Removing blanks from beginning of string

[jwroblewski44]

Im trying to write a function rem_blanks( char * ) that takes in a char pointer,
loops until it finds the first non space/tab char, then have the string pointer be the pointer to non blank char found. Here is my code.

void rem_blanks( char * string ){
        while( *string++ == ' ' || *( string - 1 ) == '\t' )
                {       }
        return;
}

I thought that by incrementing the pointer in the function that it would leave pointer at the condition desired above, ie at the place of the first non-blank char.

[ZuK]

The calling code will never see the change of the pointer.
Kurt

[oogabooga]

You still need to improve your question asking skills. There's actually no question in your post and it is unclear what "leave pointer at the condition desired above" means. But I think I know what you're asking.

But first: YOU ARE TRYING TO DO TOO MUCH IN THE CONDITION OF THE WHILE ... again.

while (*string == ' ' || *string == '\t')
    string++;

See how much simpler and clearer that is (as well as being more efficient) ?

However, all you're doing is changing the local variable, which will not alter the caller's variable. Change the return type to char* and return it afterwards:

char *rem_blanks(char *string) {
    while (*string == ' ' || *string == '\t')
        string++;
    return string;
}

// elsewhere
    str = rem_blanks(str); // or whatever

EDIT: Zuk beat me that time!

[jwroblewski44]

Thank you oogabooga and zuk!