Loop fails during first attempt - c++

Question

I am completing a lab assignment where the user is prompted for the type if fish they wish to order and to enter the price per pound. The user needs to be prompted for the type of fish and the price two times before the report prints.
The problem is that the program ends before the first instance of the loop has completed. (The way the code is written the titles on the report will print twice, but that was in the instructions.)
The code is below and any assistance is greatly appreciated.
#include <iostream>
#include <iomanip>
#include <string>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
float price;
string fishType;
int counter = 0;
// Change the console's background color.
system ("color F0");
while (counter < 3){
// Collect input from the user.
cout << "Enter the type of seafood: ";
cin >> fishType; // <------ FAILS AT THIS POINT. I GET THE PROMPT AND AT THE "ENTER" IT DISPLAYS THE REPORT
cout << "Enter the price per pound using dollars and cents: ";
cin >> price;
counter++;
}
// Display the report.
cout << " SEAFOOD REPORT\n\n";
cout << "TYPE OF PRICE PER" << endl;
cout << "SEAFOOD POUND" << endl;
cout << "-------------------------------" << endl;
cout << fixed << setprecision(2) << showpoint<< left << setw(25)
<< fishType << "$" << setw(5) << right << price << endl;
cout << "\n\n";
system ("pause");
return 0;
}

Answer 1

The new line character will not have been consumed by the read, using std::istream::operator>>(float), of the price:
cin >> price; // this will not consume the new line character.
The presence of the new line character during the next read, using operator>>(std::istream, std::string)), into fishType:
cin >> fishType; // Reads a blank line, effectively.
and then the user input that was intended to be the next fishType will be read (and fail to be) by the price as it will not be a valid float value.
To correct, ignore() until the next new line character after the read of the price. Something like:
cin.ignore(1024, '\n');
// or: cin.ignore(std::numeric_limits<std::streamsize>::max(), '\n');
Always check the status of input operation to determine if they were successful or not. This is easily achieved:
if (cin >> price)
{
// success.
}
If the fishType can contain spaces then using operator>>(std::istream, std::string) is not appropriate as it will stop reading at the first whitespace. Use std::getline() instead:
if (std::getline(cin, fishType))
{
}
When the user enters input a new line character will be written to stdin, i.e cin:
cod\n
1.9\n
salmon\n
2.7\n
On first iteration of the loop:
cin >> fishType; // fishType == "cod" as operator>> std::string
// will read until first whitespace.
and cin now contains:
\n
1.9\n
salmon\n
2.7\n
then:
cin >> price; // This skips leading whitespace and price = 1.9
and cin now contains:
\n
salmon\n
2.7\n
then:
cin >> fishType; // Reads upto the first whitespace
// i.e reads nothin and cin is unchanged.
cin >> price; // skips the whitespace and fails because
// "salmon" is not a valid float.