If Else Only Yields One Option

[caliJobCase]

Hi all, new to C++. This is a snippet from a decision tree homework assignment using if else statements. The goal is to create a tree that a pilot would use in an emergency (not for real emergency use!). My problem is that all input only yields the last if else option, "Please enter y or n." I've tried to troubleshoot through searching and referencing my text, no luck. Thank you in advance for your eagle eyes.

int engFail()
{

	char choice;

	cout << "Are you airborne? \n";
	cin >> choice;
	choice = islower(choice);
	
	if (choice == 'y')
	{
		elec();
	}
	else if (choice == 'n')
	{
		cout << "Have a drink and call a mechanic." << endl;
		mainMenu();
	}
	else if (choice != 'y' || 'n')
	{
		cout << "Please enter y or n." << endl;
	}
		
	return 0;
}

[Repeater]

(choice != 'y' || 'n')

This is always true.

On the left, choice != 'y'. Sometimes true, sometimes false.

On the right, 'n'. Always true. Always. No comparison being made, nothing to do with choice. Just 'n', on its own.

I've tried to troubleshoot through searching and referencing my text, no luck

Reading a textbook is a pretty bad way to try to troubleshoot a program. In fact, it's an awful way. The best way is to debug the actual program.

What does this do?

int engFail()
{

	char choice;

	cout << "Are you airborne? \n";
	cin >> choice;

        cout << "User entered: " << choice << '\n';

	choice = islower(choice);

        cout << "choice transformed to: " << choice << '\n';
	
	if (choice == 'y')
	{
        cout << "Entered choice == y " << '\n';
		elec();
	}
	else if (choice == 'n')
	{
        cout << "Entered choice == n " << '\n';
		cout << "Have a drink and call a mechanic." << endl;
		mainMenu();
	}
	else if (choice != 'y' || 'n')  // this line is wrong
	{
        cout << "Entered choice == y || n " << '\n';
		cout << "Please enter y or n." << endl;
	}
		
	return 0;
}

[coder777]

I guess you want tolower(...).

Line 19: The if statement doesn't work this way. Change to:

else if (choice != 'y' || choice != 'n')

You can omit this if because it is already determined that it is neither 'y' nor 'n'.

[caliJobCase]

Thank you both so much. I made the changes suggested by coder777 and the statement functions perfectly now. Repeater I really appreciate the reminder to step through my own code.