Structures and Pointer

For a HW assignment I have to create a structure called Article

Code:

typedef struct
{
	int number;
	int quantity;
	char description[STR_LEN+1];
} Article;

Contents are assigned at initialization level

Print Article w/ Print() function (function gets address of the struct as a parameter)

I am trying to create a header file which defines the struct and print() function.

Code:

#ifndef PRINT_ART
#define STR_LEN 20
#define PRINT


typedef struct
{
	int number;
	int quantity;
	char description[STR_LEN+1];
} Article;






void Print(struct Article *p)
{
	(printf("(%d,%d,%s)/n", p.number, p.quantity, p.description);
}


#endif

But I am confused on how I assign the pointer p to Article.

I assume once I get this correct my cpp file would be main(), assign values to the struct members and call the print function.

Can anyone help my get this straight.
Thanks
scott

Your typedef introuces the type Article that is the same as an unnamed struct: importantly, you do not have a type struct Article. To have both you'd need this

Code:

typedef struct Article
{
    int number;
    int quantity;
    char description[STR_LEN+1];
} Article;

Later on in your code you say function Print() takes a pointer to a struct Article which effectively does not exist!

I suggest you do not use typedef in your code (except maybe for function types). Typing an extra "struct" every now and then is not that much work.

Originally Posted by sjmp

I am trying to create a header file which defines the struct and print() function.

You shouldn't define the function in the header but just declare it. You should define it in a source file with the same name (with extension .c)

Code:

void Print(struct Article *p)
{
    (printf("(%d,%d,%s)/n", p.number, p.quantity, p.description);
}

Read FAQ > All about structures - Cprogramming.com especially the section "Accessing structure variables".

Originally Posted by sjmp

But I am confused on how I assign the pointer p to Article.

If you have the struct stored in a variable, then the &-operator gives you a pointer to it and you would call Print() like

Code:

Print(&struct_variable);

Originally Posted by sjmp

...my cpp file...

The C++ forum is next door.

Bye, Andreas

Originally Posted by sjmp

... my cpp file ...

Huh? You're writing C++?
My previous answer applies to C (I have no idea how struct and typedef behave in C++).
Maybe you want to ask in the C++ Programming board.

So i went back and did some reading but I am still confused on the use of typedef vs. tag, when do I need an Alias for the struct, and do not have a clue how to use a pointer to the struct.I cannot get the below to work. Any help would be appreciated.

Code:

#ifndef PRINT_ART
#define PRINT
#define STR_LEN 20

struct Article{
    int number;
    int quantity;
    char description[STR_LEN+1];
};

void PRINT(struct Article art_1);
{
    printf("Number:%d\n", art_1->number);
    printf("Quantity:%d\n", art_1->quantity);
    printf("Desciption:%s\n", art_1->description);
}
#endif

Code:

Code:

#include <stdio.h>
#include "header.h"

int main()
{
    struct Article art_1 ={56577,65,"Intro to Stuct"};
    struct Article art_2 ={56568,88,"Intro to Stuck"};

    PRINT (art_1);
}

Originally Posted by sjmp

... I cannot get the below to work ...

Why? What does it do that you weren't expecting? What does it not do that you were expecting? If the problem is when compiling: what are the errors/warnings the compiler tells you?

~~~~~~~~

A few points:

Move code out of the header and into the c file proper (the function PRINT). Leave a prototype in the header file.

Effective header_guards use the same macro name in both the 1st and 2nd line (you have PRINT_ART and PRINT).

Do not name your function with ALLUPPERCASE. Reserve ALLUPPERCASE to macros.

Let me try to take a step back and accomplish this in steps.
Here is the HW -
1. Create Article which the contents are assigned at initialization level
2. Printing the Article is done w Print() function. Function get the address of structure as a parameter.'
2a. suppose p is the pointer to the struct. fields can by printer by (*p).fieldname or p->fieldname.

I got rid of the header file for now. Here is my code

Code:

#include <stdio.h>
#define STR_LEN 20


int main()
{
	struct Article{
		int number;
		int quantity;
		char description[STR_LEN+1];
		}; 


	struct Article art_1 = {56577,65,"Intro to Stuct"};
	
	printf("Number: %d\n", art_1.number);
	printf("Quantity: %d\n", art_1.quantity);
	printf("Desciption: %s\n", art_1.description);
}

This works. So I did the structure. Did I assign the contents at initialization level? I think so since it was assigned in the same line I introduce art_1.

I have to write a Print() function and get the address of the struct as a parameter. I have no idea what this means. And assumed it was talking about using a pointer.

Can someone please help me figure out what is wrong here. Not clear on how to define the struct name after declaring the struct itself. And void print does not like me using the keyword struct.

here is the header file

Code:

#ifndef Print
#define Print
#define STR_LEN 20


struct Article{
		int number;
		int quantity;
		char description[STR_LEN+1];
	};


struct Article *art_1; // I have tried this many ways w/ the instance name and w/o neither work


void Print(struct Article *art_1);
{
	printf("Number: %d\n", art_1->number);
	printf("Quantity: %d\n", art_1->quantity);
	printf("Desciption: %s\n", art_1->description);
}


#endif

And the code is now

Code:

#include <stdio.h>
#include "header.h"




int main()
{
	struct Article art_1 = {56577,65,"Intro to Struct"};


	Print (&art_1);
	
}

You have a semicolon at the end of line 16: void Print(struct Article *art_1); <---

I added it based on an error in the compiler: This is what I get if I add it back. Without it I get unexpected type and missing function header
1>header.h(11): error C2226: syntax error : unexpected type 'Article'
1>header.h(12): error C2143: syntax error : missing ';' before '{'
1>header.h(12): error C2447: '{' : missing function header (old-style formal list?)

I notice that your header inclusion guard is:

Code:

#ifndef Print
#define Print

Yet you also want to have a function named Print. I suggest that you fully capitalise macro names, and then incorporate the file name into the inclusion guard name, e.g.,

Code:

#ifndef SJMP_PRINT_H_
#define SJMP_PRINT_H_

Next, why do you declare a pointer in your header file? Refer to:

Code:

struct Article *art_1;

This does not just declare the pointer, it defines the pointer. Thus, if your header is included in more than one source file, this pointer would be defined more than once, which is an error. Do you even need this pointer to be global to begin with?

Now, concerning your Print function: what you probably want to do is to declare the function in the header:

Code:

void Print(struct Article *art_1);

Then define it in a source file, e.g., the same file that contains the definition of the main function, or another source file corresponding to this header file. The definition would look like:

Code:

void Print(struct Article *art_1)
{
    printf("Number: %d\n", art_1->number);
    printf("Quantity: %d\n", art_1->quantity);
    printf("Desciption: %s\n", art_1->description);
}

Thanks laserlight that was very helpful. I renamed the inclusion guard and removed

Code:

structArticle *art_1;

completely. Now it works fine. I do not understand why I am using a pointer Article.art_1 can you please explain that?
Thanks again, SJ