Re: [Beginner Problem] Varibles not getting assigned correctly

["Jeffrey R. Carter" <spam.jrcarter.not@acm.nospam.org>]

Shane Smith wrote:
> 
> type pits is array (1 .. 14) of Integer;
> type Score_Type is array (1 .. 2) of integer;

Your code would be easier to understand (and hence to comment on) if you were 
consistent in your capitalization.

What does it mean for a pit or a score to be negative? Perhaps Natural or 
another type or subtype based on the rules of the game would be better for the 
component types here.

I presume the index of Score_Type represents a specific player. Using numbers is 
probably not a good way to identify a player; an enumeration type might be better:

type Player_ID is (Human, Computer);

or some such.

> type arr_point is access pits;
> board : arr_point;

I see no reason to use access types in this program.

> procedure Status (Player : in integer)

It appears that the purpose of Status is to assign to Winner. It's usually 
clearer to pass parameters than to modify global variables. I would think you'd 
want something like

procedure Status
    (Player : in Player_ID; Board : in Pits; Winner : out Player_ID);

Others have addressed your questions, so I won't repeat that here. I haven't 
used a debugger for years, so I find it usually quicker to stick in some output 
that to relearn how to use one. Given that gdb sometimes misbehaves, it can be 
more effective, too.

-- 
Jeff Carter
"Propose to an Englishman any principle, or any instrument, however
admirable, and you will observe that the whole effort of the English
mind is directed to find a difficulty, a defect, or an impossibility
in it. If you speak to him of a machine for peeling a potato, he will
pronounce it impossible: if you peel a potato with it before his eyes,
he will declare it useless, because it will not slice a pineapple."
Charles Babbage
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