Hello every1 Can anyone explain to me why doesn't this program work? #include <iostream> using namespace std; int main(){ enum enumDif{EASY, MEDIUM, HARD}; enumDif difficulty; cout << "Difficluty Levels:\n"; cout << "1 - Easy\n"; cout << "2 - Medium\n"; cout << "3 - Hard\n\n"; cin >> difficulty; switch(difficulty){ case 1: cout << "You picked Easy\n"; break; case 2: cout << "You picked Medium\n"; break; case 3: cout << "You picked Hard\n"; break; } system("Pause"); } I must confess, i never understood the enum type of variable very well, probably that is were the program's error lies...if it is please explain me ^^ Best Regards! AMD ATHLON X2 5200 2.6ghz; ASUS M2N-E SLI; 2GB DDR800 KINGSTON; ASUS GF8600GTS; Seagate 7200rpm 320GB;

I do not think it should compile, much less work. This line: cin >> difficulty; should generate an error message something like: error: no match for ‘operator>>’ in ‘std::cin >> difficulty’ Here is the quote from Stroustrup: "An enumeration is a user-defined type, so users can define their own operations, such as ++ and << for an enumeration." Presumably operator>> as well. Guy

hum...oookay...sorry, i still dont get it can you give me a practical example? AMD ATHLON X2 5200 2.6ghz; ASUS M2N-E SLI; 2GB DDR800 KINGSTON; ASUS GF8600GTS; Seagate 7200rpm 320GB;

The only error I got was: Function 'system' should have a prototype in function main() After I deleted that line, it compiled and ran. ===================================== If at first you don't succeed, you're about average. M2

As with anything in C++, it depends on what your complier will let you get away with. To answer your question, a version which should work with most compliers is: #include <iostream> using namespace std; int main(){ enum enumDif{EASY = 1, MEDIUM, HARD}; int difficulty; cout << "Difficluty Levels:\n"; cout << "1 - Easy\n"; cout << "2 - Medium\n"; cout << "3 - Hard\n\n"; cin >> difficulty; switch(static_cast<enumDif>(difficulty)) { case EASY: cout << "You picked Easy\n"; break; case MEDIUM: cout << "You picked Medium\n"; break; case HARD: cout << "You picked Hard\n"; break; } return 0; } You see? Basically, enumerations let you assign words to numbers. They are technically a different type, so we had to static_cast<> it in the switch. EDIT: Also valid: if (difficulty == EASY)

Let me try to understand and correct me if im wrong please: you made the unsigned int EASY equal to 1 so that MEDIUM is 2 and HARD is 3; you made "difficulty" an int so that it can store 1, 2 or 3 typed by the user; and finnaly you used static_cast<> to convert the enumDif type of variable to an int and insted of having case 1, 2 and 3 you made the cases EASY MEDIUM and HARD beacause they worth 1, 2 and 3 ? Now, i just didnt undestand the static cast part, i think i didnt got there on my book(Begining C++ game programing)... Best Regards PS: My compiler's Dev-C++ AMD ATHLON X2 5200 2.6ghz; ASUS M2N-E SLI; 2GB DDR800 KINGSTON; ASUS GF8600GTS; Seagate 7200rpm 320GB;

you made the unsigned int EASY equal to 1 so that MEDIUM is 2 and HARD is 3; Correct. you made "difficulty" an int so that it can store 1, 2 or 3 typed by the user; Correct. and finnaly you used static_cast<> to convert the enumDif type of variable to an int The other way around; I casted the int as an enumDif. and insted of having case 1, 2 and 3 you made the cases EASY MEDIUM and HARD beacause they worth 1, 2 and 3 ? Correct.