Okej, first change the following: char load; char lock; to char load[10]; char lock[10]; Then Change if (load = load) { shotgun.drawn(); } //and if (lock = lock) { shotgun.locked(); } to if (strcmp(load, "load") == 0){ shotgun.drawn(); } //and if (strcmp(lock, "lock") == 0) { shotgun.locked(); } The errors in the commented out code beneth is rather easy to fix but I haven't tried running the entire program.