To understand and figure out why char *ARRAY cannot convert to char* for function

[arti]

My code is provided at the bottom. These are the error messages I receive when compiling:

g++ assign2c.cpp taxes.o -o main.exe
assign2c.cpp: In function ‘int main()’:
assign2c.cpp:72:65: error: cannot convert ‘char (*)[5][12]’ to ‘char*’ for argument ‘1’ to ‘void inputEmpData(char*, char*, float*, float*, float*)’
make: *** [main.exe] Error 1

What I want to do is put this small section of code into a function but it says I can't convert char[ARRAY] to char* for argument 1 to void 'inputEmpData' this is where information about the employee is entered.

printf("Enter the last name of the employee\n");
  scanf("%s", lastname);
  printf("Enter the first name of the employee\n");
  scanf("%s", firstname);
  printf("Enter the the pay of the employee\n");
  scanf("%f", payrate);
  printf("Enter the amount of hours worked\n");
  scanf("%f", hrs);
  printf("Enter the deferred amount\n");
  scanf("%f", deferred);

The function goes in the body of the for loop as so:

for(i=0; i<ARRAYSIZE; i++)
  {
   inputEmpData(&lastname, &firstname, &payrate, &hrs, &deferred); //here goes function of inputEmpData
   printf(BLANKLINES);
  }

/*   Program: Assign2c
     Course: CISP360
     Author: Arturo
     Purpose: Payroll Program
     Date: 03/20/13

     Software   Change    Record
     Date       Who       What
     03/20      Arturo    Second Program
*/

/*      Decomposition
   3.0 Payroll
	3.1 PrintReportHeadings
	3.2 InitializeAccumulators
	3.3 InputEmployeeData
	3.4 CalculateGross
	3.5 CalculateTaxes
		3.5.1 CalcFedtax
		3.5.2 CalcStatetax
		3.5.3 CalcSSItax
	3.6 AddDetailToAccumulator
	3.7 PrintSummaryReport
*/
extern void calculatetaxes(float gross,float deferred, float *ft, float *st, float ........i);
void ovtHrs(float *hrs_wrk, float *ovt_hrs, float hrs, float *gross, float payrate);
void netPay(float gross, float deferred, float ft, float st, float ssi, float *net);
void calcAccumulator(float *tot_payrate, float payrate, float *tot_hrs_wrk, float hrs_wrk, float *tot_ovt, float ovt_hrs, 
                     float *tot_gross, float gross, float *tot_ft, float ft, float *tot_st, float st, float *tot_ssi, float ssi,
                     float *tot_deferred, float deferred,  float *tot_net, float net);
void calcAverage(float tot_payrate, float *payrate_avg, float tot_hrs_wrk, float *hrs_wrk_avg, float tot_ovt, float *ovt_avg, 
                 float tot_gross, float *gross_avg, float tot_ft, float *ft_avg, float tot_st, float *st_avg, float tot_ssi, 
                 float ........i_avg, float tot_deferred, float *deferred_avg, float tot_net, float *net_avg);
void initializeAccumulators(float *tot_payrate, float * tot_hrs_wrk, float  *tot_ovt, float  *tot_gross, float  *tot_ft, 
                            float  *tot_st, float  *tot_ssi, float  *tot_deferred, float  *tot_net);
void inputEmpData(char *lastname, char *firstname, float *payrate, float *hrs, float *deferred);

#include<stdio.h>
#include<string.h>
#include<stdlib.h>
#define BLANKLINES    "                                                                                                \n\n"
#define REPORTHEADER  "     Employee                      Pay            Reg Hrs          Gross              Fed            SSI        Net\n"
#define REPORTHEADER1 "     Name                          Rate           Ovt Hrs          Pay                State          Defr       Pay\n"
#define REPORTHEADER2 "     =========                    ======         =========        =======            =======        ======     =====\n"
#define REPORTFORMAT  "%18s           %10.2f %15.2f %17.2f %18.2f%15.2f%11.2f\n"
#define REPORTFORMAT1 "                    %35.2f %36.2f   %12.2f\n"
#define REPORTFORMAT2 "     Totals%28.2f%16.2f%18.2f%19.2f%15.2f%11.2f\n"
#define REPORTFORMAT3 "     %50.2f%37.2f%15.2f\n"
#define REPORTFORMAT4 "     Averages%26.2f%16.2f%18.2f%19.2f%15.2f%11.2f\n"
#define REPORTFORMAT5 "      %49.2f%37.2f%15.2f\n"
#define ARRAYSIZE 5



int main(void)
{
  char lastname[ARRAYSIZE][12], firstname[ARRAYSIZE][10];
  char S_name[12+10];
  float payrate[ARRAYSIZE], hrs_wrk[ARRAYSIZE], ovt_hrs[ARRAYSIZE], gross[ARRAYSIZE], ft[ARRAYSIZE], st[ARRAYSIZE], ssi[ARRAYSIZE], deferred[ARRAYSIZE], net[ARRAYSIZE], hrs[ARRAYSIZE];
  float tot_payrate, tot_hrs_wrk, tot_ovt, tot_gross, tot_ft, tot_st, tot_ssi, tot_deferred, tot_net;
  float payrate_avg, hrs_wrk_avg, ovt_avg, gross_avg, ft_avg, st_avg, ssi_avg, deferred_avg, net_avg;
  int i;
  FILE * reportFILE;
  reportFILE=fopen("./report.txt","wt");
  if (reportFILE==NULL)
  {
    printf("Report File open failed...\n");
    exit(-80); //terminate app-reqs <stdlib.h>
  }
  for(i=0; i<ARRAYSIZE; i++)
  {
   inputEmpData(&lastname, &firstname, &payrate, &hrs, &deferred); //here goes function of inputEmpData
   printf(BLANKLINES);
  } 

  printf(BLANKLINES);
  fprintf(reportFILE, REPORTHEADER);
  fprintf(reportFILE, REPORTHEADER1);
  fprintf(reportFILE, REPORTHEADER2);

  initializeAccumulators(&tot_payrate, &tot_hrs_wrk, &tot_ovt, &tot_gross, &tot_ft, &tot_st, &tot_ssi, &tot_deferred, &tot_net);

  for(i=0; i<ARRAYSIZE; i++)
  {
    strcpy(S_name, lastname[i]);
    strcat(S_name, ", ");
    strcat(S_name, firstname[i]); 

    ovtHrs(&hrs_wrk[i], &ovt_hrs[i], hrs[i], &gross[i], payrate[i]);
    calculatetaxes(gross[i], deferred[i], &ft[i], &st[i], &ssi[i]);
    netPay(gross[i], deferred[i], ft[i], st[i], ssi[i], &net[i]);
    calcAccumulator(&tot_payrate, payrate[i], &tot_hrs_wrk, hrs_wrk[i], &tot_ovt, ovt_hrs[i], &tot_gross, gross[i], &tot_ft, ft[i], &tot_st, st[i], &tot_ssi, ssi[i], &tot_deferred, deferred[i], &tot_net, net[i]);
    calcAverage(tot_payrate, &payrate_avg, tot_hrs_wrk, &hrs_wrk_avg, tot_ovt, &ovt_avg, tot_gross, &gross_avg, tot_ft, &ft_avg, tot_st, &st_avg, tot_ssi, &ssi_avg, tot_deferred, &deferred_avg, tot_net, &net_avg);

    printf(BLANKLINES);
    fprintf(reportFILE, REPORTFORMAT, S_name, payrate[i], hrs_wrk[i], gross[i], ft[i],  ssi[i], net[i]);
    fprintf(reportFILE, REPORTFORMAT1, ovt_hrs[i],st[i], deferred[i]);
  }
  printf(BLANKLINES);
  fprintf(reportFILE, REPORTFORMAT2, tot_payrate, tot_hrs_wrk, tot_gross, tot_ft, tot_ssi, tot_net);
  fprintf(reportFILE, REPORTFORMAT3, tot_ovt, tot_st, tot_deferred);
  fprintf(reportFILE, REPORTFORMAT4, payrate_avg, hrs_wrk_avg, gross_avg, ft_avg, ssi_avg, net_avg);
  fprintf(reportFILE, REPORTFORMAT5, ovt_avg, st_avg,deferred_avg);
  fclose(reportFILE);

  while(getchar()!= '\n');
  getchar;
  return 0;
}

void inputEmpData(char *lastname, char *firstname, float *payrate, float *hrs, float *deferred) 
{
  printf("Enter the last name of the employee\n");
  scanf("%s", lastname);
  printf("Enter the first name of the employee\n");
  scanf("%s", firstname);
  printf("Enter the the pay of the employee\n");
  scanf("%f", payrate);
  printf("Enter the amount of hours worked\n");
  scanf("%f", hrs);
  printf("Enter the deferred amount\n");
  scanf("%f", deferred);
}


void ovtHrs(float *hrs_wrk, float *ovt_hrs, float hrs, float *gross, float payrate)
{
 if(hrs<=40)
 {
   *ovt_hrs=0;
   *hrs_wrk=hrs;
   *gross=hrs*payrate;
 }
 else
 {
   *hrs_wrk=40;
   *ovt_hrs=hrs-40;
   *gross=payrate*40+(hrs-40)*1.5*payrate;
 }
}

void netPay(float gross, float deferred, float ft, float st, float ssi, float *net)
{
 *net=gross-deferred-ft-st-ssi;
}

void initializeAccumulators(float *tot_payrate, float * tot_hrs_wrk, float  *tot_ovt, float  *tot_gross, float  *tot_ft, float  *tot_st, float  *tot_ssi, float  *tot_deferred, float  *tot_net)
{
  *tot_payrate=0;
  *tot_hrs_wrk=0;
  *tot_ovt=0;
  *tot_gross=0;
  *tot_ft=0;
  *tot_st=0;
  *tot_ssi=0;
  *tot_deferred=0;
  *tot_net=0;
}

void calcAccumulator(float *tot_payrate, float payrate, float *tot_hrs_wrk, float hrs_wrk, float *tot_ovt, float ovt_hrs, float *tot_gross, float gross, float *tot_ft, float ft, float *tot_st, float st, float *tot_ssi, float ssi,float *tot_deferred, float deferred,  float *tot_net, float net)
{
 *tot_payrate+=payrate;
 *tot_hrs_wrk+=hrs_wrk;
 *tot_ovt+=ovt_hrs;
 *tot_gross+=gross;
 *tot_ft+=ft;
 *tot_st+=st; 
 *tot_ssi+=ssi;
 *tot_deferred+=deferred;
 *tot_net+=net;
}


void calcAverage(float tot_payrate, float *payrate_avg, float tot_hrs_wrk, float *hrs_wrk_avg, float tot_ovt, float *ovt_avg, float tot_gross, float *gross_avg, float tot_ft, float *ft_avg, float tot_st, float *st_avg, float tot_ssi, float ........i_avg, float tot_deferred, float *deferred_avg, float tot_net, float *net_avg)
{
 *payrate_avg=(tot_payrate/5);
 *hrs_wrk_avg=(tot_hrs_wrk/5);
 *ovt_avg=(tot_ovt/5);
 *gross_avg=(tot_gross/5);
 *ft_avg=(tot_ft/5);
 *st_avg=(tot_st/5);
 ........i_avg=(tot_ssi/5);
 *deferred_avg=(tot_deferred/5);
 *net_avg=(tot_net/5);
}

[dmh2000]

because a two dimension char array is not a char array. it is an array of char arrays. neither are the numeric parameters floats, they arrays of floats. for each of those arguments you need to pass a pointer to the particular element of the array subscripted by your loop index, i
note that the float arrays need an ampersand because they are individual elements, where the two char arrays degenerate to char *'s so you don't want the ampersand on them

inputEmpData(lastname[i], firstname[i], &payrate[i], &hrs[i], &deferred[i]); //here goes function of inputEmpData

[Click_here]

Because your function expects a pointer to a character, which can also be a one dimentional array. The argument you are trying to pass to it is a two dimentional array.

[arti]

because a two dimension char array is not a char array. it is an array of char arrays. neither are the numeric parameters floats, they arrays of floats. for each of those arguments you need to pass a pointer to the particular element of the array subscripted by your loop index, i
note that the float arrays need an ampersand because they are individual elements, where the two char arrays degenerate to char *'s so you don't want the ampersand on them

inputEmpData(lastname[i], firstname[i], &payrate[i], &hrs[i], &deferred[i]); //here goes function of inputEmpData

Would the prototype and the definition have "[i]"? I'm sorry it's the first time I'm working with pointers and functions like this.

[arti]

g++ assign2c.cpp taxes.o -o main.exe
assign2c.cpp:36:33: error: ‘i’ was not declared in this scope
assign2c.cpp:36:35: error: expected ‘)’ before ‘,’ token
assign2c.cpp:36:37: error: expected unqualified-id before ‘char’
assign2c.cpp:112:33: error: ‘i’ was not declared in this scope
assign2c.cpp:112:35: error: expected ‘)’ before ‘,’ token
assign2c.cpp:112:37: error: expected unqualified-id before ‘char’
make: *** [main.exe] Error 1

I get these errors and still do even though I have declared 'i' as an integer in the function definition. But I shouldn't have to do this, right? The i is already being declared in the main of the code, the for loop is in the main and the function call is in the for loop. This is what the prototype, the call and the function definition look like. What am I doing wrong?

void inputEmpData(char lastname[i], char firstname[i], float *payrate[i], float *hrs[i], float *deferred[i]);

for(i=0; i<ARRAYSIZE; i++)
  {
   inputEmpData(lastname[i], firstname[i], &payrate[i], &hrs[i], &deferred[i]); //here goes function of inputEmpData
   printf(BLANKLINES);
  }

void inputEmpData(char lastname[i], char firstname[i], float *payrate[i], float *hrs[i], float *deferred[i])
{
  int i;
  printf("Enter the last name of the employee\n");
  scanf("%s", lastname[i]);
  printf("Enter the first name of the employee\n");
  scanf("%s", firstname[i]);
  printf("Enter the the pay of the employee\n");
  scanf("%f", &payrate[i]);
  printf("Enter the amount of hours worked\n");
  scanf("%f", &hrs[i]);
  printf("Enter the deferred amount\n");
  scanf("%f", &deferred[i]);
}

[stahta01]

Why did this change from

void inputEmpData(char *lastname, char *firstname, float *payrate, float *hrs, float *deferred);

To what is almost positively wrong

void inputEmpData(char lastname[i], char firstname[i], float *payrate[i], float *hrs[i], float *deferred[i]);

[arti]

Why did this change from

void inputEmpData(char *lastname, char *firstname, float *payrate, float *hrs, float *deferred);

To what is almost positively wrong

void inputEmpData(char lastname[i], char firstname[i], float *payrate[i], float *hrs[i], float *deferred[i]);

I'm still learning. I haven't worked with functions and arrays like this. I thought just like the star * that is typed in the function prototype and the function definition so would the "I" be typed the same way, in the definition and prototype.

[Cat]

Why not make a struct that defines one element of your data, with each struct storing data about exactly one individual? Then you can make one array of structs, rather than n arrays of primitives. So much easier, too, in terms of passing the data around and manipulating it.

If you ever have a case where you have multiple arrays, where the ith element of each array is related to the ith element of the other arrays, chances are you're doing something wrong.

[arti]

Why not make a struct that defines one element of your data, with each struct storing data about exactly one individual? Then you can make one array of structs, rather than n arrays of primitives. So much easier, too, in terms of passing the data around and manipulating it.

If you ever have a case where you have multiple arrays, where the ith element of each array is related to the ith element of the other arrays, chances are you're doing something wrong.

Making a struct is in the plans. That's later on in the course that I am taking. For the moment I'm trying to make that into a function. Also I been reading up on structs and I can't make heads or tails about them