How do i get the screen to pause?

Question

Possible Duplicate:
How to stop C++ console application from exiting immediately?

So im learning c++ and i was given this example and i wanted to run it. But i cannot get it to stay up, unless i change it. How do i get Microsoft visual 2010 to keep up the screen when it gets to the end of the program after I release it?

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;

int area(int length, int width);        /* function declaration */

/* MAIN PROGRAM: */
int main()
{
    int this_length, this_width;      

    cout << "Enter the length: ";             /* <--- line 9 */
    cin >> this_length;
    cout << "Enter the width: ";
    cin >> this_width;
    cout << "\n";                             /* <--- line 13 */

    cout << "The area of a " << this_length << "x" << this_width;
    cout << " rectangle is " << area(this_length, this_width);

    return 0;
}
/* END OF MAIN PROGRAM */

/* FUNCTION TO CALCULATE AREA: */
int area(int length, int width)   /* start of function definition */
{
    int number;

    number = length * width;

    return number;
}                                 /* end of function definition */
/* END OF FUNCTION */

Answer 1

Try adding system("PAUSE"); to the end of main before the return statement.

This executes the PAUSE system command which waits for a key to be pressed.

Answer 2

The easiest way is to wait for the user to press a key before returning from main.

Answer 3

In Visual C++ you can either:

• Put a breakpoint at the closing brace of main and run attached to the debugger (Debug -> Start Debugging). When the breakpoint is hit you will be able to view the console window.
• Run detached from the debugger (Debug -> Start Without Debugging). When the application terminates, the console window will stay open with a "Press any key to continue..." prompt.

Answer 4

You already have the answer in your code.. add another cin at the end of your program ;P user would have to press enter for program to continue and exit

Answer 5

I usually use cin.getchar() to wait for a character.