How to extract numbers from a string containing commas? [Solved]

Question

I'm a beginner, working on all the "easy" Code Coach supplementary exercises. Have finished all but 3, but I'm finding the last ones a little difficult. Here is the given task:
" Evaluate the area of two different balconies and determine which one is bigger.

Input Format
Your inputs are two strings where the measurements for height and width are separated by a comma. The first one represents apartment A, the second represents apartment B.

Output Format:
A string that says whether apartment A or apartment B has a larger balcony.

Sample Input
'5,5'
'2,10' "

I have found ways to extract or alter one char in a string, but how can I extract a number > than a single char (like '10' in the Sample Input of the Task)?

I think I can solve the task fairly easily if I can learn how to seperate the whole numbers from the string.

Hopefully any suggestions will keep in mind the challenge is at "easy" level and should therefore be resolved using a beginners set of tools.

Answer 1

Two ways but actually only one:

1) Make a dummy char for the comma.

int width;
int height;
char comma;

cin >> width >> comma >> height;

2) Some people may recommend something like this:

int wdth, hght;
scanf("%d,%d", &wdth, &hght);

Yes, that works. But that is C not C++. And it is said thou shalt not mix C and C++. It is bad style, and usually done by people who migrate to C++ from C without having really learned C++ but figure, hey, it's basically the same, just add some OOP. -- No, it is not.

C++ is a language on its own. And especially when dealing with I/O, it is best not to mix C puts,scanf and C++ cin/cout streams. I am just mentioning this second way as bad example. That is why I said two but only one in the beginning.

Answer 2

Ani Jona 🕊
Brilliant! Works perfectly. So for the two apartments (just testing the input before processing):
int main() {
int widthA, heightA, widthB, heightB;
char comma;
cin >> widthA >> comma >> heightA >> widthB >> comma >> heightB;

cout << widthA << ' ' << heightA << ' ' << widthB << ' ' << heightB;

So simple but completely effective.

Thanks again!

Answer 3

You're welcome again 🙂