Beginner: malloc and array of strings

[0ooo0]

I would like to read a conf file and put parameters of my configuration in some variables. But when I parse file and put parameters to array of strings (that I would like to use in rest of programm) and try to print those strings (for testing purposes) I have garbage...
I think that I have problem allocating memory for array of string and need your help understanding how things works .....

Here is the code that doesn't work:
-------------------------------------------------

#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#define MAXSTRING 256
#define comment '#'
#define conffile "backup.conf"
#define logfile "backup.log"
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
////// Log file procedure ///////////////////////////////////
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
void log_message(char * m_essage1,char * m_essage2)
{
FILE *f_ile;
f_ile=fopen(logfile,"w+");
if(f_ile==NULL)
{
printf("Error: can't open log file!\n");
exit(1);
}
time_t t=time(NULL);
char *t_ime=ctime(&t);
fprintf(f_ile,"%-s | %-s %-s\n",t_ime,m_essage1,m_essage2);
fclose(f_ile);
return 0;
}


/////////////////////////////////////////////
//////////// MAIN ///////////////////////////
/////////////////////////////////////////////
int main()
{
char _buff_in[MAXSTRING];
char **_param;
int str_nos=20; //No of strings you want to have
int str_len=256; //Maximum length of each string
_param=calloc( str_nos,sizeof(char *) );
if(_param == NULL )
{
log_message("Error: calloc _param.","");
exit(1);
}
int k;
for(k=0;k<str_nos;k++)
{
_param[k]=calloc( str_len,sizeof(char *) );
if(_param[k] == NULL )
{
log_message("Error: calloc _param[k].","");
exit(1);
}
}
FILE *fp;
if ( (fp = fopen(conffile, "r")) == NULL)
{
log_message( "Error: Opening backup.conf.\n","");
exit(1);
}
int i=0;
while (!feof(fp))
{
fgets(&_buff_in, MAXSTRING, fp );
if((strchr(&_buff_in,comment))==NULL)
{
sscanf(&_buff_in,"%*s %*s %256[^\n]c",&_param[i]);
printf("%s\n",&_param[i]);
i++;
}
}
fclose(fp);
int j;
puts("--------------------------");
for(j=0;j<i;j++)
{
printf("%s\n",&_param[j]);
free(_param[j]);
}
free(_param);
return 0;
}

--------------------------------------------

HERE IS MY CONF FILE:
--------------------------------------------
#OS = Linux
OS = Windows
#
#
NUMB_DIF_EXT = 15
#
#
#EXT = .trc
EXT = .log;.trc
#
#
#MULTIPLE_FILES = YES
MULTIPLE_FILES = NO
#
#
#ARCHIVE = .tar
ARCHIVE = .zip
#
#
#SOURCE = /usr/home/docs
SOURCE = C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Desktop
#
#
#INCLUDE_SUBFOLDERS = NO
INCLUDE_SUBFOLDERS = YES
#
#
#DESTINATION = /usr/home/backup
DESTINATION = D:\docs\CodeBlocks\Backup
---------------------------------------------------

[AndiPersti]

1)

f_ile=fopen(logfile,"w+");

Everytime you open the logfile with "w+", the old content is lost. If you want to append to the file you should use "a".

2)

for(k=0;k<str_nos;k++)
{
_param[k]=calloc( str_len,sizeof(char *) );

You want to allocate memory for "str_len" characters (each one byte), but you allocate room for "str_len" pointers to char (each probably 4 bytes).

3)

while (!feof(fp))

FAQ > Why it's bad to use feof() to control a loop - Cprogramming.com

4)

fgets(&_buff_in, MAXSTRING, fp );
if((strchr(&_buff_in,comment))==NULL)
{
sscanf(&_buff_in,"%*s %*s %256[^\n]c",&_param[i]);
printf("%s\n",&_param[i]);

"_buff" and "_param[i] are already pointers, so there is no need to use the &-operator. You should get warnings if you compile with all warnings turned on.
And the 'c' at the end of the format string of sscanf() doesn't do what you probably think it should do. If you want to catch the newline at the end of the line you would need to replace it with "%*c" (assuming you don't want to store it). But it's not really necessary to take care about it, so just ignore it.

FYI: To avoid using the magic number (256) in your format string you could use the following trick:

#define MAX 10
#define STR(x) #x
#define MACRO_TO_STR(x) STR(x)
...
scanf("%" MACRO_TO_STR(MAX) "[^\n]", string_variable);
// the above line will be rewritten by the preprocessor to 
scanf("%" "10" "[^\n]", string_variable);  // adjacent strings are concatenated by the compiler

(See also Question 11.17)

5)

printf("%s\n",&_param[j]);

Same as 4).

6)
Why do you use an underscore in front of or in between your variable names (e.g. "_param", "f_ile", "m_essage1")?

Bye, Andreas

[0ooo0]

1) I know for a+, but want new file everytime I start program so I can easily debug ... not scrolling down to look for last logs ...
2) Yes, you are right it should be sizeof(char) instead sizeof(char *)
3) Good point, thank you !
4) and 5) - After I have removed & it worked correctly. Yes, it is already a pointer.
6) IDE informs about usage of system commands, names, variables .... but just to avoid possibility to have overlaping with those. Any suggestion what convention to use for naming variables, arrays, functions ?
FYI) I am working on it now !!!!

Thank you very much.

[rogster001]

f_ile is not a very good variable name imo. You can find lots of info about code naming conventions and formatting with a web search. For my part here are a few things i follow:

constants ALL_CAPS and using underscores where required
I dont like underscores in other frequently referenced data
simple and complex datatypes camelCase with first letter lower case
function names CamelCase with first letter upper case

[0ooo0]

Not sure about "scanf("%""10""[^\n]", string_variable);"
As result I have first 10 characters from string. what I want is:
string: OS = Windows
string_variable=Windows
So, I need to remove "OS" and "=" and space characters.

[grumpy]

Even worse, you have a couple of identifiers that start with an underscore. Such identifiers are reserved by the C standard for use by the implementation. Using them causes your code to exhibit undefined behaviour.

(Strictly speaking, there are a couple of exceptions to this guideline since the actual clauses in the standard are a bit more involved. But explaining the actual rules to a beginner is an effective way to make a beginner's head spin. Hence, with beginners, I fall back on the guideline of "don't do that!").

[AndiPersti]

Not sure about "scanf("%""10""[^\n]", string_variable);"
As result I have first 10 characters from string. what I want is:
string: OS = Windows
string_variable=Windows
So, I need to remove "OS" and "=" and space characters.

I've shown you just an example usage. You have to adapt it for your program. Basically you would just need to modify your original sscanf()-call from line 64 (remove the magic number and add the macro).

Bye, Andreas