Alphabetical orders using string

[EdwardElric]

Im just a beginner btw so i need help how to do this
Ask 3 strings and arrange them in alphabetical order:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <conio.h>

main()
{
char b,c,d;
char a[i] = {'A','B','C','D','E','F','G','H','I','J','K','L','M','O','P','Q','R','S','T','U','V','W','X','Y','Z'};

printf ("Input a letter");
scanf("%c",&a);

printf ("Inpute letter");
scanf("%c",&b);

printf ("Input letter");
scanf ("%c",&c);

for (i = 0; i < 3; i++)
{
printf ("%c", a[i]);
printf ("\n");
}

printf ("%c %c %c", a, b , c);
getch();
}

[Happy_Reaper]

1) Read in the 3 strings using a combination of fgets and sscanf
2) Now compare their first characters s1[0], s2[0] and s3[0]. If that orders them then output the result. If it doesn't go to the next character and continue until it does.

That's it. By the way, next time you start a thread, you may want to be asking a more specific question.

[cpjust]

Why not use strcmp()?

[HowardL]

You have a start there but I think you might (should) be getting some errors? (I sure did)
This should get you running:

/* orderstrings1.c */

#include <stdio.h>
#include <conio.h>

/*  use to pause OR to  empty leftovers in stdin buffer  */
void PAUSE(void){int c; while((c = getc(stdin)) != '\n' && c != EOF); }

/*  use instead of scanf("&#37;c", &char)  and getchar()     */
int mygetchar(void){ int c;   c = getc(stdin);   PAUSE();   return c; }

int main()
{
  char b, c, d;
  /*char a[i] = {'.... You can't do that unless i has a value
  char a[] = {'A','B','C','D','E','F','G','H','I','J','K','L','M','O','P','Q','R','S','T','U','V','W','X','Y','Z','\0'};
  Note the '\0' at end
  ...works but this does the same thing with less effort:
                         (and how about some lower case letters too) */
  char a[] = "aAbBcCdDeEfFgGhHiIjJkKlLmMnNoOpPqQrRsStTuUvVwWxXyYzZ";
  int i = sizeof(a) - 1;   /* get the length of the string and stor in i */

  printf("i= %d \n", i);

  /* I don't think you want to put anything else in 'a' do you? maybe in 'd' ?
  printf ("Input a letter");
  scanf("%c",&a);
  */

  /* printf ("Input a letter");    I added ': '  to improve appearance */
  printf ("Input a letter: ");
  scanf("%c",&b);
  PAUSE();
  /* CAUTION:  Using scanf() for %c haracters is overkill and causes another
     problem.  Scanf() will read the first char it encounters and leave any
     other input in the input buffer which includes the \n from hitting return
     key when your finished entering.  That \n will be picked up by the next
     call to scanf() and so it being satisfied with \n as it's character it
     will end leaving you with a \n as value of c.  I made a PAUSE(); function
     (see at top) which will clean that up.
     I also left a 'mygetchar()' to use instead of scanf(%c) or regular getchar() 
     which will also leave unused chars in the stdin buffer.  */

  printf ("Input a letter: ");
  c = mygetchar();

  printf ("Input a letter: ");
  d = mygetchar();             /* I added this for unused variable 'd' */

  /* ok so what do you want to do here???? Your move... */
  for (i = 0; i < 3; i++)
  {
    printf ("%c", a[i]);
    printf ("\n");
  }

  /* printf ("%c %c %c", a, b, c);  again with the string a and no d */
  printf ("%c %c %c    ", b, c, d);

  /* getch();   this will do the same thing and you won't need conio.h */
  PAUSE();

  return 0;
}

So you want to alphabetize strings? You will need to input strings then.
Happy's suggestions look good for that.

[iMalc]

Is redefining the alphabet an attempt to tell the compiler how you want some strings ordered?
An analogy to that: Someone put 3 objects in front of you and asked you to sort them from smallest to largest, left to right, you just drew a picture of all sorts of objects of increasing sizes. To actually sort things you were given have to actually do the work of moving those things, rather than just showing "this is what sorted things look like", and waiting for some magic to kick in.

Try starting with only two objects to sort, and see if you can figure out how to swap them. Maybe start with ints too, instead of strings.

[zacs7]

Why not simplify

char a[] = {'A','B','C','D','E','F','G','H','I','J','K','L','M','O','P','Q','R','S','T','U','V','W','X','Y','Z','\0'};

To

char a[] = "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ";

Far easier to read.