Thread: Questions..

  1. #1
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    Questions..

    Hello.

    I can't get this to work:
    Code:
    argv[1]=strcat(argv[1], ".dat");
    is that legal?

    also, does it matter where you put the "*" at all when it is used? Whether it be a dereference operation, function entrance, array of memory addresses, or anything else? (besides it has to be in the right order..)

    is "argv* []" the same as "argv *[]" and so on?
    is "int * pointer" the same as "int* pointer" and "int *pointer"?

    I guess thats it for now. Thanks!

  2. #2
    Guest Sebastiani's Avatar
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    >> is that legal?

    No. The result is undefined. The string should be treated as constant.

    >> also, does it matter where you put the "*" at all when it is used?

    Whitespace is ignored between tokens in C, so you could even get away with "int*pointer"
    Code:
    #include <cmath>
    #include <complex>
    bool euler_flip(bool value)
    {
        return std::pow
        (
            std::complex<float>(std::exp(1.0)), 
            std::complex<float>(0, 1) 
            * std::complex<float>(std::atan(1.0)
            *(1 << (value + 2)))
        ).real() < 0;
    }

  3. #3
    DESTINY BEN10's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by argv View Post
    Hello.

    I can't get this to work:
    Code:
    argv[1]=strcat(argv[1], ".dat");
    is that legal?

    also, does it matter where you put the "*" at all when it is used? Whether it be a dereference operation, function entrance, array of memory addresses, or anything else? (besides it has to be in the right order..)

    is "argv* []" the same as "argv *[]" and so on?
    is "int * pointer" the same as "int* pointer" and "int *pointer"?

    I guess thats it for now. Thanks!
    All of these have the same meaning
    Code:
    int *p;
    int* p;
    int * p;
    But it is always safer to use int *p. For eg. when sevearl pointers are to be declared simultaneously. int *p,*q,*r.
    HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND.......

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  4. #4
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    Undefined

    Quote Originally Posted by Sebastiani View Post
    >> is that legal?
    No. The result is undefined. The string should be treated as constant.
    ok, so if I want to append ".dat" to an incoming argument, what is the best way to do it?

    thank you for your (quick) reply!

  5. #5
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    style

    Quote Originally Posted by BEN10 View Post
    But it is always safer to use int *p. For eg. when sevearl pointers are to be declared simultaneously. int *p,*q,*r.
    Sweet, I'll use that style then. thank you.

  6. #6
    Guest Sebastiani's Avatar
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    Just as you would with any other constant string - copy it.
    Code:
    #include <cmath>
    #include <complex>
    bool euler_flip(bool value)
    {
        return std::pow
        (
            std::complex<float>(std::exp(1.0)), 
            std::complex<float>(0, 1) 
            * std::complex<float>(std::atan(1.0)
            *(1 << (value + 2)))
        ).real() < 0;
    }

  7. #7
    C++ Witch laserlight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sebastiani
    No. The result is undefined. The string should be treated as constant.
    No, the strings accessible via argv are modifiable. However, there is still undefined behaviour, but for a different reason: the concatenation results in ".dat" being appended, but argv[1] does not (or more accurately: might not) have any space to contain the extra 4 characters. As such, copying argv[1] to an array with sufficient space is a correct solution.
    Quote Originally Posted by Bjarne Stroustrup (2000-10-14)
    I get maybe two dozen requests for help with some sort of programming or design problem every day. Most have more sense than to send me hundreds of lines of code. If they do, I ask them to find the smallest example that exhibits the problem and send me that. Mostly, they then find the error themselves. "Finding the smallest program that demonstrates the error" is a powerful debugging tool.
    Look up a C++ Reference and learn How To Ask Questions The Smart Way

  8. #8
    Guest Sebastiani's Avatar
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    >> No, the strings accessible via argv are modifiable.

    Well of course it is, as it "belongs" to the program you are free to modify it as you wish, but the OP wanted to append to it (which would be a very bad idea for the exact reason that you pointed out). But yes, to be sure, you're explanation is more clear on the matter, but I still recommend that the practice be avoided, as it error prone (for beginners, at least).
    Code:
    #include <cmath>
    #include <complex>
    bool euler_flip(bool value)
    {
        return std::pow
        (
            std::complex<float>(std::exp(1.0)), 
            std::complex<float>(0, 1) 
            * std::complex<float>(std::atan(1.0)
            *(1 << (value + 2)))
        ).real() < 0;
    }

  9. #9
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    copyin

    Quote Originally Posted by Sebastiani View Post
    Just as you would with any other constant string - copy it.
    Something like this? (it seems to work)

    Code:
    char name[20];
    char ext[5];
    char fileName[25];
    strcpy(name, argv[1]);
    strcpy(ext, ".dat");
    strcat(name, ext);
    I'm very new to C, so thats why I'm asking. I want to learn it right.

    Thanks again.

  10. #10
    C++ Witch laserlight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by argv
    Something like this?
    Somewhat, except that you do not know if argv[1] actually has less than 20 characters, so strcpy() risks buffer overflow. Something like this might be better:
    Code:
    if (argc > 1)
    {
        const char extension[] = ".dat";
        char *name = malloc(strlen(argv[1]) + sizeof(extension));
        if (name)
        {
            strcpy(name, argv[1]);
            strcat(name, extension);
    
            /* ... */
    
            free(name);
        }
        else
        {
            /* Report memory allocation error */
        }
    }
    else
    {
        /* Report missing command line argument */
    }
    EDIT:
    Quote Originally Posted by BEN10
    But it is always safer to use int *p. For eg. when sevearl pointers are to be declared simultaneously. int *p,*q,*r.
    It would be even safer to avoid declaring multiple pointers (or possibly even multiple variables) on the same line.

    Quote Originally Posted by argv
    Sweet, I'll use that style then.
    I tend to follow that style when writing C, but read Is ``int* p;'' right or is ``int *p;'' right?
    Last edited by laserlight; 05-30-2009 at 02:22 AM.
    Quote Originally Posted by Bjarne Stroustrup (2000-10-14)
    I get maybe two dozen requests for help with some sort of programming or design problem every day. Most have more sense than to send me hundreds of lines of code. If they do, I ask them to find the smallest example that exhibits the problem and send me that. Mostly, they then find the error themselves. "Finding the smallest program that demonstrates the error" is a powerful debugging tool.
    Look up a C++ Reference and learn How To Ask Questions The Smart Way

  11. #11
    spurious conceit MK27's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sebastiani View Post
    >> No, the strings accessible via argv are modifiable.

    Well of course it is, as it "belongs" to the program you are free to modify it as you wish,
    Somebody is changing their tune!
    C programming resources:
    GNU C Function and Macro Index -- glibc reference manual
    The C Book -- nice online learner guide
    Current ISO draft standard
    CCAN -- new CPAN like open source library repository
    3 (different) GNU debugger tutorials: #1 -- #2 -- #3
    cpwiki -- our wiki on sourceforge

  12. #12
    Guest Sebastiani's Avatar
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    >> char *name = malloc(strlen(argv[1]) + sizeof(extension));

    That's correct, of course, but just a reminder to the OP that the length above is equivalent to strlen(argv[1]) + strlen(extension) + 1 (to allow room for the null terminator).

    >> Somebody is changing their tune!

    Not really. My explanation certainly wasn't as concise (or strictly accurate) as laserlight's, but it wasn't exactly incorrect, either.
    Code:
    #include <cmath>
    #include <complex>
    bool euler_flip(bool value)
    {
        return std::pow
        (
            std::complex<float>(std::exp(1.0)), 
            std::complex<float>(0, 1) 
            * std::complex<float>(std::atan(1.0)
            *(1 << (value + 2)))
        ).real() < 0;
    }

  13. #13
    Making mistakes
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    No. laserlights solution is better because:
    1 - sizeof extension includes the NUL character
    2 - sizeof extension is a compile-time constant. (No strlen overhead).

    And I use "int *pointer". I even put the '*' on the right side in casts or type names, meaning "sizeof(char **)" or "*(int *)pointer" because I like it and It is 0.1% more clear.

  14. #14
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    ...

    Quote Originally Posted by laserlight View Post
    Somewhat, except that you do not know if argv[1] actually has less than 20 characters, so strcpy() risks buffer overflow. Something like this might be better:
    Code:
    if (argc > 1)
    {
        const char extension[] = ".dat";
        char *name = malloc(strlen(argv[1]) + sizeof(extension));
        if (name)
        {
            strcpy(name, argv[1]);
            strcat(name, extension);
    
            /* ... */
    
            free(name);
        }
        else
        {
            /* Report memory allocation error */
        }
    }
    else
    {
        /* Report missing command line argument */
    }
    Ok, haven't gotten into the malloc command much yet, thats next quarter. If I throw that in, my teacher will know I stole it. haha

    by the way, is: "char *name" the same as "char name[]";

    Quote Originally Posted by laserlight View Post
    EDIT:

    It would be even safer to avoid declaring multiple pointers (or possibly even multiple variables) on the same line.


    I tend to follow that style when writing C, but read Is ``int* p;'' right or is ``int *p;'' right?

    I dunno, but I like 'int* p' for some wierd reason. I guess as long as your consistent, it doesn't matter.
    Last edited by argv; 05-30-2009 at 11:35 AM.

  15. #15
    C++ Witch laserlight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by argv
    by the way, is: "char *name" the same as "char name[]";
    In this context, no. The former declares name as a pointer to char, the latter declares name as an array of char with the size determined by the initialiser (in this case the string literal ".dat", hence a size of 5).

    EDIT:
    Quote Originally Posted by argv
    Ok, haven't gotten into the malloc command much yet, thats next quarter.
    If you want to stick with your original working solution and yet avoid buffer overflow, you could use:
    Code:
    char name[25];
    strncpy(name, argv[1], 20);
    name[20] = '\0';
    strcat(name, ".dat");
    I am assuming that you want to limit the name without extension to 20 characters.
    Last edited by laserlight; 05-30-2009 at 11:50 AM.
    Quote Originally Posted by Bjarne Stroustrup (2000-10-14)
    I get maybe two dozen requests for help with some sort of programming or design problem every day. Most have more sense than to send me hundreds of lines of code. If they do, I ask them to find the smallest example that exhibits the problem and send me that. Mostly, they then find the error themselves. "Finding the smallest program that demonstrates the error" is a powerful debugging tool.
    Look up a C++ Reference and learn How To Ask Questions The Smart Way

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