program running through my if else after function call - c

Question

I have a class assignment in C to make a simple calculator that performs three calculations. I haven't completed all of the functions yet but I am having a problem with my calcMenu function. When the function is called the program runs through all of the if else statements and unknown to me, performs only the else statement which is error checking. Than the function is run again which is intended but this time it does not run through all of the if else statements and allows the user to make a choice. I know I have done something really stupid but have been racking my brain for the last hour. If anyone has any pitty for me, than please point me in the right direction. I know all the system calls will Irk some but this is a basic class and our instructor has told us to use them.
Thanks in advance,
Mike
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <ctype.h>
#define pause system ("pause")
#define cls system ("cls")
//Prototype calculate functions here
void evenOrOdd(int userNumber);
void squareNum(int userNumber);
void cubeNum(int userNumber);
void calcMenu(int userNumber);
void main() {
//Declare local variables here
int userNumber = 0;
printf("\t\t\tThe amazing three function caluculator\n\n\n");
printf("Please enter a whole number that you would like to calculate\n");
scanf("%d", &userNumber);
calcMenu(userNumber);
}
void calcMenu(int userNumber)
{
char calculateOption;
printf("\nWhat calculation would you like to perform with your number?\n\n");
printf("Press A.) to check if your number is even or odd.\n\n");
printf("Press B.) to calculate the square of your number.\n\n");
printf("Press C.) to calculate the cube of your number.\n\n");
printf("press D.) to exit the program.\n");
scanf("%c", &calculateOption);
calculateOption = toupper (calculateOption);
if (calculateOption == 'A')
{
evenOrOdd(userNumber);
}
else if (calculateOption == 'B')
{
squareNum(userNumber);
}
else if (calculateOption == 'C')
{
cubeNum(userNumber);
}
else if (calculateOption == 'D')
{
system("cls");
printf("Thank You for using my amazing calculator.\n\n");
system ("pause");
system ("exit");
}
else
{
printf("Please enter a valid choice");
calcMenu(userNumber);
}
}
void evenOrOdd(int userNumber) {
userNumber = userNumber %2;
if (userNumber == 0)
{
printf("Your number is even. \n");
}
else
{
printf("Your number is odd. \n");
}
}
void squareNum(int userNumber) {
}
void cubeNum(int userNumber){
}

Answer 1

When you read input with scanf you have to press the Enter key to make the program continue. Your scanf call reads the single character from the input, but leaves the Enter key still in the input buffer, to be read next time you call scanf.
There is a very simple trick to solve that: Place a space in the scanf format string before or after the "%c". This will make scanf skip whitespace.
scanf("%c ", &calculateOption);
If you stepped through the code with a debugger you would have easily seen that calculateOption would have been the newline character.

Answer 2

First of all, You can condense all those printf statements into one function to save the extra calls.
Next, you should probably indent your functions, I can't tell where one begins and another ends at a glance.
Third, don't use system("pause"), use getchar().
Fourth, this is optional, you might want to turn those if statements into a switch statement.
Now, on to your question. First of all, instead of using scanf("%c", &calculateOption), just use getchar() here too. In this case, I would write calcMenu() as this:
int calcMenu(int userNumber){
printf("\nWhat calculation would you like to perform with your number?\n\n\
Press A.) to check if your number is even or odd.\n\n\
Press B.) to calculate the square of your number.\n\n\
Press C.) to calculate the cube of your number.\n\n\
Press D.) to exit the program.\n");
switch(toupper(getchar())){
case 'A':
evenOrOdd(userNumber);
break;
case 'B':
squareNum(userNumber);
break;
case 'C':
cubeNum(userNumber);
break;
case 'D':
system("cls"); //this is bad, really.
printf("Thank You for using my amazing calculator.\n\n");
getchar();
return 0;
default:
printf("Please enter a valid choice: ");
calcMenu(userNumber);
break;
}
}
Also, main should always return a value. void main is bad practice.
Disclaimer: The code isn't tested, you shouldn't copy/paste it anyways. I also don't know if you're being forced to use some things or not...