Parsing a complex number

Question

I am trying to take a complex number input from the user in a form of a char or string like: 88.90-55.16i or -3.67+5i

and then convert it to float keeping the same format as above. Not (x,y).

char user[100];
vector < float > V;


for (int y = 0; y < 5; y++)
{
    cout << "Enter a complex number:" << endl;
    cin >> user;

    float newfloat = atof(user);


    cout << newfloat << endl;


}

Currently its not converting the whole number. Just 88 or -3 from above input examples.

Answer 1

You would need to store the real and imaginary components of the complex number in separate float variables, which may or may not be grouped using a struct/class or std::pair<>. Input should be something like this:

std::cout << "Enter a complex number:\n";
float real, imaginary;
char i;
if (std::cin >> real >> imaginary >> i && i == 'i')
{
    ...do something with real & imaginary...
}
else
{
    std::cerr << "unable to parse input as a complex number\n";
    exit(1);
}

(FWIW, this is very obviously related to this earlier question - either the same person using a new username, or someone doing the same assignment. I provide an example program using std::complex<> in my answer there.)