// old code //
void readInput (char* &command, const int MAXL, string &noun, string &verb) // take in the user's command
{
    int     i = 0;      ///< iterator 1
    int     n = 0;      ///< iterator 2

    char    cstrnoun[MAXL];         ///< cstring for the inbound noun
    char    cstrverb[MAXL];         ///< cstring for the inbound verb
    char    *nounptr = cstrnoun;    // cstring pointer, noun
    char    *verbptr = cstrverb;    // cstring pointer, verb
    int     inputLength;            // total length of the string

    cin.clear();
    cout    << "\nPlease enter your command. Use a verb followed by a noun such as 'ask name.'" << endl
            << "> ";
    cin.getline(command,MAXL);          ///< get your command
    inputLength = cin.gcount();         ///< how long was last input?
    cout    << "\nYour command was: " << command << endl;

    // Parse the command into a noun or a verb.

    do {
        cstrverb[i]=command[i];
        i++;
    } while (command[i] != ' ');
    cstrverb[i] = '\0';             // place a delimiter character at the end of the noun
    i++;

    do {
        cstrnoun[n]=command[i];
        i++;
        n++;
    } while (i < inputLength);
    for (i=0;i<n;i++) {
        if (cstrnoun[i]==' ') {
            cstrnoun[i] = '\0';
            i=n;
        }
    }
    noun = nounptr;
    verb = verbptr;
}

// new code //

ParseCmd::ParseCmd(string command) {
    regex ex("^\\s*(((?<verb>[a-z]*)\\s(?<noun>[a-z]*)|((?<verb>[a-z]*))))\\s*$");
    smatch what;
    if (regex_match(command,what,ex)) {
        noun = what["noun"];
        verb = what["verb"];
        valid = true;
    } else {
        valid = false;
    }

}