Problems with a Poem Generator

I am currently in the process of writing a random poetry generator and have come up against some problems for which I cannot find a solution. My main problem is being unable to assign a string from an array of strings, followed by returning this value and assigning it to another variable for display. I am currently recieving the following errors:

• 50 incompatible types in assignment
• 51 [Warning] return makes integer from pointer without a cast
• 51 [Warning] function returns address of local variable
• 59 incompatible types in assignment

Here is the code I am using, I apologise for any hideous coding...

EDIT: Apologies for not posting the full code

Code:

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

char adjective1[15], adjective2[15], adjective3[15], noun1[20], noun2[20], noun3[20],
     verb1[15], verb2[15], verb3[15], prep1[50], prep2[50], adverb1[15];

char randomadj[15], randomnoun[20], randomverb[15], randomadv[15], randomprep[50];
FILE *myfile;

void initrand()
{
     srand((unsigned)(time(0)));
}

int randint(int max)
{
    int random = (max*rand()/(RAND_MAX+1.0));
    return (random);
} 

char randadj()
{
     char string[15];
     char stringOut[15];
     myfile = fopen("adjective.txt", "r");
     int endval = 0;
     while ((string, 15, myfile) != NULL)
     {
           endval++;
     }
     return endval;
     int i;
     char array[endval][50];
     for (i = 0; i<=endval-1; i++)
     {
         fgets(string, 15, myfile);
         int len = strlen(string) - 1;
         if (string[len] == '\n')
            string[len] = '\0';
         int j;
         for (j = 0; j<=len; j++)
         {
             array[i][j] = string[j];
         }
     }
     int randnum = 0;
     randnum = randint(endval-1);
     stringOut = array[randnum];
     return stringOut;
     
}
     
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
  initrand();
  
  randomadj = randadj;
  strcpy(adjective1, randomadj); 
  strcpy(adjective2, "feeding");
  strcpy(adjective3, "flawless");
  strcpy(noun1, "Book");
  strcpy(noun2, "tongue");
  strcpy(noun3, "mountain");
  strcpy(verb1, "shines");
  strcpy(verb2, "drools");
  strcpy(verb3, "regurgitates");
  strcpy(prep1, "in harmony with");
  strcpy(prep2, "without thinking about");
  strcpy(adverb1, "feeding");
  
  printf (" A %s %s", adjective1, noun1);
  printf ("\n------------------------------------------------------");
  printf ("\n A %s %s %s %s the %s %s.", adjective1, noun1, verb1, prep1, adjective2, noun2);
  printf ("\n While %s the %s %s.", adverb1, noun1, verb2);
  printf ("\n The %s %s %s a %s %s.\n", noun2, verb3, prep2, adjective3, noun3);
  
  system("PAUSE");	
  return 0;
}

Take the first warning or error you get. Go to the line it tells you. Look around. Repeat until you have them all fixed.

Quzah.

I understand how error checking works, as part of the error correction process I have been unable to find a suitable solution to the particular problems I am faced with, I appreciate the advice which has already been provided and welcome any other assistance that can be provided.

Your code is incomplete. You are asking us to guess at where unspecified warnings and errors are, by looking at incomplete code. Furthermore, you aren't even showing us all of the example you're just doing "//etc...". You can't seriously expect people to troubleshoot your half-ass example.

Code:

while ((string, 15, myfile) != NULL)

This however, is not what you want. Or if that's what you want, it's not going to do what you think you want.


Quzah.

Originally Posted by HughHefner

I am currently in the process of writing a random poetry generator and have come up against some problems for which I cannot find a solution. My main problem is being unable to assign a string from an array of strings, followed by returning this value and assigning it to another variable for display. I am currently recieving the following errors:

Here is the code I am using, I apologise for any hideous coding...

EDIT: Apologies for not posting the full code

Code:

     return endval;
     int i;
     char array[endval][50];
     for (i = 0; i<=endval-1; i++)
     {
         fgets(string, 15, myfile);
         int len = strlen(string) - 1;
         if (string[len] == '\n')
            string[len] = '\0';
         int j;
         for (j = 0; j<=len; j++)
         {
             array[i][j] = string[j];
         }
     }
     int randnum = 0;
     randnum = randint(endval-1);
     stringOut = array[randnum];
     return stringOut;
     
}

}

It's hard to know were to start. Other that what's been noted thus far, one glaring
mistake is that none of the code after the return statament will get executed.

There is clearly a lot you don't understand about strings in C, and plenty to learn about C in general. Try reading the tutorial on strings we have here, and read through the C FAQ section on strings.

Then, start with some practice programs to get a handle for string manipulation, file I/O, loop structure, etc. Work those skills into your poem generator program in small increments.

A few general tips:

• If you don't want a function to take any parameters, be explicit about it: int foo(void). Leaving the parameter list empty () means that you can pass anything to the function and the compiler wont complain about you misusing a function.
• Global variables are evil. Move adjective1, myfile, etc into main or the appropriate function and pass them to functions as needed.
• Check the return values of fopen, fgets and any other standard functions to avoid reading from an unopened file or reading past the end.
• Close your files when you're done with them.