Very strange unexpected output

[rfitz123]

Sorry, this code is long, but it is redundant and very readable. It was building off a past post of mine, but it won't let me post because the topic is too long. Anyways, the problem revolves around the qy variable, which counts the number of "yes" responses. However, when the final percentage is calculated using winningValue and qy, it makes a number which could only come from a value of 26, even though there are only 20 questions. This leads me to think qy may have accidentally been somehow linked with the a,b,c variables, or the va,vb,vc variables. Adding to the strangeness, I added a "cout << qy << endl" to the end, but it seems to simply skip over that line. If anybody is willing to read it, and give me any ideas, it would be appreciated, its been on my mind too long. Can't fit the code, so it will be in the reply below.

[rfitz123]

#include <iostream>
#include <string>

using namespace std;

int main (int argc, char**argv)
{
	//Declaration of Variables

	std::string a = "doctor.";
	std::string b = "teacher.";
	std::string c = "scientist.";
	std::string d = "zookeeper.";
	std::string e = "veterinarian.";
	std::string f = "firefighter.";
	std::string g = "therapist.";
	std::string h = "babysitter.";
	std::string i = "construction worker.";
	std::string j = "mechanic.";
	std::string k = "car salesman.";
	std::string l = "filmmaker.";
	std::string m = "artist.";
	std::string n = "sports player.";
	std::string o = "businessman.";
	std::string p = "computer programmer.";
	std::string q = "engineer.";
	std::string r = "mathematician.";
	std::string s = "farmer.";
	std::string t = "astronaut.";
	std::string u = "pilot.";
	std::string v = "author.";
	std::string w = "policeman.";
	std::string x = "detective.";
	std::string y = "physical therapist.";
	std::string z = "lawyer.";

	//Occupations initialized ^^

	std::string a1, a2, a3, a4, a5, a6, a7, a8, a9, a10, a11, a12, a13, a14, a15, a16, a17, a18, a19, a20;

	//Answer strings initalized ^^

	int va = 0, vb = 0, vc = 0, vd = 0, ve = 0, vf = 0, vg = 0, vh = 0, vi = 0, vj = 0, vk = 0, vl = 0, vm = 0, vn = 0, vo = 0, vp = 0, vq = 0, vr = 0, vs = 0, vt = 0, vu = 0, vv = 0, vw = 0, vx = 0, vy = 0, vz = 0, qy = 0;

	//Occupation ratings initalized ^^

	std::string winningJob;
	double winningValue = 1;

	//Time to introduce the program and instructions
	
	cout << "Don't know what you want for a career?  Take this short quiz and find out what's best for you.  Answer yes or no." << endl;
	cout << endl;

	system("pause");

	cout << endl;
	
	//Time to ask the questions

	for (int qs = 1; qs <= 20, ++qs;)
	{

		//Ask each question and return the answer as a#

		switch (qs)
		{
			case 1:
				cout << "Do you like to work with other people?" << endl;
				std::cin >> a1;
				cout << endl;
				break;
			case 2:
				cout << "Are you creative?" << endl;
				std::cin >> a2;
				cout << endl;
				break;
			case 3:
				cout << "Do you like to exercise?" << endl;
				std::cin >> a3;
				cout << endl;
				break;
			case 4:
				cout << "Are you good at math?" << endl;
				std::cin >> a4;
				cout << endl;
				break;
			case 5:
				cout << "Do you like to work with your hands?" << endl;
				std::cin >> a5;
				cout << endl;
				break;
			case 6:
				cout << "Are you good with kids?" << endl;
				std::cin >> a6;
				cout << endl;
				break;
			case 7:
				cout << "Are you competitive?" << endl;
				std::cin >> a7;
				cout << endl;
				break;
			case 8:
				cout << "Do you value justice?" << endl;
				std::cin >> a8;
				cout << endl;
				break;
			case 9:
				cout << "Are you good with technology?" << endl;
				std::cin >> a9;
				cout << endl;
				break;
			case 10:
				cout << "Are you easily afraid?" << endl;
				std::cin >> a10;
				cout << endl;
				break;
			case 11:
				cout << "Do you like to work with moving parts?" << endl;
				std::cin >> a11;
				cout << endl;
				break;
			case 12:
				cout << "Are you often kind or generous to others?" << endl;
				std::cin >> a12;
				cout << endl;
				break;
			case 13:
				cout << "Do you like to solve riddles or puzzles?" << endl;
				std::cin >> a13;
				cout << endl;
				break;
			case 14:
				cout << "Is money important to you?" << endl;
				std::cin >> a14;
				cout << endl;
				break;
			case 15:
				cout << "Do you like to be outside?" << endl;
				std::cin >> a15;
				cout << endl;
				break;
			case 16:
				cout << "Do you like to tell stories?" << endl;
				std::cin >> a16;
				cout << endl;
				break;
			case 17:
				cout << "Do you often feel the need to express yourself?" << endl;
				std::cin >> a17;
				cout << endl;
				break;
			case 18:
				cout << "Are you good at persuasion?" << endl;
				std::cin >> a18;
				cout << endl;
				break;
			case 19:
				cout << "Do you like animals?" << endl;
				std::cin >> a19;
				cout << endl;
				break;
			case 20:
				cout << "Do you get angry easily?" << endl;
				std::cin >> a20;
				cout << endl;
				break;
		}
	    //Questions now have answers in the form of a string
	}
	//Exiting for loop

	//Time to increase each rating based on answers

	if (a1 == "yes")
	{
		++vb;
		++vd;
		++vg;
		++vi;
		++vl;
		++vn;
		++vo;
		++vy;
		++qy;
	}
	
	if (a2 == "yes")
	{
		++vl;
		++vm;
		++vv;
		++qy;
	}
	
	if (a3 == "yes")
	{
		++vn;
		++vy;
		++qy;
	}

	if (a4 == "yes")
	{
		++vj;
		++vp;
		++vq;
		++vs;
		++vt;
		++qy;
	}

	if (a5 == "yes")
	{
		++vi;
		++vj;
		++vl;
		++vq;
		++vs;
		++vt;
		++vy;
		++qy;
	}

	if (a6 == "yes")
	{
		++va;
		++vb;
		++vh;
		++qy;
	}

	if (a7 == "yes")
	{
		++vk;
		++vn;
		++vo;
		++vz;
		++qy;
	}

	if (a8 == "yes")
	{
		++vw;
		++vx;
		++vz;
		++qy;
	}

	if (a9 == "yes")
	{
		++vc;
		++vj;
		++vl;
		++vp;
		++vq;
		++vt;
		++vu;
		++qy;
	}

	if (a10 == "yes")
	{
		++vh;
		++vm;
		++vv;
		++qy;
	}

	if (a11 == "yes")
	{
		++vj;
		++vq;
		++vt;
		++vu;
		++vy;
		++qy;
	}

	if (a12 == "yes")
	{
		++va;
		++vb;
		++vd;
		++ve;
		++vh;
		++vy;
		++qy;
	}

	if (a13 == "yes")
	{
		++vc;
		++vj;
		++vp;
		++vq;
		++vr;
		++vx;
		++vz;
		++qy;
	}

	if (a14 == "yes")
	{
		++va;
		++vc;
		++ve;
		++vl;
		++vn;
		++vo;
		++vp;
		++vq;
		++vt;
		++vu;
		++vx;
		++vz;
		++qy;
	}

	if (a15 == "yes")
	{
		++vd;
		++vs;
		++qy;
	}

	if (a16 == "yes")
	{
		++vl;
		++vm;
		++vv;
		++qy;
	}

	if (a17 == "yes")
	{
		++vl;
		++vm;
		++vv;
		++qy;
	}

	if (a18 == "yes")
	{
		++vg;
		++vk;
		++vo;
		++vz;
		++qy;
	}

	if (a19 == "yes")
	{
		++vd;
		++ve;
		++vh;
		++vs;
		++qy;
	}

	if (a20 == "yes")
	{
		--va;
		--vb;
		--vd;
		--ve;
		--vg;
		--vh;
		--vx;
		--vz;
		--qy;
	}


	//Ratings are now set as a value which will correspond to each occupation.

	//Time to find the largest value.


	int array[26] = { va, vb, vc, vd, ve, vf, vg, vh, vi, vj, vk, vl, vm, vn, vo, vp, vq, vr, vs, vt, vu, vv, vw, vx, vy, vz };
	
	for (int count = 1; count < 26; ++count)
	{
		cout << array[count] << endl;

		if (array[count] > winningValue)
		{
			winningValue = array[count];
		}
	
	}
	
	//Winning value has been set.

	//Time to find the winning occupation based on the winning value.

	if (winningValue == va)
	{
		winningJob = a;
	}

	if (winningValue == vb)
	{
		winningJob = b;
	}

	if (winningValue == vc)
	{
		winningJob = c;
	}

	if (winningValue == vd)
	{
		winningJob = d;
	}

	if (winningValue == ve)
	{
		winningJob = e;
	}

	if (winningValue == vf)
	{
		winningJob = f;
	}

	if (winningValue == vg)
	{
		winningJob = g;
	}

	if (winningValue == vh)
	{
		winningJob = h;
	}

	if (winningValue == vi)
	{
		winningJob = i;
	}

	if (winningValue == vj)
	{
		winningJob = j;
	}

	if (winningValue == vk)
	{
		winningJob = k;
	}

	if (winningValue == vl)
	{
		winningJob = l;
	}

	if (winningValue == vm)
	{
		winningJob = m;
	}

	if (winningValue == vn)
	{
		winningJob = n;
	}

	if (winningValue == vo)
	{
		winningJob = o;
	}

	if (winningValue == vp)
	{
		winningJob = p;
	}

	if (winningValue == vq)
	{
		winningJob = q;
	}

	if (winningValue == vr)
	{
		winningJob = r;
	}

	if (winningValue == vs)
	{
		winningJob = s;
	}

	if (winningValue == vt)
	{
		winningJob = t;
	}

	if (winningValue == vu)
	{
		winningJob = u;
	}

	if (winningValue == vv)
	{
		winningJob = v;
	}

	if (winningValue == vw)
	{
		winningJob = w;
	}

	if (winningValue == vx)
	{
		winningJob = x;
	}

	if (winningValue == vy)
	{
		winningJob = y;
	}

	if (winningValue == vz)
	{
		winningJob = z;
	}

	//Winning job has now been set.

	

	//Time to report the results to the user.
	cout << endl;
	cout << "Based on your answers, a good choice for a career would be " << winningJob << endl;
	cout << "It is a " << 100 * (winningValue / qy) << "% match!" << endl;
	cout << qy << endl;

	//Program is finished 

	system("pause");

	return(0);

}

[Mantorr22]

What is the purpose of this program?

if (a1 == "yes")
{
		++vb;
		++vd;
		++vg;
		++vi;
		++vl;
		++vn;
		++vo;
		++vy;
		++qy;
}

Can you explain what the variables vb, vd, vq, vi, vn, vo, vy, qy are?

[cire]

You have a misplaced comma and semi-colon here (line 61):
for (int qs = 1; qs <= 20, ++qs;)
As a result, your for loop is infinite.

Should be:
for (int qs=1; qs <=20; ++qs)

[dhayden]

Why do you have the loop at all? Lines 61-170 are the same as:

    cout << "Do you like to work with other people?" << endl;
    std::cin >> a1;
    cout << endl;

    cout << "Are you creative?" << endl;
    std::cin >> a2;
    cout << endl;

    cout << "Do you like to exercise?" << endl;
    std::cin >> a3;
    cout << endl;

    cout << "Are you good at math?" << endl;
    std::cin >> a4;
    cout << endl;

    cout << "Do you like to work with your hands?" << endl;
    std::cin >> a5;
    cout << endl;

    cout << "Are you good with kids?" << endl;
    std::cin >> a6;
    cout << endl;

    cout << "Are you competitive?" << endl;
    std::cin >> a7;
    cout << endl;

    cout << "Do you value justice?" << endl;
    std::cin >> a8;
    cout << endl;

    cout << "Are you good with technology?" << endl;
    std::cin >> a9;
    cout << endl;

    cout << "Are you easily afraid?" << endl;
    std::cin >> a10;
    cout << endl;

    cout << "Do you like to work with moving parts?" << endl;
    std::cin >> a11;
    cout << endl;

    cout << "Are you often kind or generous to others?" << endl;
    std::cin >> a12;
    cout << endl;

    cout << "Do you like to solve riddles or puzzles?" << endl;
    std::cin >> a13;
    cout << endl;

    cout << "Is money important to you?" << endl;
    std::cin >> a14;
    cout << endl;

    cout << "Do you like to be outside?" << endl;
    std::cin >> a15;
    cout << endl;

    cout << "Do you like to tell stories?" << endl;
    std::cin >> a16;
    cout << endl;

    cout << "Do you often feel the need to express yourself?" << endl;
    std::cin >> a17;
    cout << endl;

    cout << "Are you good at persuasion?" << endl;
    std::cin >> a18;
    cout << endl;

    cout << "Do you like animals?" << endl;
    std::cin >> a19;
    cout << endl;

    cout << "Do you get angry easily?" << endl;
    std::cin >> a20;
    cout << endl;

Any time you find yourself writing lots of code that is almost identical you should consider factoring the code. In this case, you should have data that represents the questions, the careers, and how the questions affect the potential careers. Then the code just presents the questions and computes the best career. Ideally, the data should all go in a configuration file so you can add careers and questions without having to recompile the code.

[48T7M4Gy]

This is a rough start to how you can save a lot of duplication. there are a couple of aspects to add which are not too complicated:
1. Error checking answers to force only y or n (Y or N) answers
2. Rewrite the business rules on career ratings.

#include <iostream>
#include <string>

int main ()
{
    std::string career[] =
    {
        "doctor","teacher","scientist","zookeeper","veterinarian","firefighter.",
        "therapist","babysitter","construction worker","mechanic","car salesman.",
        "filmmaker","artist","sports player","businessman","computer programmer.",
        "engineer","mathematician","farmer","astronaut","pilot","author.",
        "policeman","detective","physical therapist","lawyer."
    };
    size_t no_careers = sizeof(career)/sizeof(std::string);
    int *career_rating = new int[no_careers]; // OR USE HARD CODED CONST ARRAY SIZE
    
    std::string question[] =
    {
        "Do you like to work with other people?",
        "Are you creative?",
        "Do you like to exercise?",
        "Are you good at math?",
        "Do you like to work with your hands?",
        "Are you good with kids?",
        "Are you competitive?",
        "Do you value justice?",
        "Are you good with technology?",
        "Are you easily afraid?",
        "Do you like to work with moving parts?",
        "Are you often kind or generous to others?",
        "Do you like to solve riddles or puzzles?",
        "Is money important to you?",
        "Do you like to be outside?",
        "Do you like to tell stories?",
        "Do you often feel the need to express yourself?",
        "Are you good at persuasion?",
        "Do you like animals?",
        "Do you get angry easily?"
    };
    size_t no_questions = sizeof(question)/sizeof(std::string);
    
    std::string winning_job;
    double winning_value = 1;
    
    char* answer = new char[no_questions]; // OR USE HARD CODED CONST ARRAY SIZE
    
    std::cout
    << "Don't know what you want for a career?\n"
    << "Take this short quiz and find out what's best for you.\n"
    << "Answer Y/N \n";
    
    //Ask the questions
    for(int i = 0; i < no_questions; i++)
    {
        std::cout << "Question: " << i + 1 << " - " << question[i] << ": ";
        std::cin >> answer[i];
    }
    
    
    //Time to increase each rating based on answers
    
    
    //Winning job has now been set.
    
    //Time to report the results to the user.
    //std::cout << "Based on your answers, a good choice for a career would be " << winningJob << '\n';
    //std::cout << "It is a " << 100 * (winning_value / qy) << "% match!" << ,\n';
    //std::cout << qy << '\n';
    
    //Program is finished
    delete [] career_rating;
    delete [] answer;
    
    return(0);
}

PS You can use vectors and save a lot of bother. I'd be surprised if the final program this way exceeds 120 lines so only 30 0r 40 to go tops. :)