invalid conversion from int* to int. how do i fix that

[Mizuki]

// ok this program is suppose to simulate drawing 52 cards randomly from a deck. i wrote this program before using only array indexing. now i'm trying to
write it with pointers. but every time i try to run it points to the return value of function pick_available_card(int n) and sais invalid conversion from int* to int.

#include <iostream>
#include <math.h>
#include <string>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <time.h>

using namespace std;

string suits[4] =  {"hearts", "diamonds", "spades", "clubs"};
string ranks[13] = {"ace", "two", "three", "four", "five",
                 "six", "seven", "eight", "nine",
                 "ten", "jack", "queen", "king" };

int card_remaining = 52;
int picked_cards [52];       // this is where the cards will be stored


int rand_0toN1(int n);

int pick_available_card(int n);
void get_a_card(int n);

int rand_0toN1(int n)       // this is the function that picks random numbers 
{
    return rand() % n;
}

int pick_available_card(int n)   // supposed to store the cards in pick_cards
{
    int *z;
    z = picked_cards;
    while (*z == true)    // if at the start of the array there are cards that 
    {                          // were drawn already, it will skip it.
        z++;
    }
    while (n-- >0)       // will execute the loop n times
    {
        z++;
        while (*z == true)   // will skip card that are already drawn
            {
                z++;
            }
    }

    *z = true;      // suppose to set where it stops to true
    return z;  <---- this is the issue
}

void get_a_card()  
{
    int r, s,n, card;
    n = rand_0toN1(card_remaining--); // assign a random number to n
    card = pick_available_card(n);
    r = card % 13;                           // give a number between 0-12
    s = card / 13;                            // gives a number between 0-4
    cout << ranks[r]<< " of "<< suits[s]<< endl;
}

int main()
{
    int n,i;
    cout << "this program will simulate picking 52 cards randomly" << endl;

    while(1)
    {
        cout<< " Enter the amount of card you want to be picked then press ENTER (enter zero(0) to quit :";
        cin >> n;
        if (n == 0)
          {
            break;
          }
        for (i=0;i<n; i++)
        {
            get_a_card();
        }

    }
    return 0;
}

[Beagle]

Well, in that function, z is a pointer to an int. But your function is expecting to return an int, and not a pointer to an int. So, if you want to return the int, dereference z. if you want to return the pointer, change your function signature to return an int pointer instead of an int.

[Mizuki]

Originally Posted by Beagle

Well, in that function, z is a pointer to an int. But your function is expecting to return an int, and not a pointer to an int. So, if you want to return the int, dereference z. if you want to return the pointer, change your function signature to return an int pointer instead of an int.

i tried that i set the the declaration and the definition of the funtion pick_available_card to

pick_available_card(int *n)

when i do that it goes to the function get_a_card() and point

void get_a_card()
{
int r, s,n, card;
n = rand_0toN1(card_remaining--);
card = pick_available_card(n); <---- this and states the same error has before
r = card % 13;
s = card / 13;
cout << ranks[r]<< " of "<< suits[s]<< endl;
}

it also still points to the same error in pick_available_card(int *n)

if i change

card= pick_available_card(n)

to

card = pick_available_card(&n)

, that error gets solved but the

return z

error int pick_available_card(int *n) function is still there.