Do-while loop running twice when it should run only once (C++) - c++

Question

friends. I have a problem.
Problem: the computer must pick randomly one string out of an array of 36 strings. If by any chance it picks strings #34 or #35 (the two last ones), it has to draw two more random strings from the same array. I tried a do-while solution, and it "almost" works (see code below).
The randomization works fine - called srand inside main(). There is a forced "x2" draw (for testing reasons), so the computer draws two more strings. These two new random picks are NOT "x2", but still the loop kicks again - but just one more time! This time the computer picks two more "chits", which aren't "x2" either, so, as expected, it returns the "The chits have been drawn" sentence and the function is terminated. Why is the same code running twice with the same results but different if/else behavior? Thank you very much in advance.
string mortalityCalc ()
{
string mortalityChits[36] = {"1","2","3","4","5","6","7","8","9","10","11","12","13","14","15","16","17","18","19","20","21","22","23","24","25","26","27","28","29","30","-","-","-","-","x2","x2"};
int mortalityResult;
// mortalityResult = rand() %36;
mortalityResult = 35; // for testing only. Delete afterwards.
string drawnChit = mortalityChits[mortalityResult];
string drawnChit1;
string drawnChit2;
if (drawnChit != "-" && drawnChit != "x2")
{
string returnText = string("The computer has drawn the chit '") + drawnChit + "'.";
return returnText;
}
else if (drawnChit == "-")
{
string returnText = string("The computer has drawn the chit '") + drawnChit + "'. No senators died this year.";
return returnText;
}
do
{
cout << "The computer has drawn the 'x2' chit." << endl;
cout << "Two more chits will be drawn.\n" << endl;
mortalityResult = rand() %36;
drawnChit1 = mortalityChits[mortalityResult];
cout << "The first draw is the chit '" << drawnChit1 << "'. ";
mortalityResult = rand() %36;
drawnChit2 = mortalityChits[mortalityResult];
cout << "The second draw is the chit '" << drawnChit2 << "'." << endl;
} while (drawnChit1 == "x2" || drawnChit2 == "x2");
return "The mortality chits have been drawn. The corresponding senators are dead.";
}
UPDATE: Tried running this code isolated from the rest of the program and it behave as expected. So I guess it's important to post what comes before it:
cout << "If you are a lazy bastard, the computer can pick one senator randomly for you.\nAre you a lazy bastard? [y/n]" << endl;
string lazyBastard;
cin >> lazyBastard;
cout << endl;
if (lazyBastard == "y" || lazyBastard == "Y" || lazyBastard == "yes" || lazyBastard == "YES" || lazyBastard == "Yes")
{
mortalityCalc ();
cout << mortalityCalc () << endl;
cout << "Very well. Now, imminent wars become active (Only one of each match)." << endl;
cout << "Get ready for the next phase." << endl;
My guess, from reading some other questions here, is that somehow the cin is messing with the loop behavior, even though they are not related and there's no user input whatsoever in the loop's statements or conditions. Is that possible? If so, why and how to remedy it?
Thank you again.

Answer 1

In the first loop you are forcing an 'x2' so your are entering the do-while loop. The result of the two calls for 'rand())%36' is always 19 and a number between 30 and 34. The point is that the random number generator generates always the same sequence of numbers, if you don't give him a seed 'srand(...)'.
do {
// ...
cout << rand()%36;
// ...
} while( /*...*/ )
See http://ideone.com/zl8ggH
You have to create random numbers and your code does what you expect.

Answer 2

Finally! I thought it would be a stupid thing! I just realized that I called the mortalityCalc() function twice! That's why it was looping twice!
Thanks to all who tried to help!