well, it would be a simple rule. Check if a function is called sequentially, see if the calls can be combined, combine if so. Compilers can do pretty freaky shit. I wouldn't be surprised if it is implemented somewhere. (-O6? )

[Adrir]

Originally Posted by Protector one

Well, it would be a simple rule. Check if a function is called sequentially, see if the calls can be combined, combine if so. Compilers can do pretty freaky shit. I wouldn't be surprised if it is implemented somewhere. (-O6? )

Some of my friends did some experiments with the Java compiler a while back when we just started our course. If I remember correctly, I believe that the Java compiler will produce the same bytecode from a sequence of simple string concatenation methods than as placing each concatenation in a single statement. However, if they are being printed onto the console then the bytecode is different.

For example, the following two code extracts produced the same bytecode:

String str = "a" + "b" + "c" + "d" + "e";

String str = "a";
str += "b";
str += "c";
str += "d";
str += "e";

However the following two did not:

System.out.print("a" + "b" + "c" + "d" + "e");

System.out.print("a");
System.out.print("b");
System.out.print("c");
System.out.print("d");
System.out.print("e");

[Protector one]

Interesting stuff! A bit scary, though. You can't find this sort of stuff in documentation.

Originally Posted by Adrir

For example, the following two code extracts produced the same bytecode:

String str = "a" + "b" + "c" + "d" + "e";

String str = "a";
str += "b";
str += "c";
str += "d";
str += "e";

That's quite weird! I would have expected that the first would compile to a set of string concatenations and a single assignment, and the second would compile to 5 distinct concatenations and assignments.
So the question rises: is the first method very inefficient, or is the second simply very efficiently resolved?

[MDBurpo]

nef,

I took into account all the stuff you have said. I've been taking a break from learning C++ to work on my resume and school work, so I just got around to rewriting today.

//Matthew D. Burpo - Beginning C++ - December 18, 2008 - Third Program - Basic Quiz
#include <iostream>
using std::cout; //Load cout from namespace std - A standard output stream object
using std::cin; //Load cin from namespace std - A standard input stream object

int QuestionOne()
{
    int answer; //Initialize "answer" variable.
    int answer1; //Initialize "answer1" variable.
    int answer2; //Initialize "answer2" variable.
    int answer3; //Initialize "answer3" variable.
    int answer4; //Initialize "answer4" variable.
    answer1 = 1; //Set "answer1" variable to 1.
    answer2 = 2; //Set "answer2" variable to 2.
    answer3 = 3; //Set "answer3" variable to 3.
    answer4 = 4; //Set "answer4" variable to 4.
    cout <<"What is the programmer's full name?\n"
           "1.) Matthew Benjamin Durpo\n"
	       "2.) David Matthew Burpo\n"
	       "3.) Matthew David Burpo\n"
           "4.) Benjamin Matthew Durpo\n"
           "\n"
           "Answer: "; //Display all strings between cout and ; on screen.
    cin >> answer; //Answer input.
    cin.ignore(); //Ignore a single character and allow prompt to continue.
	if (answer == answer3) //If correct, do this function.
	{
	    cout <<"\n"
	           "That's correct!\n"
	           "\n"
	           "Press 'Enter' to continue.\n"; //Display all strings between cout and ; on screen.        	
        cin.get(); //Press Enter Key to execute next command.
	}
	else //If incorrect, do this function.
	{
        cout <<"\n"
		       "Incorrect answer! The programmer is Matthew David Burpo.\n"
		       "\n"
		       "Press 'Enter' to continue.\n"; //Display all strings between cout and ; on screen.
	    cin.get(); //Press Enter Key to execute next command.
    }
    return(0);
}

int QuestionTwo()
{
    int answer; //Initialize "answer" variable.
    int correctanswer;
    correctanswer = 24; //Assign "answer" variable to 24.
    cout <<"How old is Matthew?\n"
	       "\n"
	       "Answer: "; //Display all strings between cout and ; on screen.
	cin >>answer; //Answer input.
	cin.ignore(); // Ignore a single character and allow prompt to continue.
	if (answer == correctanswer) //If correct, do this function.
	{
		cout <<"\n"
		       "That's Correct!\n"
		       "\n"
		       "Press 'Enter' to continue.\n"; //Display all strings between cout and ; on screen.
		cin.get(); //Press Enter Key to execute next command.
	}
	else //If incorrect, do this function.
	{
		cout <<"\n"
		       "Incorrect answer! Matthew is 24 years old.\n"
		       "\n"
		       "Press 'Enter' to continue.\n"; //Display all strings between cout and ; on screen.
		cin.get(); //Press Enter Key to execute next command.
	}
    return (0);
}

int QuestionThree()
{
    int answer; //Initialize "answer" variable.
    int answer1; //Initialize "answer1" variable.
    int answer2; //Initialize "answer2" variable.
    int answer3; //Initialize "answer3" variable.
    int answer4; //Initialize "answer4" variable.
    int answer5; //Initialize "answer5" variable.
    int answer6; //Initialize "answer6" variable.
    int answer7; //Initialize "answer7" variable.
    answer1 = 1; //Set "answer1" variable to 1.
    answer2 = 2; //Set "answer2" variable to 2.
    answer3 = 3; //Set "answer3" variable to 3.
    answer4 = 4; //Set "answer4" variable to 4.
    answer5 = 5; //Set "answer5" variable to 5.
    answer6 = 6; //Set "answer6" variable to 6.
    answer7 = 7; //Set "answer7" variable to 7.
	cout <<"Matthew wants to be a:\n"
	       "1.) Video Game Designer\n"
	       "2.) Video Game Programmer\n"
	       "3.) Video Game Producer\n"
	       "4.) Both 1 & 2\n"
	       "5.) Both 1 & 3\n"
	       "6.) Both 2 & 3\n"
	       "7.) 1, 2, & 3\n"
	       "\n"
	       "Answer: "; //Display all strings between cout and ; on screen.
	cin >>answer; //Answer input.
	cin.ignore(); // Ignore a single character and allow prompt to continue.
	if (answer == answer4) //If correct, do this function.
	{
		cout <<"\n"
		       "That's correct!\n"
		       "\n"
		       "Press 'Enter' to continue.\n"; //Display all strings between cout and ; on screen.
		cin.get(); //Press Enter Key to execute next command.
	}
	else //If incorrect, do this function.
	{
		cout <<"\n"
		       "Incorrect answer! Matthew wants to be a video game programmer and designer.\n"
		       "\n"
		       "Press 'Enter' to continue.\n"; //Display all strings between cout and ; on screen.
		cin.get(); //Press Enter Key to execute next command.
	}
return (0);
}

int QuestionFour()
{
    int answer; //Initialize "answer" variable.
    int answer1; //Initialize "answer1" variable.
    int answer2; //Initialize "answer2" variable.
    int answer3; //Initialize "answer3" variable.
    int answer4; //Initialize "answer4" variable.
    answer1 = 1; //Set "answer1" variable to 1.
    answer2 = 2; //Set "answer2" variable to 2.
    answer3 = 3; //Set "answer3" variable to 3.
    answer4 = 4; //Set "answer4" variable to 4.
    cout <<"What school is Matthew attending?\n"
           "1.) Ivy Tech\n"
           "2.) ITT Tech\n"
           "3.) DeVry\n"
           "4.) University of Phoenix\n"
	       "\n"
	       "Answer: "; //Display all strings between cout and ; on screen.
	cin >>answer; //Answer input.
	cin.ignore(); // Ignore a single character and allow prompt to continue.
	if (answer == answer2) //If correct, do this function.
	{
		cout <<"\n"
		       "That's correct!\n"
		       "\n"
		       "Press 'Enter' to continue.\n"; //Display all strings between cout and ; on screen.
		cin.get(); //Press Enter Key to execute next command.
	}
	else //If incorrect, do this function.
	{
		cout <<"\n"
		       "Incorrect answer! Matthew is attending ITT Tech.\n"
		       "\n"
		       "Press 'Enter' to continue.\n"; //Display all strings between cout and ; on screen.
		cin.get(); //Press Enter Key to execute next command.
	}
    return(0);
}

int main() //Start program - Entry point of main function.
{
    cout <<"Welcome to the quiz.\n"
           "Please, enter the number corresponding to the correct answer.\n"
           "Press 'Enter' to begin.\n"
           "\n"; //Display all strings between cout and ; on screen.
    cin.get(); //Press Enter Key to execute next command.
    int AskQuestion;
    AskQuestion = QuestionOne();
    cout << AskQuestion;
    AskQuestion = QuestionTwo();
    cout << AskQuestion;
    AskQuestion = QuestionThree();
    cout << AskQuestion;
    AskQuestion = QuestionFour();
    cout << AskQuestion;
    AskQuestion = QuestionFive();
    cout << AskQuestion;
    AskQuestion = QuestionSix();
    cout << AskQuestion;
    AskQuestion = QuestionSeven();
    cout << AskQuestion;
	cout <<"Press 'Enter' to exit the program...\n"; //Display on screen.
	cin.get(); //Press Enter Key to exit the program.
	return 0; //End program - Normal termination of main function.
}

I still need to go through and add some comments, but I think I have it fixed using your suggestions. I cut out questions 5, 6, and 7 to keep from exceeding the max characters restriction on posts.

[MDBurpo]

Forgot to mention I'm having problems in there with the returns. It's returning 0 as an output on screen where it says "0Question text here"

[Claxon]

Originally Posted by MDBurpo

Forgot to mention I'm having problems in there with the returns. It's returning 0 as an output on screen where it says "0Question text here"

That's because of these lines:

    AskQuestion = QuestionOne();
    cout << AskQuestion;

The QuestionOne() function is handling all of it's own cout calls, and you're assigning the resulting value (0 in all cases) to AskQuestion, then you're telling it to output the value of AskQuestion. if you just remove the cout and (since you don't seem to be using the value of AskQuestion anywhere else either) simple call the functions, it should work properly.

In other words, change the above code to:

QuestionOne();
QuestionTwo();
QuestionThree();
.....

[Protector one]

You know you can define and initialize variables at the same time, right?

int answer;
answer1 = 1;

is equivalent to:

int answer1 = 1;

Makes your code a bit shorter.