C++ Program , needs optimization)

[Dakot]

hello , i made a election program , here it is

#include <iostream>
#include <cstdlib>
#include <string>
#include <conio.h>
#include <iomanip>
#include <fstream>
using std::ofstream;

using namespace std;
string users[4];
char choice2;
int votes[100] = {0};
int choice;
int totalVotes=0;

void votes1() {
    cout<<"Voting! : "<<endl;
    cout<<setw(21)<<left<<"(1) To vote " <<users[0]<<endl;
    cout<<setw(21)<<left<<"(2) To vote " <<users[1]<<endl;
    cout<<setw(21)<<left<<"(3) To vote " <<users[2]<<endl;
    cout<<setw(21)<<left<<"(4) To vote " <<users[3]<<endl;
	cin>>choice;
	switch(choice) {
	case 1:
		votes[0]++;
		break;
		case 2:
			votes[1]++;
		break;
		case 3:
			votes[2]++;
		break;
		case 4:
			votes[3]++;
		break;
		default:
			cout<<"Incorect number... Exiting";
			exit(1);
			
	}
	cout<<"Would you like to vote again? (y / n):"<<endl;
	cin>>choice2;
	if(choice2=='y') {
		system("cls");
	return votes1();
	} else 
	{
        system("cls");
        cout<<setw(21)<<left<<"Users" <<"Votes \n"<<endl;
  for(int c=0;c<4;c++) {
	cout<<setw(21)<<left<<users[c]<<votes[c]<<endl;
	}
	cout<<left<<"-----------------------"<<endl;
	
	for (int counter = 0; counter < 4; counter++)
	{
    totalVotes += votes[counter];
	}
	cout<<setw(21)<<left<<"Total Votes: "<<totalVotes<<endl;

	}
	
}

int main()
{
	cout<<"Insert 4 names:"<<endl;
    for(int i=0;i<4;i++)
	{
    getline(cin, users[i]);
    }
    system("cls");
    votes1();
    
	ofstream outdata; // outdata is like cin
   	outdata.open("text.txt"); // opens the file
    if( !outdata ) { // file couldn't be opened
    cerr << "Error: file could not be opened" << endl;
    exit(1);
    }

  	for (int i=0; i<4; i++) {

    outdata <<setw(21)<<left<< users[i] << votes[i] << endl;
   
    }
    outdata<<left<<"-----------------------"<<endl;
    outdata<<setw(21)<<left<<"Total Votes: "<<totalVotes<<endl;
    outdata.close();
	getch();
    return 0;
}

How can i optimize this program? i know there is a way to do that (pointers etc.) , but i don't know how) , Can somebody tell me what must i do? Thanks in advance.

[pseudorandom21]

Change endl to "\n" and work on your indentation instead of optimization.

[Dakot]

Change endl to "\n" - i dont need that) , endl is also good . I need optimization.
work on your indentation - sure , this will be solved with pe passing of time.

[pseudorandom21]

//Also you shouldn't use "exit" in a C++ program, because it may cause destructors to not be called.
This probably isn't true anymore, but normally it isn't excusable to use exit() anywhere except the main function, instead you might want to throw an exception and then the caller can elect to handle it, or not (terminate the program).

"endl" does more than insert a newline, it also flushes the buffer. If you need to optimize such a trivial program, well.. There must be something unseen happening.

If you just want it to be easier to work with declare constants for array sizes and decompose it into more functions.

[StuXYZ]

What I find strange is the switch/case statement when you have a choice base on a simple number.

if (choice<1 || choice>maxCandidates)
  votes[choice-1]++;
else
  { 
     std::cout<<"Incorect number... Exiting"<<std::endl;
     /etc...
  }

Then the next thing that look strange is calling votes1() from votes1(). Surely
write a function getVotes() and then do the decision and processing outside that
function in another loop/control structure.

Finally, if you define optimization you have to specify what you mean, IO, CPU, size, or what I think you really mean, making the code clear.