Thread: Not getting good result searching an array of string.

OS: Win 2k Compiler: MS VC++ 6.0

Maybe my logic isn't good enough. I am trying to search through an array of strings for a name to see whwther or nor it exists. The problem is even though the name is clearly in the list, the program says it's not. Is my logic wrong?
After answering Y, the program wouldn't allow me to continue processing (selecting another name) if name is not in the list.
Please see my codes and the result I got:

The unsorted names are:
C a r l B i l l i o n
S m i t h B i r t
A l J i m
A l b e r t J i m
S t a n K a r t y
R o s e A m r e
B a y T e r r
J o h n s o n E r a b
A l l i s o n C a r r
J e a n J o e y
W i l l B i l l
J a m e s G a r t

The sorted names are:
Al Jim
Albert Jim
Allison Carr
Bay Terr
Carl Billion
James Gart
Jean Joey
Johnson Erab
Rose Amre
Smith Birt
Stan Karty
Will Bill
------------------
Performing a search-------

Please enter a name to search for:
Stan Karty
This name is not found
Another selection? (Y or N) Y
Press any key to continue
-------- The codes ------
--------------------------
/*
Purpose: Sort in alphabetical order a list of names first 0r last) using an array of chars.
*/
#include <iostream>
#include <cstring>
using namespace std;

#define ELEMENTCOUNT 12

void showArray(char strings[][17], int);
typedef int (*cmpfunc) (const void*, const void*);

int main()
{
char found[17];
char go;
char (strings[12][17]) = {
"Carl Billion", "Smith Birt", "Al Jim",
"Albert Jim", "Stan Karty", "Rose Amre",
"Bay Terr", "Johnson Erab", "Allison Carr",
"Jean Joey", "Will Bill", "James Gart"};

cout << "The unsorted names are: \n";
showArray(strings, 12);
cout << "\n";

char searchedName[17];
qsort(strings, 12, 17, (cmpfunc)strcmp);
cout << "The sorted names are: \n";

for( int i = 0; i < 12; i++ )
{
// puts( strings[i] );
cout << (strings[i]) <<endl;
}
cout << "------------------\n";
cout << "Performing a search-------\n" << endl;
//do
//{
cout << "Please enter a name to search for: \n";
cin.getline(searchedName, 17);
//not used -->found = strlen(searchedName);
strcpy(found, searchedName); // error C2106 points to this line of code
char *srchNamePtr = found;
if (srchNamePtr == searchedName)
{
strings,12,17,(cmpfunc)strcmp);
cout << "The name: " << searchedName[17] << "is found" << '\n' << endl;
}
else
{
cout << "This name is not found\n";
do
{
cout << "Another selection? (Y or N) ";
cin >> go;
if (toupper(go) == 'y') //not used -->|| toupper(go) == 'n')
{
cin.getline(searchedName, 17);
}
else
{return 0;}
}
while ( (go !='y') || (go == 'Y') );
//not used: while (toupper(go) !='Y' && toupper(go) !='N');
} // end of else
return 0;
} // end of main()
// function definitions ==========================
void showArray(char strings[12][17], int elems)
{
for (int i = 0; i < elems; i++)
{
for ( int j = 0 ; j < elems; j++)
cout << strings[i][j]<<" ";
cout << endl;
}
cout<<endl<<endl;
}

use strcmp if you want case sensativity, and strcmpi if not

Yes, I did use the correct code (strcmp) but I am not getting the correct result. The old problem still persist; when I type in a name that don't exist the program tells me that the name is in the array when it's not. I think you should review that particular section again and let me know what you have found. The sort is still fine though. See the changes.
-----------------------------------------------------
#include <iostream>
#include <cstring>
#include <ctype.h>
using namespace std;

#define ELEMENTCOUNT 12

void showArray(char strings[][17], int);
typedef int (*cmpfunc) (const void*, const void*);

int main()
{
char found[17];
char go;
char (strings[12][17]) = {
"Carl Billion", "Smith Birt", "Al Jim",
"Albert Jim", "Stan Karty", "Rose Amre",
"Bay Terr", "Johnson Erab", "Allison Carr",
"Jean Joey", "Will Bill", "James Gart"};

cout << "The unsorted names are: \n";
showArray(strings, 12);
cout << "\n";

char searchedName[17];
qsort(strings, 12, 17, (cmpfunc)strcmp);
cout << "The sorted names are: \n";

for( int i = 0; i < 12; i++ )
{
// puts( strings[i] );
cout << (strings[i]) <<endl;
}
cout << "------------------\n";
cout << "Performing a search-------\n" << endl;
cout << "Please enter a name to search for: \n";
cin.getline(searchedName, 17);
char *srchNamePtr = found;
if(strcmp(srchNamePtr, searchedName) == 0)
{
cout << "The name: " << searchedName[17] << "is found" << '\n' << endl;
}
else
{
cout << "This name is not found\n";
do
{
cout << "Another selection? (Y or N) ";
cin >> go;
if (toupper(go) == 'y')
{
cin.getline(searchedName, 17);
}
else
{return 0;}
}
while ( (go !='y') || (go == 'Y') );
} // end of else
return 0;
} // end of main()
// function definitions =======================
void showArray(char strings[12][17], int elems)
{
for (int i = 0; i < elems; i++)
{
for ( int j = 0 ; j < elems; j++)
cout << strings[i][j]<<" ";
cout << endl;
}
cout<<endl<<endl;
}

I suspect the conundrum has to do with what happens when strcmp() tries to compare a valid string with an invalid string.

srchNamePtr is not a valid string when used as a parameter in the call to strcmp() because it is not initialized. You have passed it the address of the first element of the variable found, but the variable found is in itself not initialized. Therefore when strcmp tires to compare it to a valid string it may well return 0. Therefore 0 == 0 so the following statement is run.

I suggest dropping the variable srchNamePtr and the variable found.

the comparison with strcmp should be this;

strcmp(strings[i], searchedName)

Also the request for user input to find a name should be outside the loop that does the actual search. The way you have it the user will need to enter the name each time the computer moves to a new string in the array to compare to--ands that's not user friendly.

=========================================

BTW the following line should cause major problems, too:

cout << "The name: " << searchedName[17] << "is found" << '\n' << endl;


The problem with this line is that searchedName is declared to be a char array with 17 elements, but searchedName[17] as used above says display the 18th element of searchedName-----which doesn't exist. Drop the [17] in the above line to get it correct---you want to display the string, not a single char, and certainly not a char with an out of bounds array index.