Suggest another way or how can my code be improved

the program i've written counts the number of words in a string entered from the keyboard (it works).

if someone could, please tell me if there is a better way to do it or how i can improve my code.

Code:

/*  header: # of words
    notes: this program counts the number of words in a string.
            - a word is a sequence of consecutive letters
*/

#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>

int nwords(int, char []);
int ctest(char, int);

int main() {
    char line[100];
    // get string
    printf("Enter a string: ");
    fgets(line, sizeof(line), stdin);
    
    // get number of words
    printf("number of words is %d", nwords(strlen(line)-1, line));
    
    while (getchar() != '\n') ;
    
    return 0;
}    

/* name: words counter
   parameters: length = length of string, line[] = string array
   return: the number of words in string
   note: character excludes tab, space, return, and null
*/
int nwords(int length, char line[]) {
    int x = 0;          // position of character in string- starts from 0
    int fchar;          // position of first character
    int lchar;          // position of last character
    int letters = 0;    // number of letters in sequence from fchar to lchar
    int words = 0;      // number of words counter
    
    /* in line if position of last consecutive character minus position of first character 
    plus 1 equals the number of letters in sequence the sequence of characters is a word. 
    example        : what happens                                               : word  
    hello          : fchar = 0; lchar = 4; letters = 5; lchar-fchar+1=letters     yes
     yes           : fchar = 1; lchar = 3; letters = 3; lchar-fchar+1=letters     yes
    hello yes      : fchar = 0; lchar = 4; letters = 5; lchar-fchar+1=letters     yes
                     fchar = 6; lchar = 8; letters = 3; lchar-fchar+1=letters     yes */
    
    for ( x; x < length; ++x) {
        if ( ctest(line[x], 3) ) {                // if it isn't a tab, space, return key and NULL
            fchar = x;                            // sets position of "first character"
            if ( ctest(line[x], 1) ) ++letters;   // if it is a letter, letter increments
            for ( x+1; x < length; ++x) {         // checks string after the "first character" 
                if ( ctest(line[x+1], 2) ) {      // if it is a tab, space, return key or NULL, sets position of "last character" and break out of loop   
                    lchar = x;  
                }    
                else if ( ctest(line[x+1], 1) ) { // if it is a letter, letter increments and goes to top
                    ++letters;
                    continue;
                }    
                else continue;
                break;                  
            }    
        }
        if (lchar-fchar + 1 == letters) ++words;  // if it is a word, word increments
        letters = 0;                              // reset letter to zero - important
    }
    return (words);
}        

/* name: character test
   parameters: character = a character, consider = a number (1-3)
   return: zero or 1
*/
int ctest(char character, int consider) {
    switch (consider) {
        case 1:        // if it is a character
            if ((character >= 'a' && character <='z') || (character >= 'A' && character <='Z')) return 1;
            break;
        case 2:        // if it is a tab, space, return key or NULL
            if (character == '\t' || character == ' ' || character == '\n' || character == '\0') return 1;
            break;
        case 3:        // if it isn't a tab, space, return key and NULL
            if (character != '\t' && character != ' ' && character != '\n' && character != '\0') return 1;
            break;
    }
    return 0;
}

If you put your function defintions above main, you won't need to declare the functions. Ie, you could then omit the lines:

Code:

int nwords(int, char []);
int ctest(char, int);

Also, a least under ANSI, it is either

int main(void)

or

int main(int argc, char **argv)

NOT

int main()


Just my 2 cents
Chad

As a matter of personal taste and convention, I use 'i' as the index in for loops, where you're using 'x'. Again, it's a matter of personal preference, but it is similar to way folks use 'foo' and 'bar' for example variables. No big deal at any rate....


Also, you could use some of the "is" functions in your ctest function.
They're declared in ctype.h. For example, isalpha() will tell you if it is a character. BTW, you are checking for a through z and A through Z, but don't forget that 0-9 are also characters.

I haven't had coffee yet, but you might try something like:

Code:

if (isalpha(character))
    /* then it's a-z or A-Z or 0-9 */

Just my 2 cents worth

isalpha does not check digits. Hence the 'alpha' portion of the function name. Perhaps you're thinking of isalnum?


Quzah.

Originally Posted by quzah

isalpha does not check digits. Hence the 'alpha' portion of the function name. Perhaps you're thinking of isalnum?


Quzah.

Oh, of course.

Had not had coffee yet, and I touch type. Sometimes, my fingers betray me and type what THEY think and not what my non-caffeinated brain is thinking.

Good catch. Most definitely isalnum().

thanks

cdalten i know about the prototype bit but little about the second suggestion (i think i will start using int main(void))

fgw_three i used x because it was the first thing that came to mind, also x is very commonly used when i do maths. i will use i maybe next time. thanks for the new function though (i don't know many currently).

quzah thanks for the other function.

isdigit tests for digits obviouslt, alnum does both in one, and both functions are in ctype.h