Storing data from a file into a single char string

Hi I am writing a game that uses several text files for its data, and I was wondering how to store the entire data within the text file in a single character string of the char *.

I figured something like this should do it:

Code:

---

FILE *file
char ch;
char *data;

while ((ch = fgetc(file)) != EOF)
{
    /* Function to append ch to the end of data */
}

---

But obviously there must be a better way. If not then could some one tell me how to do it this way?

Code:

---

FILE* pFile;
pFile = fopen("filename.txt","rb");

fseek (pFile, 0, SEEK_END);
long size=ftell (pFile);
char* data=new char[size];
fread(data,1,size,pFile);
fclose(pFile);

// work with data all you want
....

delete [] data;

---

The above code seems to have a problem with

Code:

---

new char

---

. It seems to me that "new" is a C++ keyword and is not available in C. Not only does it not work but it also apears as if your trying to read binary data from a plain text file.

Replace it with this:

Code:

---

char* data = malloc(sizeof(char) * size);

---

The sizeof(char) is somewhat redundant, but I figure there is no harm in it.

Oh, oops, that's me not paying attention. Sorry about that.

Also, it doesn't matter that it's a text file. It's still binary.

The next problem:

When I output the code I have it set to print the "data" variable. So the output should be something like this:

Code:

---

/* This is the contents of the text file that I am trying to load */

(levelset 1
  (name: Classic)
  (location: "classic/classic.tbls")
  (levels: 11))
(levelset 2
  (name: Confusion)
  (location: "confusion/confusion.tbls")
  (levels: 0))
(levelset 3
  (name: Insanity)
  (location: "insanity/insanity.tbls")
  (levels: 1))

/* EOF */

---

However I seem to be getting a segmentation fault.

You'll need to make the buffer size sizeof(char) * size +1 and add a null character at the end:

Code:

---

data[sizeof(char) * size] = '\0';

---

Still segmentation faults. Please check to make sure that I have to code correct as I may not.

Code:

---

FILE* pFile;
pFile = fopen("filename.txt","r");
fseek (pFile, 0, SEEK_END);
long size=ftell (pFile);
char* data = malloc(sizeof(char) * size+1);
data[sizeof(char) * size] = '\0';
fread(data,1,size,pFile);
fclose(pFile);

---

Though it shouldn't matter, it makes more sense to put the data[sizeof(char) * size] = '\0'; statement after you've read the data in. Other than that, you need to make it "rb" not "r".

Ah damn, fix it like so:

Code:

---

FILE* pFile;
pFile = fopen("filename.txt","rb");

fseek (pFile, 0, SEEK_END);
long size=ftell (pFile);
fseek (pFile, 0, SEEK_SET);

char* data = malloc(sizeof(char) * size+1);
fread(data,1,size,pFile);
data[sizeof(char) * size] = '\0';
fclose(pFile);

---

Still get the segmentation fault. I changed the code as follows:

Code:

---

FILE* pFile;
pFile = fopen("filename.txt","rb");
fseek (pFile, 0, SEEK_END);
long size=ftell (pFile);
fseek (pFile, 0, SEEK_SET);
char* data = malloc(sizeof(char) * size+1);
fread(data,1,size,pFile);
data[sizeof(char) * size] = '\0';
fclose(pFile);

---

It's happening at the "fseek" function. I found this out by commenting out each indavidual line with this "//" and removing them one by one and found out that it starts the segmentation fault at the fseek.

Check the edit.

There *is* a file called filename.txt somewhere in your directory, right?

I have comfirmed that it is do to the "fseek" function as I ran it with gdb and got this:

Code:

---

Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
[Switching to Thread 16384 (LWP 1303)]
0xb7dc022d in fseek () from /lib/i686/libc.so.6

---

The text file is what fooled me. Since I merely copied and pasted the code you guys gave me I kept forgetting to change the "filename.txt" to the location of the file. It works now.

Thanks a bunch. This is was the only major problem with my code that I was facing.

P.S. If you would like to see the development status of the game itself go the the following URL: tuxblocks.sourceforge.net

Please note that I am still at the very beggining of the coding process and haven't even set up the screen yet.

Glad to help, and sorry about my laziness. Long day today at work.

jverkoey is a double agent for Microsoft posing as a Sony employee ruining the PS3.

Haha, I try.