Defining multiple variables in a while loop in C++

Question

While I've seen some people answer this for Python, I don't know how to do so in C++. Bear in mind, I'm still learning.

As the title should tell you, I'm trying to define multiple variables in a C++ program via a while loop. Specifically, I am trying to make it so it will read through the first 8 characters of a string, and then assign them to their dedicated char values of c1, c2, c3, c4, c5, c6, c7, and c8. However, I can't figure out an easy way to make it do this.

For an example, it should see the string "FAR OUT!" and print the following characters to each c1-8 variable:

1. F
2. A
3. R
4. (space)
5. O
6. U
7. T
8. !

The most recent attempt seems to believe I am referring to a variable called "c", and not consider the fact I'm telling it to take the value of the variable check, add 1 to it, and then add that number to the end of c, and then take the variable that is that output.

#include <iostream>
#include <string>

using namespace std;

int main()
{
    // varaible declaration(s)
    char c1;
    char c2;
    char c3;
    char c4;
    char c5;
    char c6;
    char c7;
    char c8;
    string phonenumber;
    int check = 0;

    // accept user input
    cout << "Phone number in letters: ";
    cin >> phonenumber;

    // convert string to char
    while(check < 8)
    {
        phonenumber[check] = c(check + 1);
        check = check + 1;
    }
    // start while loop

    // program logic and output
    cout << endl << c1 << c2 << c3 << c4 << c5 << c6 << c7 << c8 << endl;
}

Answer 1

Why don't you just use a char array ?

#include <array>
...

// instead of c1, c2, ...
std::array<char, 8> c;
// later
while (condition) {
    // read or set here, whatever you need
    c[check] = some_value;
    ...
}

Answer 2

A while loop won't work for this. The names of variables are determined when the code is compiled; you can't make variable names on the fly when the program is running.

So don't use the loop. After you've read phonenumber , copy the values into the appropriate variables:

c1 = phonenumber[0];
c2 = phonenumber[1];

and so on. Of course, if phonenumber has fewer than 8 characters in it, you've got a problem...