String array's? How can you???

**Nuke** · 05-10-2003

I'm working on a database program and I'm using array's to store the names entered into the program but seeing that Strings are already char arrays, it's become quite difficult. I'm having problems using 2 dimensional arrays to do this. Can anyone help? Here's the commented code, it's not too long. Thanks!

Code:

int main() //includes and such are above; no other functions yet. :)
{
  int i = 0, namesEntered = 1, *nePtr; //integers to be used...
  char name[ARRAY_MAX], nameInSlot[ARRAY_MAX][i]; //array's of chars.. "strings"
  
  nePtr = &namesEntered; //namesEntered ("ne") pointer points to the address of the variable...
    
  printf("How many names to enter: "); 
  scanf("%d", nePtr); //get the amount they entered.
  fflush(stdin);    
  printf("\n\n[%d character limit]\n", (ARRAY_MAX - 1)); 
  
  for (i = 0; i <= (namesEntered - 1); i++)
  {
    printf("Enter name %d: ", (i + 1));
    gets(name);
    nameInSlot[ARRAY_MAX][i] = name[ARRAY_MAX]; //this SHOULD put the value of the string
                                //entered into a 2d array which consists of an string and
                                //and index to shove it into.... note the "SHOULD"
  }
  
  printf("\nNames:\n");
  
  for (i = 0; i <= namesEntered; i++) //loop for output.
      printf("%s\n", nameInSlot[ARRAY_MAX][i]); //ends up all it does is print "(null)" odd.
                                                //or crashes the whole program. blah.
  system("pause"); //press anykey...
  return 0; //exit
}

**Hammer** · 05-11-2003

>> fflush(stdin);
This is not a good idea

>>gets(name);
Nor is this

>>char nameInSlot[ARRAY_MAX][i];
How big is i when this variable is declared? Answer: 0. Therefore, you've created an array like so:
nameInSlot[ARRAY_MAX][0];
Also, using variables within an array declaration is allowed (unless you're using C99 standard compiler). The array sizes have to be known at compile time.

>>nameInSlot[ARRAY_MAX][i] = name[ARRAY_MAX];
This does not copy a string, to do that you need strcpy().

Here's an adapted version to show you the way forward. It isn't by any means complete, but it should get your going in the right direction.

Code:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

#define ARRAY_MAX 10
#define MAX_NAME_LENGTH 50

int main() //includes and such are above; no other functions yet.
{
  char nameInSlot[ARRAY_MAX][MAX_NAME_LENGTH];
  int i;

  for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_MAX; i++)
  {
    printf ("Enter name %d: ", i+1);
    fflush(stdout);
    fgets(nameInSlot[i], MAX_NAME_LENGTH, stdin);
  }

  printf("\nNames:\n");

  for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_MAX; i++)
    printf("%s\n", nameInSlot[i]);

  system("pause");
  return 0;
}

**Nuke** · 05-12-2003

Thanks a lot, I'll be sure to make note of doing it that way! I actually figured a way how to do it with structures (arraying the structure string) after a little bit of posting this thread, which took up more space than you way. Unfortunatly I couldn't get back to the web site (Was it down??) to say I figured it out... (kept getting a DNS error).

Anyway, why is "fflush"ing the stdin after a scanf not good? I always thought you had to fflush your input after you used a scanf? (or fscanf)

and why do you fflush the stdout after your printf? I read the page you linked to but it didn't really clear it up completely for me.... I didn't really see anything they flushed the input with.. the closest I saw was the "cout.flush()". (personally, I'm not a fan of "cin" and "cout"... it takes up too much room, well atleast the cout). ????????????????????????

**Nuke** · 05-13-2003

Ok, so I shouldn't use regular scanf if I can and just use sscanf? Thanks a lot for clearing that up, I'll look around the site for the syntax of sscanf. (that is, if it's different.

)

Thanks again!

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