/// <summary>
        /// input/output for the process of adding a new order with all
        /// the validation taking place along the way and finally adding
        /// a new order with the given information.
        /// </summary>
        public void AddNewOrder()
        {
            // declare new instance(s)
            using (StoreApp_DbContext db = new StoreApp_DbContext())
            {
                OrderCreation   createOrder   = new OrderCreation();
                CustomerQueries checkCustomer = new CustomerQueries();
                Order           newOrder      = new Order();

                Console.WriteLine("Please enter the customerID of your Customer placing an order.");
                do
                {
                    string input = Console.ReadLine();
                    if (input == "cancel")
                    {
                        return;
                    }

                    // check if input is an int
                    while (!createOrder.IsValidNum(input))
                    {
                        Console.WriteLine("Invalid customerID number, please enter another.");
                        input = Console.ReadLine();
                        if (input == "cancel")
                        {
                            return;
                        }
                    }

                    // check if there is a customer with the inputted ID
                    int id = createOrder.StringToInt(input);
                    if (checkCustomer.IsValidCustomerID(id))
                    {
                        newOrder.CustomerID = id;
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        Console.WriteLine("There is no Customer with this ID, please enter another.");
                        newOrder.CustomerID = 0;
                    }
                } while (newOrder.CustomerID == 0); // repeat if there is no customer with the ID

                // display all the available products
                ProductQueries checkProducts = new ProductQueries();
                var            products      = checkProducts.GetProducts();
                Console.WriteLine("Here are all the available products:");
                Console.WriteLine("ID\tStore\t\tName\t\tInventory\tPrice");
                foreach (var p in products)
                {
                    Console.WriteLine($"{p.ProductID}\t{p.Store.Location}\t{p.ProductName}" +
                                      $"\t{p.Inventory}\t\t{p.Price}");
                }

                bool multipleProducts;
                int  productCount = 0;

                do
                {
                    Console.WriteLine("Please enter the ID of the product being ordered");

                    do
                    {
                        string input = Console.ReadLine();
                        if (input == "cancel")
                        {
                            return;
                        }

                        // check if input is an int
                        while (!createOrder.IsValidNum(input))
                        {
                            Console.WriteLine("Invalid product ID number, please enter another.");
                            input = Console.ReadLine();
                            if (input == "cancel")
                            {
                                return;
                            }
                        }

                        int id = createOrder.StringToInt(input);
                        // check if there is a product with the inputted ID
                        if (checkProducts.IsValidProductID(id))
                        {
                            newOrder.ProductID = id;
                        }
                        else
                        {
                            Console.WriteLine("There is no product with this ID or there is none left, please enter another.");
                            newOrder.ProductID = 0;
                        }
                    } while (newOrder.ProductID == 0); // repeat if no product with that ID

                    var product = checkProducts.GetProductName(newOrder.ProductID);
                    Console.WriteLine($"For buying, specify the number of {product.ProductName}");

                    do
                    {
                        string input = Console.ReadLine();
                        if (input == "cancel")
                        {
                            return;
                        }

                        // check if input is an int
                        while (!createOrder.IsValidNum(input))
                        {
                            Console.WriteLine("Invalid amount, please enter another.");
                            input = Console.ReadLine();
                            if (input == "cancel")
                            {
                                return;
                            }
                        }

                        int amount = createOrder.StringToInt(input);
                        // check if the inventory is high enough for given amount
                        if (amount == 0)
                        {
                            Console.WriteLine("Please specify an amount");
                        }
                        else if (createOrder.IsUnreasonableQuantity(amount))
                        {
                            // if the amount requested is unreasonable (>=10)
                            Console.WriteLine($"{amount} is an unreasonable amount of {product.ProductName}");
                            newOrder.Quantity = 0;
                        }
                        else if (checkProducts.IsValidProductQuantity(amount, newOrder.ProductID))
                        {
                            // if there is enough product and it is reasonable
                            newOrder.Quantity = amount;
                        }
                        else
                        {
                            Console.WriteLine($"There is not {amount} available at this store, please enter another amount.");
                            newOrder.Quantity = 0;
                        }
                    } while (newOrder.Quantity == 0); // repeat if not enough product or unreasonable

                    Console.WriteLine("Would you like to include another product in this order (yes or no)?");
                    string addProduct = Console.ReadLine();
                    if (addProduct == "cancel")
                    {
                        return;
                    }

                    // check if they are saying yes or no to extra product
                    while (addProduct != "yes" && addProduct != "no")
                    {
                        Console.WriteLine("Please pick put in one of the two");
                        addProduct = Console.ReadLine();
                        if (addProduct == "cancel")
                        {
                            return;
                        }
                    }

                    if (addProduct == "yes")
                    {
                        multipleProducts = true;
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        multipleProducts = false;
                    }

                    productCount++;

                    if (productCount == 1)
                    {
                        // keep same timestamp for multiple product order
                        newOrder.Timestamp = createOrder.GetTimeStamp();
                    }

                    db.Add <Order>(newOrder);
                    db.SaveChanges();

                    StoreQueries updateStore = new StoreQueries();
                    updateStore.UpdateInventory(newOrder);

                    newOrder.OrderID++;
                } while (multipleProducts); // go back if they wanted another product
                Console.WriteLine("Order successfully placed! Hit enter to go back to menu.");
                Console.ReadLine();
            }
        }