Question

C++ there is an issue with my if/else statements, I have tried several different ways to make it match the instructions but each time i get different errors. Need help geting this to match the instructions peoperly.

*******************instructions*****************************
Function: nextGeneration
This function has no parameters.
This function returns an int.
The purpose of this function is to modify the grid to represent the next generation. Here's how you are supposed to do that for this assignment:
Set each element of the count array to the number of live neighbors that the corresponding element in the grid array has.
For each element in the grid array, set it according to the following rules: If the cell was LIVE and has less than two or more than three live neighbors, then change it to DEAD. If the cell was DEAD and has exactly three live neighbors, then change it to LIVE.
Add one to the generation.
Return the value of the generation instance variable.

*************************code ******************************
int automata::nextGeneration() {
for (int r = 0; r < ROWS; r++) {
for ( int c = 0; c < COLS; c++) {
count[ROWS][COLS] = getLiveNeighbors(r,c);
}
}
for (int r = 0; r < ROWS; r++) {
for ( int c = 0; c < COLS; c++) {
if (grid[ROWS][COLS] == DEAD) {
if (count[ROWS][COLS] == 3) {
grid[ROWS][COLS] = LIVE;
} else {
if (count[ROWS][COLS] <= 2) {
grid[ROWS][COLS] = DEAD;
}
if (count[ROWS][COLS] > 3) {
grid[ROWS][COLS] = DEAD;
}
}
}
}
}
generation++;
return generation;
}

************************.h file**************************

#ifndef __AUTOMATA_H__
#define __AUTOMATA_H__

#include <iostream>
using std::ostream;

class automata {
private:
static const char LIVE = '*';
static const char DEAD = ' ';
static const int ROWS = 20;
static const int COLS= 60;

int generation;
char grid[ROWS][COLS];
int count[ROWS][COLS];

public:
automata();
void reset();
void setCell(const int r, const int col);
void clearCell(const int r, const int col);
bool isValidCell(const int r, const int c) const;
int getLiveNeighbors(const int r, const int c) const;
int getGeneration() const;
int nextGeneration();
friend ostream& operator<<(ostream& strm, const automata& brd);
};

#endif

Answer 1

I have updated some changes in the if statements according to the condition, have included comments for the explanation.

for (int r = 0; r < ROWS; r++) {
for ( int c = 0; c < COLS; c++) {
if (grid[ROWS][COLS] == DEAD) {
if (count[ROWS][COLS] == 3) {
grid[ROWS][COLS] = LIVE;
}}// here you need to got out of grid[ROWS][COLS] == DEAD therefore i added one }

// from here the condition is grid[ROWS][COLS] == LIVE
else {
// in this if statement you need to have condition <2 or >3 according to the question
// || this sign is for or
if (count[ROWS][COLS] < 2 || count[ROWS][COLS] > 3)
{
grid[ROWS][COLS] = DEAD;
}

}
}
}

Hope it clears your doubt :)