Using Stacks In C++ for infix and postfix expressions - c++

Question

I'm writing a program that takes user input and uses stacks to convert an infix expression into a postfix expression based on precedence, with operands always going before operators. For example, if a user inputs:
(a+b*c)
then the program should display:
abc*+
so far, I have this:
#include <iostream>
#include <stack>
#include <string>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
stack<char> s;
char input;
while (cin.get(input) && input != '\n')
{
if (isalnum(input))
cout << input << "\n";
else if (input == '(')
s.push(input);
else if (input == ')')
{
while (!s.empty() && s.top() != '(')
{
cout << s.top();
s.pop();
}
if(!s.empty())
s.pop();
else
cout << "ERROR: No Matching ( \n";
}
else if (s.empty() && input == '*'||'/'||'+'||'-' && s.top() < input) // Error Begins Here?
{
char a = '*';
char b = '/';
char c = '+';
char d = '-';
bool prec (char a, char b, char c, char d);
return ('*' > '/' > '+' > '-');
s.push(input);
}
else if (input == '*'||'/'||'+'||'-' && s.top() >= input)
while (!s.empty())
{
cout << s.top();
s.pop();
s.push(input);
}
}
while (!s.empty())
{
cout << s.top();
s.pop();
}
}
Which compiles and runs but is not functioning as it should. When an expression like "ab" is input, the program will display "ab" as it should but if I input "a+b+c", then only "a" will be displayed. This means the program is not placing the operators into the stack to be displayed later on. What I need help with is modifying the program so that when an operator is input, it should be added onto the stack and then displayed based on it's precedence (*>/>+>-) after the operands, when the input is done.
I'm quite new to C++ and programming in general, so any suggestions would be great.

Answer 1

else if (input == '*'||'/'||'+'||'-' && s.top() >= input)
This does not do what you think it does. You need to do
else if (input == '*'|| input == '/'|| input == '+'|| input == '-' && s.top() >= input)
And this looks like an error too
bool prec (char a, char b, char c, char d);
That's the syntax for a function prototype. Are you sure this compiles?

Answer 2

The problem is here:
bool prec (char a, char b, char c, char d);
return ('*' > '/' > '+' > '-');
I'm guessing this is intended to define a precedence function, but that's not what it's doing. The first line declares that such a function exists (and its arguments have nothing to do with the variables declared in the previous lines), and the second causes the whole program to terminate. If you want a function like this, you must define it outside main.
A slightly less dramatic bug is here:
if (s.empty() && input == '*'||'/'||'+'||'-' && s.top() < input)
First, this part
input == '*'||'/'||'+'||'-'
is interpreted as
(input == '*') || ('/') || ('+') || ('-')
The last three terms are true, the first is irrelevant. And I'm not even sure what s.top() does if s is empty.
This should be enough to go on. I suggest you start by building and testing routines that can, e.g., identify the operators and evaluate their precedence, before you try putting everything together in one program.

Answer 3

Falmarri is right just wanted to post that my self , and it compiles I tried it , but there is another thing : you said
else if (s.empty() && input == '*'||'/'||'+'||'-' && s.top() < input) // Error Begins Here?
Are you sure that even reached that point because when I runn it , it just stops on the :
while (cin.get(input) && input != '\n')
until I hit enter and even more you can enter more then one char from consol while in cin.get(input) but the input will contain only the first char you entered . To solve this I just put an
#include <conio.h>at the beginning an used
while ((input = getch()) && input != (char)13) in staid of you're code
short explanation
getch()
returns after you press only one character and
input != (char)13
is required in staid of
input != '\n'
because getch() return (char)13 for ENTER see ASCII table for more info.