Write a Program to Store Employee Hourly Rates and Hours Worked in a Linked List in C++

In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the process of creating a robust program to store employees' hourly rates and hours worked using a linked list in C++. This project not only provides practical coding experience but also offers a deeper insight into the core principles of data structures and dynamic memory allocation in C++. Whether you're a beginner looking to solidify your programming skills or an intermediate coder seeking to expand your knowledge, this hands-on project will be a valuable addition to your learning journey.

Managing Employee Data with C++ Linked Lists

Discover the ins and outs of efficiently managing employee data by implementing a linked list structure in C++. Our step-by-step guide provides valuable insights and assistance with your C++ assignment, empowering you to not only store employee information effectively but also gain a deeper understanding of data structures and dynamic memory allocation. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced coder, this resource will enhance your C++ skills and equip you to tackle complex programming challenges.

Prerequisites

Before we dive into the code, make sure you have the following prerequisites in place:

• Basic understanding of C++ programming.
• Access to a code editor or integrated development environment (IDE) on your computer.

If you're new to C++, don't worry. We'll provide step-by-step instructions and explanations to help you along the way.

The Employee Linked List

Our program will use a linked list data structure to store employee information. Each element in the linked list will be an `Employee` struct, which contains the following details:

```cpp struct Employee { std::string name; double hourlyRate; double hoursWorked; Employee* next; }; ```

• name`: The name of the employee.
• hourlyRate`: The hourly wage of the employee.
• hoursWorked`: The number of hours the employee has worked.
• next`: A pointer to the next employee in the linked list.

Inserting Employees into the Linked List

To add new employees to the linked list, we will create a function named `insertEmployee`. Here's what the code for inserting an employee looks like:

```cpp void insertEmployee(Employee*& head, std::string name, double hourlyRate, double hoursWorked) { // Create a new employee node Employee* newEmployee = new Employee; newEmployee->name = name; newEmployee->hourlyRate = hourlyRate; newEmployee->hoursWorked = hoursWorked; newEmployee->next = nullptr; // If the list is empty, make the new employee the head if (head == nullptr) { head = newEmployee; } else { // Find the last employee in the list Employee* current = head; while (current->next != nullptr) { current = current->next; } // Insert the new employee at the end current->next = newEmployee; } } ```

Displaying Employee Information

We'll also create a function `displayEmployees` to print the details of all employees in the linked list:

```cpp void displayEmployees(Employee* head) { Employee* current = head; while (current != nullptr) { std::cout << "Name: " << current->name << ", Hourly Rate: " << current->hourlyRate << ", Hours Worked: " << current->hoursWorked << std::endl; current = current->next; } } ```

Putting It All Together

In the `main` function, we'll initialize the head of the linked list, add employees, display their information, and clean up memory to prevent memory leaks:

```cpp int main() { // Initialize the head of the linked list Employee* head = nullptr; // Add employees to the list insertEmployee(head, "Alice", 15.0, 40.0); insertEmployee(head, "Bob", 20.0, 35.5); insertEmployee(head, "Charlie", 18.5, 42.0); // Display the list of employees displayEmployees(head); // Clean up memory by deleting the linked list while (head != nullptr) { Employee* temp = head; head = head->next; delete temp; } return 0; } ```

Conclusion

This code creates a simple yet powerful linked list to store and manage employee information efficiently. By guiding you through the steps of inserting and displaying employee data, this project equips you with practical skills and a deeper understanding of C++ programming. Moreover, the knowledge gained extends beyond this project, as it lays a strong foundation for working with more complex data structures and mastering the intricacies of dynamic memory allocation in C++. As you continue your programming journey, you'll find that the lessons learned here will be invaluable in tackling a wide range of coding challenges and projects.