Convert integers to characters

Question

I am trying to get my program to print letters instead of numbers. I used char c = static_cast<char>(N); to attempt to do this but it wont work, instead it prints character images that are not (a-z) How can I get the numbers to be printed as letters?

#include  <cstdlib>
#include  <iostream>
using namespace std;

// Function getUserInput obtains an integer input value from the user.
//  This function performs no error checking of user input.
int getUserInput()
{
    int N(0);

    cout << endl << "Please enter a positive, odd integer value, between (1-51): ";
    cin >> N;
    if (N < 1 || N > 51 || N % 2 == 0)
    {
        cout << "Error value is invalid!" << "\n";
        cout << endl << "Please enter a positive, odd integer value, between (1-51): ";
        cin >> N;
        system("cls");
    }

    cout << endl;
    return N;
} // end getUserInput function

//  Function printDiamond prints a diamond comprised of N rows of asterisks.
//  This function assumes that N is a positive, odd integer.
void printHourglass(int N)
{
    char c = static_cast<char>(N);
    for (int row = (N / 2); row >= 1; row--)
    {
        for (int spaceCount = 1; spaceCount <= (N / 2 + 1 - row); spaceCount++)
            cout << ' ';
        for (int column = 1; column <= (2 * row - 1); column++)
            cout << c;
        cout << endl;
    } // end for loop
    // print top ~half of the diamond ...
    for (int row = 1; row <= (N / 2 + 1); row++)
    {
        for (int spaceCount = 1; spaceCount <= (N / 2 + 1 - row); spaceCount++)
            cout << ' ';
        for (int column = 1; column <= (2 * row - 1); column++)
            cout << c;
        cout << endl;
    } // end for loop

    // print bottom ~half of the diamond ...


    return;
} // end printDiamond function

int main()
{
    int N = 1;

    while (N == 1)
    {
        printHourglass(getUserInput());
        cout << endl;
        cout << "Would you like to print another hourglass? ( 1 = Yes, 0 = No ):";
        cin >> N;
    }
} // end main function

Take a look at `::std::to_string`, forget the legacy methods. — user1095108, Oct 08 '13 at 00:44
I want it to print letters that are incrementing and deincrmenting according to the for loops. Example: "ABCDCBA" — Ralph Lee Stone, Oct 08 '13 at 00:51
Among other things, you can't hold most of the numbers you allow in a single char. For example, `21` is 2 characters... — David, Oct 08 '13 at 00:53
So, let's say you have `int n = 0`, to map that to `A` use `char c = 'A' + n;` — Retired Ninja, Oct 08 '13 at 01:05

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 08 '13 at 00:37

0

C functions, itoa
C++, using stringstream
boost::lexical_cast

Actually for your case, you can directly print it out. cout << N

answered Oct 08 '13 at 00:37

Zac Wrangler

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9
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I changed the cout << c to cout << N and it still printed out numbers and the hour glass shape was off. – Ralph Lee Stone Oct 08 '13 at 00:44

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 08 '13 at 02:24

0

The letters are not numbered with A starting at 1 or anything like that. You're likely on an ASCII/UTF-8 system. So, in printHourglass, replace cout << N with

cout << static_cast<char>('A' + count - 1);

answered Oct 08 '13 at 02:24

Kuba hasn't forgotten Monica

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313

Convert integers to characters

2 Answers2