Question

When a coordinate is selected, it should be replaced with a “~”. However, it’s being replaced with the ascii value for the ~ instead (126). I tried a few different things, but I always get the 126 instead of the ~. Any ideas?
Thanks for the help!

int board_is_empty(int N, int board[ROWS][COLS])
{
    int i = 0, j = 0;
    for (i = 0; i < N; i++)
    {
        for (j = 0; j < N; j++)
        {
            if (board[i][j] != '~')
            {
                return 0;
            }
        }
    }
    return 1;
}

//updates the board to replace each selected coordinate with a ~.
//returns nothing
void update_board (int board[ROWS][COLS], int row_target, int column_target)
{

    board[row_target][column_target] = '~';
}

int main(void)
{
    int game_board[ROWS][COLS] = {0};
    int rows, columns = 0;
    int players_turn = 1, target_column = -1, target_row = -1, value = 0;
    int row_selection = 0, column_selection = 0;
    int i = 0;

    initialize_game_board(game_board);
    display_board(game_board);
    generate_starting_point(game_board, &rows, &columns);

    printf ("\nPlease hit <Enter> to continue.\n");
    getchar ();

    while (board_is_empty(ROWS, game_board) != 1)
    {
        select_target (&target_row, &target_column, players_turn);
        value += game_board[target_row][target_column];
        update_board (game_board, target_row, target_column); //should cause the coordinates at target_row && target_column to be replaced with a ~
        display_board(game_board);
    }
    printf("\n%d", value);

}

Answer 1

‘~’ is a character and you have declared board as a two dimensional integer array.

so when you write board[row_target][column_target] = ‘~’;

it convert ‘~’ it into integer i.e into its ascii value which is 126
and there for it becomes board[row_target][column_target] = 126

I will suggest make board as two dimensional character array. Hopefully it will solve your problem.

And in case if you want it as integer only then consider 126 as a special no which means ‘~’ by declaring