Declaring a variable size char

Hello, I have a question maybe more conceptual than practical, about the char variables. Suppose the next scenario

Code:

//compiled as *c with MingW on DevCpp IDE
#include <conio.h>
#include <stdio.h>
void test(char *txt,int i,int f)
{
int q;
char bff[f-i+1];
for(q=0;q<(f-i);q++)
    {
    bff[q]=txt[q+i];
    }
bff[q]='\0';
printf("%s\n",bff);
}

int main()
{
test("That's a test.",0,6);
test("That's a test.",7,8);
test("That's a test.",9,13);
getch();
return 0;
}

It works well, or for that sample situation it works well. My question is about the 2nd line on the 'test()' function: the char name[size], will do a 'malloc' each function call (or something internal like a mem allocation)? If yes, how can I know when there's enought memory (like the 'malloc' that returns null value)? Should I have to test if the buffer created is null? (I'm afraid that it will crash the program directly).

Thank's in advance
Niara

It will not malloc(). It will just crash if you exceed stack size. There's no way you can catch it. Stack overflow usually means instant death for the application, on pretty much any modern system.

Of course, you have to pass a very long string before that actually happens.

Originally Posted by Niara

Hello, I have a question maybe more conceptual than practical, about the char variables. Suppose the next scenario

Code:

//compiled as *c with MingW on DevCpp IDE
#include <conio.h>
#include <stdio.h>
void test(char *txt,int i,int f)
{
int q;
char bff[f-i+1];
for(q=0;q<(f-i);q++)
    {
    bff[q]=txt[q+i];
    }
bff[q]='\0';
printf("%s\n",bff);
}

int main()
{
test("That's a test.",0,6);
test("That's a test.",7,8);
test("That's a test.",9,13);
getch();
return 0;
}

It works well, or for that sample situation it works well. My question is about the 2nd line on the 'test()' function: the char name[size], will do a 'malloc' each function call (or something internal like a mem allocation)? If yes, how can I know when there's enought memory (like the 'malloc' that returns null value)? Should I have to test if the buffer created is null? (I'm afraid that it will crash the program directly).

Thank's in advance
Niara

it will malloc, in a sense that the OS will try and allocate memory block for your array... you can't check it by yourself... unless if you are talking about dynamic data structure

Also, variable length arrays are a new feature in C99, but have been available as an extension for several compilers for some time.

Hello, thanks all for the responses.

Then is safer to use a malloc(variable_size) instead char [variable_size] because I will be able to check for the memory disponibility, but with little strings that won't be any problem, and that kind of memory allocation 'instruction' will be supported by most of the actual compilers. I allways use the 'malloc' function, but that was a 'Is possible to...?' question that comes to my mind from I don't know where

Re - Thank's all for your time and help
Niara

Originally Posted by CornedBee

It will not malloc(). It will just crash if you exceed stack size. There's no way you can catch it. Stack overflow usually means instant death for the application, on pretty much any modern system.

Of course, you have to pass a very long string before that actually happens.

Then you just don't exceed the buffer size
If you don't need the support for very long strings, it is ok to just check for buffer overflow.

Originally Posted by Niara

Hello, thanks all for the responses.

Then is safer to use a malloc(variable_size) instead char [variable_size] because I will be able to check for the memory disponibility, but with little strings that won't be any problem, and that kind of memory allocation 'instruction' will be supported by most of the actual compilers. I allways use the 'malloc' function, but that was a 'Is possible to...?' question that comes to my mind from I don't know where

Re - Thank's all for your time and help
Niara

yes you can do that

Code:

char *s;

if((s = (char *) malloc(size_you_need)) == NULL) {
   fprintf(STDERR, "not enough memory\n");
   exit(0);
}

Gah - casting malloc in C
There's a FAQ

Originally Posted by Salem

Gah - casting malloc in C
There's a FAQ

lol... just what I expected

ok, here's the calloc version

Code:

char *s;

s = calloc(array_size, size_of_var_type); // in your case : calloc(10, 1)

return 0;

Hey, thanks for the new aclarations.

I forgot to explain something: I use malloc like

Code:

char *cbff=(char*)malloc(sizeof(char)*10);
int ibff=(int*)malloc(sizeof(int)*10);

As I read the calloc's faq, I think that's the same because calloc willl determine the size of the variable type that I want to use (maybe the types sizes are different depending the o.s.), so in that last code if I declare a 'cbbf' (a char buffer) with a size 10, so the malloc will get mem for 10 times the size of a char in the o.s. where is executed, no? the same with the 'int' type will get mem for an array of 10 times the size of an int in the o.s. Maybe I'm misunderstanding that about mem managing, althought I always find it interesting and important.

Niara

P.S. Have you seen that in the editor on the quick reply when you mouseover/mouseout on the text formatting buttons the working area is expanded? I'm using nsn7.0.

The only difference between calloc and malloc is that calloc 0-initializes the entire memory it allocates.

sizeof(char) is guaranteed by the standard to be 1. That's the definition of what sizeof means.

You do not need to cast the return value of malloc/calloc in C. In fact, it can hide errors. (I forgot the example.)

You should always check the return value of malloc. It might return NULL at any time.

Thank's for the aclarations, I'll bear in mind.

Niara