Please help me with Linklist problem

I write a link list program of three functions 1. "ref.h" 2. "main.c" 3. "create.c"
"create.c" accepts parameters from main.c and add an new item to the link list
I use pointer to pass the parameters to create.c, but I found my "front" variable in "create.c" is always NULL even though I have assigned new to it in the first item to be added.
Could anyone help me to find why? I have stuck in this question for hours =.=
Thank you very much!!

ps. I run my program in Linux environment

In ref.h

Code:

#include <stdio.h>
struct data{
        int postcode;
        struct data *next;
};

In main.c

Code:

#include "ref.h"
void main()
{

        struct data *front=NULL;
        struct data *end=NULL;

        int a;
        while(1)
        {
                printf("Add item to link list:\n");
                printf("Enter 1 to add link list\n");
                scanf("%d",&a);
                switch(a)
                {
                        case 1:{                        
                                    create(front,end);
                                    break;
                                }               
                        default:
                                exit(0);
                }
        }
}

In create.c

Code:

#include "ref.h"

void create(struct data *front,struct data *end)
{
        struct data *new=(struct data *)malloc(sizeof(struct data));
        printf("Please enter the postcode:\n");
        int i;
        scanf("%d",&i);
        new->postcode=i;
        new->next=NULL;
        if(front==NULL)               each time the create function only runs in if 
        {
                front=new;
                end=new;
                printf("First create!\n");
        }
        else
        {
                end->next=new;
                end=new;
                printf("In create!\n");
        }

}

I think you have to declare struct data *front and struct data *end outside of main (or with the EXTERN modifier) andin a header used by create.c. That way, they can be used as globally shared variables.

Or you could try putting all the code into one source file to see if that works.

The program works well when I consolidate the three fucntions together.
But I really don't know why it couldn't work when I separate parts....sad

Originally Posted by ericwu

The program works well when I consolidate the three fucntions together.
But I really don't know why it couldn't work when I separate parts....sad

You didn't include enough information on how you have linked the two .c files. In My Opinion, you should be doing all of this with one file anyway.

hi ericwu, here i modify your create function and also in main() to work correctly

inside main() call...as

Code:

create(&front,&end);

Code:

void create(struct data **front,struct data **end)
{
        struct data *new=(struct data *)malloc(sizeof(struct data));
        printf("Please enter the postcode:\n");
        int i;
        scanf("%d",&i);
        new->postcode=i;
        new->next=NULL;
        if(*front==NULL)               //each time the create function only runs in if 
        {
                *front=new;
                *end=new;
                printf("First create! %p\n", front);
        }
        else
        {
                (*end)->next=new;
                *end=new;
                printf("In create!\n");
        }

}

i hope you might have got answer..
since you were telling that.. when you put in one file it is working.. i assume you made those front & end as global.

writing a program that can input numbers and and print them in a rerve order.this problem is giving me troubles pliz me

Originally Posted by inkonsinathi

writing a program that can input numbers and and print them in a rerve order.this problem is giving me troubles pliz me

Do you mean the reverse of the order they are inputed, or what?

Can you input numbers and print them out without sorting?

ps. This should be a fresh thread

Originally Posted by inkonsinathi

writing a program that can input numbers and and print them in a rerve order.this problem is giving me troubles pliz me

You really ought to make a new thread for this... and say what you need help with. There's probably source code for this kind of stuff online anyway.

I got a PDF (was it The C Programming Language?) that walked through literally everything in the C language. It had a lot of examples and tutorials like what you're trying to do here - try reading it.

on ericwu

But I really don't know why it couldn't work when I separate parts....sad

when you had those as separate files... you have called the create function as

create(front, end); // This is pass by value

and in create function create(struct data *front, struct data* end) here front will be having
some other address, space allocated in "stack" and it will be vanised once you get out of the function.

Hence the "new" pointer that you assigned with the front (in create) will be lost... since the function is taking parameter as pass by value.. this will not be reflected in the main. and so the front will be always having NULL and going in the "first create"

i hope you understand the point.