switch statement multi character constant

Question

I'm trying to convert this into a switch statement

if (codeSection == 281)
    cout << "bigamy";
else if (codeSection == 321  ||  codeSection == 322)
    cout << "selling illegal lottery tickets";
else if (codeSection == 383)
    cout << "selling rancid butter";
else if (codeSection == 598)
    cout << "wounding a bird in a public cemetery";
else
    cout << "some other crime";

// Actual switch statement
switch (codeSection)
{
    case '281':
        cout << "bigamy" << endl;
        break;

    case '321':
    case '322':
        cout << "selling illegal lottery tickets" << endl;
        break;

    case '383':
        cout << "selling rancid butter" << endl;
        break;

    case '598':
        cout << "wounding a bird in a public cemetery";
        break;

    default:
        cout << "some other crime"<< endl;

}

The compiler says switch statement multi character constant, and gives me a yellow warning but still compiles. My question is are the case supposed to be only in char form? like case '2'

Answer 1

case '281':

should be

case 281:

and similarly for the rest, otherwise the compiler "thinks" that you try to use a multi-character constant, which is not what you probably want.

A case doesn't have to be a char. In fact, it must be a constant expression of the same type as the type of condition after conversions and integral promotions, see e.g. http://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/language/switch.