need to sort by one column

Maybe create a student object (class derived from CObject), with members for the student's name and grades.

Create an ObjectArray of student objects (based on file contents) and sort that array based on each students final grade except now you can swap the poitions of each student object rather than just the final grade, thus all grades will stay with the appropriate student, etc.

this was in response to russ's comment

the problem with that is that we haven't covered classes yet, i think i'm expected to code the program with the material we've covered so far... so what I'm trying to say is I have no idea how to do what you just suggested :D

-Dave

ok, the numbers all match up now, but I'm having problems making the char array swap properly.

this is what i have:

#include<iostream>
#include<fstream>
#include<iomanip>
using namespace std;

struct STUDENT
{
char name[20];
float test1;
float test2;
float test3;
float test_final;
}student[20];

void sortbyFinal();

int main()
{
int i = 0;

ifstream inputFile;
ofstream outputFile;

inputFile.open("data2.dat");
outputFile.open("grade2.out");
outputFile << "CS256.002\t\t\tGrade Report\t\t\tSpring 2004\n\n";
outputFile << "Student\tTest1\tTest2\tTest3\tFinal Test";
outputFile << "\t Average\tLetter Grade\n";
outputFile << fixed << setprecision(0);
cout << "Getting Data from file...";


for(i = 0; i < 20; i++)
{
inputFile >> student[i].name >> student[i].test1>> student[i].test2;
inputFile >> student[i].test3 >> student[i].test_final;
}

cout << "\nPrior to sorting we have:\n";

for(i = 0; i < 20; i++)
{
cout << student[i].name << " " << student[i].test1 << " " << student[i].test2;
cout << " " << student[i].test3 << " " << student[i].test_final << endl;
}
sortbyFinal(); // function to sort by final

cout << "\nAfter sorting we have:\n";

for(i = 0; i < 20; i++)
{
cout << student[i].name << " " << student[i].test1 << " " << student[i].test2;
cout << " " << student[i].test3 << " " << student[i].test_final << endl;
}
cout << endl;

outputFile << "\n";
outputFile.close();
}

void sortbyFinal()
{
bool swap;
float temp;

do
{
swap = false;

for (int count=0;count<20;count++)
{
if(student[count].test_final > student[count+1].test_final)
{

//this swap the final test
temp = student[count].test_final;
student[count].test_final = student[count+1].test_final;
student[count+1].test_final = temp;

//also need to swap other data

float j;
char tempname[20];
j = temp;

tempname[j] = student[count].name;
student[count].name = student[count+1].name;
student[count+1].name = tempname[j];

/*
temp = student[count].name;
student[count].name = student[count+1].name;
student[count+1].name = temp;
*/
temp = student[count].test1; //correct example?
student[count].test1 = student[count+1].test1;
student[count+1].test1 = temp;

temp = student[count].test2;
student[count].test2 = student[count+1].test2;
student[count+1].test2 = temp;

temp = student[count].test3;
student[count].test3 = student[count+1].test3;
student[count+1].test3 = temp;

//
// its better if the swapping done in another function
// and make sure all the data name,test1,test2,test3 and
// final_test is swapped
swap = true;
}
}
} while(swap);
}

I'm not sure how to make the swap with the char arrays work, any ideas?

-Dave

I ended up using strcpy and it did the trick...

whew! I spent 15hrs plus on this... i don't think computer programming is for me :(

thanks for your help max and russ

-Dave

Also, note that is used i < 19 in the sort rather than i < 20, otherwise when i = 19, i+1 is invalid, and your last item sorted will be corrupted.