please help with a string comparison.

i need to input a month and check to see if the month exists in the array.
here is the code.

Code:

  char monthNames[2][10] = {"jan", "feb"};
    int check = 0;
    while(check != 1)
    {
        printf("Enter the month: (e.g. January ) ");
        gets(pdate->month);
        //printf(pdate->month);
        //printf(monthNames[0]);
//        for (int i = 0; i < 2; i++)
//        {
            if (pdate->month == monthNames[0])
            {
                printf("correct");
                check = 1;
                break;
            }
//        }
    }

the header im using is <stdio.h> and im getting rather frustrated. please tell me if there is a better way of accomplishing the same thing.. or plz just helpme make this code work.

In C, strings aren't compared with just ==. Instead, a library function called strcmp() is used:
You'll want to look it up (I can't at the moment), but it's something like this iirc:

Code:

if(strcmp(pointer2string1, pointer2string2) == 0)
/* strings are the same with 0, target string is greater if it returns 1, and target is less if it returns -1.

DON'T quote me on which is -1 and which is 1, I don't do much programming with strings, in C.
 */

You'll need to #include <string.h> to use strcmp.

Edit: Also, printf doesn't work like this:

Code:

printf(monthNames[0]);

What you want is either a literal string in double quotes: 

printf("hello world!"); 

or 

printf("\n %s ", monthName[0]);

where the \n give you a newline, the %s tells printf that you want it to 
print a string (%d or %i for integers), and finally, the data which corresponds 
to the string printing you want done.

Also gets should not be used. See FAQ http://faq.cprogramming.com/cgi-bin/...&id=1043284351

this is a class lesson and the example uses gets??? dunno why but it does.. other then that everything worked fine!!

Originally Posted by MegaManZZ

this is a class lesson and the example uses gets???

Then it is bad lesson that teaches bad practices

It's funny how schools in England forbids traditional games like conkers on grounds of safety, but students are exposed to this sort of insecure code. It's like the teachers at a motorcycling school riding without helmets, or metalwork classes not using safety-goggles.

Yes, gets() does the job. And if you are lucky, you can drill a hole in a piece of metal without getting any of the metal in your eyes. But you don't want to take the risk.

--
Mats