Accessing Array of strings in C Structure

Hi,

I'm working on my second C program, but I can't figure out
how to access the Array of strings in the C Structure below.

Could someone please show me how ? I'm really lost on this.
I need to use pointers to access the structure.

* My code

Code:

---

#include "stdafx.h"
#include <string.h>

typedef struct st {
                char *name;
                int        id;
                char *items[3];    // MAKE IT AN ARRAY
};

int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[])
{
        struct st my_emp;
        struct st *pmy_emp;

              //ADDED
              pmy_emp = (struct st *) malloc(sizeof(struct st));

        my_emp.name="Someones Name";
        my_emp.id = 6;
        pmy_emp = &my_emp;

                // CHANGED
                strcat(my_emp.items[0],"Cats");
        strcat(my_emp.items[1],"Dogs");

        //WAS
                //pmy_emp->items = "Cats","Dogs";

        printf ("STRUCT TEST...  = %s\n", pmy_emp->name);
       
        for(int x=0;x < 2; x++){
                        printf ("ITEMS = %s\n", pmy_emp->items[x]);
        }

        return 0;
        }

---

END ************

Thanks,
-Areal

First of all, you don't have any arrays of strings, you have arrays of chars.

you haven't allocated any memory for the arrays. You need to malloc them some memory before you can use them if you declare then like that (I think). And I don't think you can assign strings like that either, not if they have been malloc'd. Especially the second one - C isn't going to like that comma one bit ^_^. Look into the function:

malloc - C++ Reference
strcat - C++ Reference

Ok,

I added a malloc, and used strcat -- but it still bombs ?

I also made char * items an array - with no luck.

Any ideas ??

Thanks much,
-Areal

Code:

---

struct foo
{
    char *arrayofstrings[ 3 ];
};
...

struct foo bar;

bar.arrayofstrings[ 0 ] = malloc( somenumberofcharacters );

...

strcpy ( bar.arrayofstrings[ 0 ], "hello world" );

...

printf( "%s\n", bar.arrayofstrings[ 0 ] );

free( bar.arrayofstrings[ 0 ] );

---

Quzah.

Thanks That did It.

QUESTION:

I'm guessing I need to call malloc for each item[element] // Correct ?

I would just put it in a for loop and use a varaible for each element ?

Right ?

Or is there a better way, so I just use one call to malloc ?

Yep. A loop is fine. Be sure to free each one as well.


Quzah.