Consecutive comparisons using if statements inside a while loop - c++

Question

I am supposed to compare two consecutive integers, i and j, that are given from a list of integers separated by whitespace which end with a 0 and, if i is less than j, I compare j to max and i to min. If the opposite, I compare j to min and i to max. The output is supposed to be each comparison I do with max, min, i, and j. Additionally, the list must be greater than 2 integers. If it is less then I am supposed to output 0. However the program does not seem to execute the if statements correctly.
int i = 1;
int j;
int max = 0;
int min = 0;
int counter = 0;
while (i != 0) {
cin >> i;
if (counter == 0) {
cout << 0 << endl;
i = min;
j = max;
} else if (counter == 1) {
cout << 0 << endl;
i = min;
j = max;
} else {
if (i < j) {
if (j > max) {
cout << j << " " << max << endl;
max = j;
}
if (i < min) {
cout << i << " " << min << endl;
min = i;
}
}
else {
if (j < min) {
cout << j << " " << min << endl;
min = j;
}
if (i > max) {
cout << i << " " << max << endl;
max = i;
}
}
}
j = i;
counter += 1;
}
}

Answer 1

You are overwriting i (and j) in the first iteration of the while loop (counter == 0) with min which is 0. As your while says while (i != 0) you immediately exit, after one while iteration. The ifs should be fine.

Answer 2

Input and counter logic can be improved by:
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main(){
int i;
int j;
int max = 0;
int min = 0;
int counter = 0;
bool flag = true; // fix the input logic
while (flag){
cin >>i;
cin>>j;
if(i==0 || j==0){
flag = false;
break;
}else{
counter ++;
if(counter < 2 ){
//your code
}
else if(i<j){
cout<<"i: "<<i<<" j: "<<j;
j = max;
i = min;
// your code
}
else if(i>j){
//your code
}
}
}
return 0;
}