Issues with if string validation loop [closed] - c++

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I'm working on a validation if loop which checks for pipes at the beginning and end and makes sure there are 32 valid characters (valid chars are : and |)
I'm wondering why my program is not reading the if statement correctly for a 32 character input. Here is what I have so far.
void checkitout(string validate)
{
string check;
check = validate;
if ((check.length() == 31) &&
(check.substr(0,1) == "|") &&
(check.substr(31,1) == "|"))
{
cout << "is this running?";
for (int i = 0; i < 31; i++)
{
cout << "for loop running";
if (!(check.substr(i, 1) == ":") || !(check.substr(i, 1) == "|"))
{
cout << "Please enter acceptable barcode.";
return;
}
}
}
else
{
cout << "else Please enter acceptable barcode";
}
}
I'm new to this but I think I'm on the right track. The couts are to test to see if the loop is working. It goes right to the else state. Here is a sample input
||:|:::|:|:||::::::||:|::|:::|||
As always, any thoughts on how to do this better are greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Your string has a lenght of 32, thus the if-condition is false because of check.length() == 31.
Also the if-condition in your loop needs an "&&" instead of an "||", since you want it to be neither "|" nor ":" to be an unacceptable barcode.
Changes are marked in bold.
void checkitout(string validate)
{
string check;
check = validate;
string one = check.substr(4,1);
cout << (check.substr(4,1) == one) << endl;
if ((check.length() == **32**) &&
(check.substr(0,1) == "|") &&
(check.substr(31,1) == "|"))
{
cout << "is this running?";
for (int i = 0; i < 31; i++)
{
cout << "for loop running";
if (!(check.substr(i, 1) == ":") **&&** !(check.substr(i, 1) == "|"))
{
cout << "Please enter acceptable barcode.";
return;
}
}
}
else
{
cout << "else Please enter acceptable barcode";
}
}