Saving Output in a While Loop

dict=readDictionary('dictionary_long.txt'); % read dictionary
idx=randperm(length(dict),1);
randWord = dict{idx};
str = randWord;
for i = 1:length(randWord)
    fprintf("*");
end
fprintf("\n");
for i = 1:length(str)
  disp(str(i))
end

Correct = [];
while (some condintion)
    A = input('Enter a Letter: ','s');
    for i=1:strlength(str)
        Correct = strrep(randWord,str(i),A);
       if Correct == randWord
           fprintf(A)
       else fprintf('*')
       end
    end
    fprintf('\n')
    
end

I'm making a game of hangman and have gotten the code to produce a random word in a dictionary, however i can't save the letter I guess from the while loop. This means the user can't keep track of the letters they have tried. Is there any way to save these correct attempts into a vector?

Answer 1

[Turlough Hughes]

You could store the letters as follows in the variable currentResult. I've added in some conditions to count lives. One could also add other conditions like, checks to ensure you don't guess the same letter twice. The while loop runs until one of the conditions in the second if else block becomes true, i.e. after you win or you die.

dict= {'filter','random','ubiquitous','solid','granular','torment'}; % small sample dictionary
idx=randperm(length(dict),1);
randWord = dict{idx};

% Displays current known letters, and number of letters
currentResult = repmat('*',size(randWord));
disp(currentResult)

% ?? I'm guessing this is useful for testing
for i = 1:length(randWord)
  disp(randWord(i))
end

numLives = 4; % this can decrement by 1 for each incorrect attempt

while true
    A = input('Enter a Letter: ','s');
    
    idx = randWord == A;            % Check if input, A, matches any letters in randWord.
    
    if any(idx)                     % One or more letters matched
        
        currentResult(idx) = A;     % Insert matched letter(s) into currentResult
        disp('Correct!')
        fprintf('Word: %s\n\n',currentResult)   % display updated 'currentResult'
        
    else                             % case for incorrect guess.
        
        numLives = numLives-1;       % lose a life
        fprintf('Incorrect! Number of lives left: %d\n',numLives) % display numLives
        fprintf('Word: %s\n\n',currentResult)       % display current result
    end
    
    % if one of these conditions passes, let user know they won/died and
    % exit loop.
    if numLives == 0
        disp('You died.')
        break % exits the loop
    elseif ~any(currentResult=='*') % if there are no *'s left then you win.
        disp('Congratulations, you win!')
        break % exits the loop
    end

end