Error: unexpected primary-expression before "else"

[MLZ242]

I'm supposed to write a program that is going to calculate absolute value of given number(and print appropriate message) but I'm having tough time with the statements(expe cted primary-expression before "else").I tried to fix them but I simply cannot find the right answer.Any help or hints would be greatly appreciated.

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
 
int main()
{
float n;
 
cout << "Please enter a value: ";
cin >> n;
cout << endl;
 
if (n ==0)
   cout<< "Your value is zero.";
   cout << endl;
 
else if   (n < 0)
        n= n * (-1);
        cout << "The absolute value for this number is "<<n<<".";
 
else   (n > 0)
     cout <<"Your value is positive.";
 
system("PAUSE");
return 0;
}

[Ganon11]

Are you sure you've posted your code correctly? I don't see a problem with this...

[MLZ242]

My problem is that when I try to run the program error comes up expected primary-expression before "else" .

I tried to changed the else statements to if but when I test the program I get 2 responses instead of one.

[oler1s]

You forgot the braces around the if and else statements. Code indentation and other formatting standards help in spotting these errors.

[MLZ242]

You forgot the braces around the if and else statements. Code indentation and other formatting standards help in spotting these errors.

I tried that before it didn't work.Anyway that you for the response.

[Ganon11]

No, now that you mention it, that's the problem. You have more than 1 statement under your first if... statement, so only the first statement is treated as being under the if clause. When you have more than one statement in the if...clause, you need to wrap them in curly braces:

if (n == 0) {
   // Your statement here.
   // Your second statement here.
   // Your third statement here.
} else if (n > 0) {
   // Etc.
}

The error you are getting is due to the fact that, once your program gets to the else statement, there's no if statement to connect to it - so it says, "Hey, I expected something before this else, and I didn't see anything - what's up with that?"

[MLZ242]

It works now...I placed curly brackets differently(not the way you showed it in your post).

Thank you.

[yabbadabbaduh]

I get the same error but I don't know what I could do to fix it. I was trying to make a simple calculator and have to use the if/else thing but i can't figure out how to handle that error. This is my code:

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;
 
int main()
{
    system("TITLE Calculator");
    system("COLOR 2");
    char cChar;
    double dfirstnumber;
    double dsecondnumber;
    char cDoagain;
 
    do
    {system("TITLE Calculator");
        system("CLS");
        cout<<"Please enter the first number you would like to use:"<<endl;
        cin>> dfirstnumber;
        cout<<"Please enter the operation you would lik to complete"<<" (+,-,* oder /)"<<endl;
        cin>> cChar;
        cout<<"Please enter the second number you would like to use"<<endl;
 
        switch (cChar)
        {
        case '+': ;
            cout<<"The result is: "<<dfirstnumber <<"+" <<dsecondnumber <<"="<<(dfirstnumber + dsecondnumber)<<endl;
        break;
        case '-': ;
            cout<<"The result is: "<<dfirstnumber <<"-" <<dsecondnumber <<"="<<(dfirstnumber - dsecondnumber)<<endl;
        break;
        case '*': ;
            cout<<"The result is: "<<dfirstnumber <<"*" <<dsecondnumber <<"="<<(dfirstnumber * dsecondnumber)<<endl;
        break;
        case '/': ;
        if(dsecondnumber == 0);
        {
        cout<<"That is an invalid operation"<<endl;
        }
 
        else
        {
        cout<<"The result is: "<<dfirstnumber <<"/" <<dsecondnumber <<"="<<(dfirstnumber / dsecondnumber))<<endl;
        }
        break;
        default:
            cout<<"That isan invalid operation"<< endl;
        break;
        }
    cout<<"Would you like to start again? (Y or N)"<<endl;
    cin>> cDoagain;
    }while (cDoagain =='Y' || cDoagain == 'y');
    return 0;
}

[Ganon11]

After your default statement, you have a break; - it is unnecessary, as the default is already at the end of the switch block. The break statements in the other cases are there to skip the remainder of the block and go to the end - at the default, there is nothing to skip, so the break is useless.

Also, every case, you type:

case '+': ;

The semicolon is also unnecessary. It might not cause problems, but it is just an empty statement, so it definitely won't cause any problems when removed.