seg fault when printing string

hi,

i get a seg fault when i try to print the currentSearch ...and suggestions?

thanks

Code:

	char *currentSearch = NULL;

	setSearchTag("title", currentSearch);
	printf("Currently looking for:%s", currentSearch);
	
	
	

void setSearchTag(char *search, char *currentSearch) {

	char *startTag = "<";
	char *endTag = ">";
	
	if(currentSearch == NULL || (strlen(search) + strlen(startTag) + strlen(endTag)) > strlen(currentSearch)) {
		
		currentSearch = malloc(sizeof(char) * (strlen(search) + strlen(startTag) + strlen(endTag)));
		
		if (!currentSearch){
			fprintf(stderr, "Unable to reallocate %d bytes of memory for current search\n", strlen(search) + strlen(startTag) + strlen(endTag));
			exit(1);
		}
	}

	strcpy(currentSearch, startTag);
	strcat(currentSearch,search);
	strcat(currentSearch,endTag);
				
}

currentSearch memory needs to be allocated before you leave it to setSearchTag function.
other way to fix problem is return currentSearch pointer from setSearchTag function
like:
char *currentSearch;
currentSearch = setSearchTa("title");
and print it out....

cool ..thanks

the function 'setSearchTag' doesnt update currentSearch.
change the fn return type to (char *) & return the updated currentSearch pointer address.
& the memory allocation also needs change :
currentSearch = (char *)malloc(sizeof(char) * (strlen(search) + strlen(startTag) + strlen(endTag)));
hope it 'll do.

also 1 more thing....why is it now...when i call setSeachTag() again....it gives me a bus error
on the malloc line?

Code:

	currentSearch = setSearchTag("title", currentSearch);
	currentSearch = setSearchTag("/title", currentSearch);	

char* setSearchTag(char *search, char *currentSearch) {

	char *startTag = "<";
	char *endTag = ">";
	
	if(currentSearch == NULL || (strlen(search) + strlen(startTag) + strlen(endTag)) > strlen(currentSearch)) {
		
		currentSearch = malloc(sizeof(char) * (strlen(search) + strlen(startTag) + strlen(endTag)));
		
		if (!currentSearch){
			fprintf(stderr, "Unable to reallocate %d bytes of memory for current search\n", strlen(search) + strlen(startTag) + strlen(endTag));
			exit(1);
		}
	}

	strcpy(currentSearch, startTag);
	strcat(currentSearch,search);
	strcat(currentSearch,endTag);

	return currentSearch;
				
}

Code:

char *
set_stag ( char *s )
{
    char *b;

    if ( !s || !( b = ( char * ) malloc ( sizeof ( char ) * ( strlen ( s ) + 3 ) ) ) ){
         return null;
    }
    sprintf ( b, "<%s>", s );

    return  b;
}

if you haven't already figure out what was problem....

>> & the memory allocation also needs change :
Read this: Casting malloc().
It does need to change however, you're not adding space for a NULL terminator.

The bus error on the malloc() line means you most likely have some bad code elsewhere (or maybe from a previous call to that function).