how do i create an array...

how do i a function to create an array of n amount of structures dynamically and then to return a pointer to array. So far I have ....

Code:

typedef struct{
	char *name;
	int day_of_birth;
	int month_of_birth;
	int year_of_birth;
} data_t;


data_t
create_data_t_array(int n) {
	int i;
	data_t *ptr;
	ptr = malloc(sizeof(*ptr));
	for (i = 0; i < n; i++)
	{
	ptr[i] = malloc(sizeof(*ptr))	
	}
	return ptr;		 
}

but i dont think will work. pls help!

You nearly had the correct solution:

1. First of all, your function shouldn't return a data_t but instead a pointer to data_t
2. The way you're allocating your array inside the function is wrong. Just do it like you would do for integers:

Code:

int *array = malloc(100 * sizeof(*array));

The code you want is the following:

Code:

data_t *create_data_t_array(int n) {
	data_t *ptr;
	ptr = malloc(n * sizeof(*ptr));
	return ptr;
}

int main(void)
{
  data_t *myArray = create_data_t_array(10);
  return 0;
}

Also, don't forget to free() what you *alloc()!

Code:

data_t *create_data_t_array(int n) {
	data_t *ptr;
	ptr = malloc(n * sizeof(*ptr));
	return ptr;
}

void free_data_t_array(data_t *array, int n) {
    int x;

    for(x = 0; x < n; x ++) {
        free(array[n]);
    }

    free(array);
}

int main(void)
{
  data_t *myArray = create_data_t_array(10);
  free_data_t_array(myArray, 10);
  return 0;
}

should I also have to initialize it first :

Code:

void
init_array (data_t *pt_arrayr, int n) {
	int i;
	for (i = 0; i < n; i++)
	{
		ptr_array[i].name = {0};
		ptr_array[i].day_of_birth = 0;
		ptr_array[i].month_of_birth = 0;
		ptr_array[i].year_of_birth = 0;
	}
}

is this nessecary?

Code:

ptr_array[i].name = {0};

What are you trying to do? I assume you're trying to zero fill an array. Well, that only works at declaration time. You should be getting a compiler alert here about it.

[edit]
On looking back, name is just a pointer, and as such, the line should be:

Code:

ptr_array[ i ].name = NULL;

[/edit]

[edit2] Omitted structure member added. [edit2]

In general, it's a good idea to initialize everything before you try to do something meaningful with it. Here, it depends on how you're keeping track of what's valid and what's invalid data.



Quzah.

what would you recommend a as a good way to take input from keystroke. I have started writing a read_into_function but am having trouble formulating a loop system for it to iterate through each element, and then to the next structure in the array etc etc

I tried ptr_array[i] = NULL, I had to define NULL as 0 and then the compiler didn't like it :

c:34: error: incompatible types in assignment ?

Here are some FAQs on getting a number and a line, since I'm not sure what you're having trouble with.

See the second edit, I had omitted the structure member on my copy/paste job.


Quzah.

I want to pass information into members of the array of structures. I know the number of structure, n, and I have a pointer to the array. I want to step through each member of structure collecting the fields and then I want to move on to the next structure in the array.

something like this, but im not sure how to walk though each member of each structure within the array. I though about using an if(ch=="\n"), then iterate, but how do iterate the pointer, like this : ptr_array++?

Code:

data_t 
read_into_array(bday_t *ptr_array, int n) {
		int next;
		printf("Enter a name, date of birth, month of birth, and year of birth: \n");
		
		values_read = scanf("%s %d %d %d", ptr_array->name, &(ptr_array->day_of_birth), &(ptr_array->month_of_birth, &(ptr_array->year_of_birth));

You might consider something like his:

Code:

int getrecord( struct foo *bar )
{
    if( bar != NULL )
    {
        ...prompt for each member's data for this structure...
        ...put it into bar as you do so...
        return 0; /* return OK, whatever you want */
    }
    return 1; /* return ERROR, whatever you want */
}

...

for( x = 0; x < num; x++ )
{
    if( getnum( array[ x ] ) == 0 ) /* OK! */
    {
        ...do whatever...
    }
    else /* So sad. */
    {
        dieAHorribleDeath( );
    }
}

Or if you prefer using a pointer.

Code:

for( ptr = array; ptr < array + arraylen; ptr++ )
{
     getnum( ptr ); /* Add error checking. */
}

Quzah.