switch statement trouble

[DelilahDemented]

I'm trying to use a switch statement in my code but I'm having a bit of difficulty. I have an error message I do not understand and do not know how to fix. The message reads, "switch quantity not an integer". I'm new to C++ and would appreciate any help given. Thanks in advance!

*Delilah*

#include <iostream>
#include <iomanip>
#include <string>

using namespace std;

int main()
{
    string ssNum = "";
    int numChars = 0;
    string currentChar = 0;
    int subscript = 0;
 
    cout << "Enter a 9-digit social security number without dashes: ";
    getline(cin, ssNum);
    while (ssNum.length() != 9)
    {
          cout << "Item number length is not valid." << endl;
          cout << "Enter a 9-digit social security number without dashes: ";
          getline(cin, ssNum);
    }
    numChars = static_cast<int>(ssNum.length());
    
while (subscript < numChars)
{
      currentChar = ssNum.substr(subscript, 1);
switch(currentChar)
{
                    case '0':
                    case '1':
                    case '2':
                    case '3':
                    case '4':
                    case '5':
                    case '6':
                    case '7':
                    case '8':
                    case '9':
                    break;
                    default :cout<<"Please enter numeric digits only.\n\n";
 }   
}
   
   ssNum.insert(5, "-");
   ssNum.insert(3, "-");
     
   cout << ssNum << endl;
   
   system("Pause");
   return 0; 
    
}

[tesuji]

>> string currentChar = 0;

should be

char currentChar;

Question: how to finish this loop:

>> while (subscript < numChars) ?

so what about subscript++ ?

Greetings to Cotton State! I've often been to Huntsville :)

-- tesu

[daviddoria]

tesuji is correct. You can only switch on int and char.

I have demonstrated the difference between char and string here:
http://programmingexamples.net/index.php?title=CPP/Switch#Switch.cpp

Dave

[nbaztec]

The gentlemen above me have done a great job & answered well. I'd just like to add that chars inside switches are in fact converted to their ASCII equivalent ints. :)

[arkoenig]

The gentlemen above me have done a great job & answered well. I'd just like to add that chars inside switches are in fact converted to their ASCII equivalent ints. :)

Not quite. A char is just an integer with (usually) severe constraints on its value. Operations that involve chars and other integral types have nothing to do with ASCII or any other encoding.