counting the number of words in a string

[daneck13]

Write a Turing program to read a series of lines and count the
number of words read before the word "stop"is reached.

i need help with the counting of the words because i dont understand how to separate the string into words

[Insectoid]

Assuming a word is defined as a sequence of characters not including a space, just search for spaces. When you find one, you've found a word.

[Tony]

daneck13 @ Tue Mar 15, 2011 7:05 pm wrote:

i need help with the counting of the words because i dont understand how to separate the string into words

If you look at the above sentence, you might notice that words have a delimiter, typically a space, separating them.

edit: you win this round Insectoid.

[z_cross_fire]

Use the split function and keep space as delimiter (as said above)....

[Zren]

z_cross_fire @ Tue Mar 15, 2011 8:29 pm wrote:

Use the split function and keep space as delimiter (as said above)....

Turing doesn't have a built in split function. You would have to write one yourself. In this case, writing the entire split function isn't needed as you only need to scan each string.

[DtY]

Insectoid @ Tue Mar 15, 2011 7:36 pm wrote:

Assuming a word is defined as a sequence of characters not including a space, just search for spaces. When you find one, you've found a word.

Not completely. "This sentence has 7 spaces but 8 words".

When you do this, keep in mind we put a space *between* words. There will always be one less space between words than words in the sentence.

e; Multiple consecutive spaces also does not mean another word, but you probably don't need to worry about that.

[daneck13]

how would i write a split function or skan for spaces

[Insectoid]

You know how to loop over a string? Do that. Check if the character at that spot is a space. There you go.

[Tony]

daneck13 @ Wed Mar 16, 2011 2:10 pm wrote:

how would i write a split function or skan for spaces

code:

is this letter a space? no - check next letter yes - found a space!

[Insectoid]

I win again Tony.

[Tony]

Extra karma point for you.

[daneck13]

put"this program will count the number of words in a string"
put""
var words:string



get words:*
var x:int:=1
var count:= length(words)
var xx:int

for i :1..count
put i
x:=i+1
if words(i..x)=" " then
put x=1+1

else put ""


end if
end for




so heres what i have it dosent work thou

[Tony]

Well _I_ see where the problem is, but can _you_ explain in what way it "doesn't work"?

[daneck13]

well i have i put the "count" so i know what step its on but it puts a space(return) instead of searching for the space and therefor dosent count how many words there are>

[Tony]

If the program _always_ takes the else put "" path, can you then conclude that words(i..x)=" " part is _always_ false?