running through a loop using pointers

I am working on a homework assignment an have spent quite some time trying to figure out why my code is not running right when I convert my loop to using pointers. I have gone through and debugged my code and found that it is sending a segmentation fault when it hits the if statement the sends it back through the loop. If anyone can help me it would be greatly appreciated.

Code:

 
#define ARRAY_SIZE   10000

double  *array = calloc(ARRAY_SIZE, sizeof(double));
double  sum = 0;

int *max, *end;
max = &end[ARRAY_SIZE];
								
loop:   //loops through array and adds up all elements of array
    sum = sum + array[0] + array[1] + array[2]; 

if(*array < *max) // this is where the debugger throws the segmentation fault error
	goto loop;

This is not my whole code, but I know the other parts of the code work, so I am just posting the relevant parts.

Thanks
boy

Is there some reason you are using a goto instead of for or while or do while? Also, you are derefererencing the pointers to control your loop. You shouldn't be.


Quzah.

Thanks quzah for the quick reply. The point of the assignment was to optimize the loop, after trying the for and while loop methods, I found it faster to use the goto; for some reason. I am new to pointers so I was trying to follow an example to work with my code. If I don't add the de-referencing symbol, the compiler gives me the warning:" assignment makes pointer from integer without a cast".

You may benefit from reading through:
Lesson 3-Loops
Lesson 6-Pointers
Lesson 8-Arrays

Originally Posted by boy

Thanks quzah for the quick reply. The point of the assignment was to optimize the loop, after trying the for and while loop methods, I found it faster to use the goto; for some reason. I am new to pointers so I was trying to follow an example to work with my code. If I don't add the de-referencing symbol, the compiler gives me the warning:" assignment makes pointer from integer without a cast".

goto has fallen to disfavour because it causes more problems than it solves. Trust me, while(), for() and do-while() are every bit as fast and far less likely to mess up.

Originally Posted by boy

Code:

loop:   //loops through array and adds up all elements of array
    sum = sum + array[0] + array[1] + array[2];

when do you add the other elements of your array?

Originally Posted by boy

Code:

int *max, *end;
max = &end[ARRAY_SIZE];

It throws the segfault because you never initialize end to anything, yet then you assign some random value to max. You should read through your book again.

Originally Posted by boy

The point of the assignment was to optimize the loop, after trying the for and while loop methods, I found it faster to use the goto; for some reason. I am new to pointers so I was trying to follow an example to work with my code. If I don't add the de-referencing symbol, the compiler gives me the warning:" assignment makes pointer from integer without a cast".

I'd worry about actually getting it working before I started optimizing anything.

Code:

int *max, *end;
max = &end[ARRAY_SIZE];

What is it you think end is pointing at here?

Code:

array = allocate space
for( current = array, end = array + ARRAY_SIZE; current < end; current++ )
    ...do stuff

Quzah.

I see no reason why &end[ARRAY_SIZE] should even exist, let alone be a reasonable thing to assign to max.

Thank you everyone for helping me. Thanks Andrew for giving me the links, they actually were much clearer than my book. To be honest, I wasn't really sure how the &end[ARRAY_SIZE] worked at all. So I went back and change my code to clear up all the mess following all of your input and initialized the pointer (which my book never mentioned). When I tried to compile it again the compiler said: assignment makes pointer from integer without a cast. which points to the max pointer

Code:

int *max = malloc(sizeof(int));
max = ARRAY_SIZE;

am I assigning it right?

No. Your compiler should be complaining at you.

1. You only allocate 1 int. (That may be what you intended, but I doubt it.)
2. You immediately toss away what you have assigned by assigning it something else (an integer, instead of an address).


Quzah.

Originally Posted by boy

This:

Code:

int *max = malloc(sizeof(int));
max = ARRAY_SIZE;

should be:

Code:

int *max = malloc(ARRAY_SIZE * sizeof(int));

EDIT: That is assuming, you want max to be your array.

yea, max is the max size of my array. I am getting a comparison error now when I run through the loop comparing the array and max, this is my while statement:

Code:

while(array < max)

I have tried using Quzah's example for my loop,

array = allocate space
for( current = array, end = array + ARRAY_SIZE; current < end; current++ )
...do stuff

but I am still confused at how to set current up to work, I have tried making it a pointer, but it still gives me the comparison error when i compile it, am I suppose to make current another array?

"The" comparison error? There are more than one.

oh, sorry, the error says: comparison of distinct pointer types lack cast

So if current and end are supposed to point to the same kind of thing (which they are in your example, since they're pointing in the same array), then they really need to be of the same type.