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Passing my arguments to my function

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Started by chockydavid1983 August 11, 2007 05:20 AM

3 comments, last by rip-off 16 years, 8 months ago

chockydavid1983

148

Author

August 11, 2007 05:20 AM

Hi everyone I'm trying to do a binary search. My program compiles and links but when I come to execute it, when I enter a searchKey, nothing happens, presumably because my arguments aren't being passed to my function. What do I need to change please? Here's my code:



#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <limits>
using namespace std;

int BinSearch(int data[], int numElements, int searchKey);

int main()
{
	int data[] = {1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 14, 21, 23, 28, 31, 35, 42, 46, 50, 53, 57, 62, 63, 65, 74, 79 ,89 ,95};
	int numElements = 23;

	cout << "(";

	for(int i = 0; i < 22; ++i)
	{
		if(i == 21)
		{
			cout << data ;
		}
		else
		{
			cout << data << ",";
		}
	}

	cout << ")" << endl << endl;

	string input = "0";

	while (true)
	{
		cout << "Enter search key (or 'x' to exit): ";
		cin >> input;
		cout << endl;

		if( input == "x" )
		{
			cout << "Exiting..." << endl;
			break;
		}
		else
		{
			int n = atoi(input.c_str());
			int searchKey = n;
			cout << searchKey << " is in position " << BinSearch(data, numElements, searchKey);
		}
	}
}

int BinSearch(int data[], int numElements, int searchKey)
{
	int first = 1;
	int last = numElements;
	int mid = (numElements + first) / 2;

	bool quit = false;

	while( !quit )
	{
		if( searchKey == data[mid] )
		{
			return mid;
			quit = true;
		}
		else if( searchKey < data[mid] )
		{
			last = mid - 1;
		}
		else
		{
			first = mid + 1;
		}
	}
}

I also get the following warning:



------ Build started: Project: 3.7.7, Configuration: Debug Win32 ------
Compiling...
main.cpp
c:\documents and settings\chris moore\my documents\visual studio 2005\projects\3.7.7\3.7.7\main.cpp(75) : warning C4715: 'BinSearch' : not all control paths return a value
Build log was saved at "file://c:\Documents and Settings\Chris Moore\My Documents\Visual Studio 2005\Projects\3.7.7\3.7.7\Debug\BuildLog.htm"
3.7.7 - 0 error(s), 1 warning(s)
========== Build: 1 succeeded, 0 failed, 0 up-to-date, 0 skipped ==========

I think this is to do with the fact that I haven't specified what to do if the user enters a number that's not in the list. If this is the case, I won't worry about this for now, I just want to get it working for when the user quits or enters a number that is in the list. Thanks, Chris.

delta user

164

August 11, 2007 05:57 AM

Well, that algorithm isn't going to exit.

You never change your 'mid' variable in the while loop. so you will never find the key, unless it is accidentaly at the index where mid is pointing to in the beginning.

Edit:

Also, listen to the warnings. In this case the return will work correct, but it is better to put your return at the end of your function.
Your quit=true statement will never be reached because you return before it.

Another edit:

This can sound rude but I think you haven't been programming in C++ for a long time.
It could be your intention to assign 1 to first and numElements to last but in C++ (I think in most if not all low level languages) an array starts with index 0 and ends with numElements-1 .

[Edited by - delta user on August 11, 2007 6:57:48 AM]

Someone who uses a, euhm..., delta!?

chockydavid1983

148

Author

August 11, 2007 06:36 AM

Hi, thank you for your reply.

My program is now working for entries equal to a value in the list or x to exit. How can I easily deal with string that don't convert to integers in the list? I imagine I could do this specifically for this list by including an if statement inside my function saying:

if (searchKey == data[0] || ...etc)
then do what is already there

else
output some kind of error message, return this message and loop back to the start

But is there a way I can do this more concisely and generally without having to specify exact values the searchKey must be equal to?

Here's my revised code:

#include <iostream>#include <string>#include <limits>using namespace std;int BinSearch(int data[], int numElements, int searchKey);int main(){	int data[] = {1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 14, 21, 23, 28, 31, 35, 42,				46, 50, 53, 57, 62, 63, 65, 74, 79 ,89 ,95};	int numElements = 23;	cout << "(";	for(int i = 0; i < 22; ++i)	{		if(i == 21)		{			cout << data ;		}		else		{			cout << data << ",";		}	}	cout << ")" << endl << endl;	string input = "0";	while (true)	{		cout << "Enter search key (or 'x' to exit): ";		cin >> input;		cout << endl;		if( input == "x" )		{			cout << "Exiting..." << endl;			break;		}		else		{			int n = atoi(input.c_str());			int searchKey = n;			cout << searchKey << " is in position ";			cout << BinSearch(data, numElements, searchKey) + 1 << endl << endl;		}	}}int BinSearch(int data[], int numElements, int searchKey){	int first = 1;	int last = numElements;	int mid = (numElements + first) / 2;	bool quit = false;	while( !quit )	{		if( searchKey == data[mid] )		{			quit = true;			return mid;		}		else if( searchKey < data[mid] )		{			last = mid - 1;			mid = (last + first) / 2;		}		else		{			first = mid + 1;			mid = (last + first) / 2;		}	}}

Thanks,
Chris.

Aardvajk

13,217

August 11, 2007 12:48 PM

Don't use atoi() with C++. Use stringstreams to convert, then you can query them to check for a failure:

#include <sstream>#include <string>#include <iostream>void f(){    std::string s;    std::cin >> s;    std::istringstream is(s);    int n;    is >> n;    if(is.fail()) HandleTheError();    else        {        // n is now an int that has been validly converted        }}

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rip-off

11,000

August 11, 2007 12:53 PM

Quote:Original post by EasilyConfused
Don't use atoi() with C++. Use stringstreams to convert, then you can query them to check for a failure:

*** Source Snippet Removed ***

Its easier to use this for error checking:

void f(){    std::string s;    std::cin >> s;    std::istringstream is(s);    int n;    if( is >> n ) {         // play with int    } else {        HandleTheError();    }}

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