compare pointer and integer?

hello, everyone!
i'm trying something in c.
so far i've done a program like this:

Code:

---

#include<string.h>
#include<stdio.h>
  char search_string[100]="\0";
  char *array[50];
  int loop;

int main(void)
{
  while(1){
  printf("\n>>");
  gets(search_string);

  array[0]=strtok(search_string," ");
  if(array[0]==NULL)
  {
    printf("Error.\n");
    exit(0);
  }

  for(loop=1;loop<50;loop++)
  {
    array[loop]=strtok(NULL," ");
  }
 
              if (strcmp(array[0], "A")==0) {
                      printf("%s\n", array[0]);
                      if (strcmp(array[1], "B")==0)
                              printf("%s", array[1]);
                      else if (strcmp(array[1], "C")==0)
                              printf("%s", array[1]);
                      else printf("x"); }
              else if (strcmp(array[0], "D")==0)
                      printf("%s\n", array[0]);
        }
}

---

now, what i'm planning to do is to give the user the ability to input an integer.
i'm wondering how to do that since everytime i try to put

Code:

---

if (array[1] = 2)

---

the compiler says that ANSI C++ forbids comparison between pointer and integer.
What shall I do to be able to get both letters and numbers from the user.

My program(so far):
>>A B
A
B
>>A C
A
C
>>D
D

My target program:
>>A B
A
B
>>A 1
A
1
>>2
2

Thanks!

First, I'm assuming that in your snip is a typo:

Code:

---

if (array[1] = 2)

---

I think you meant to write:

Code:

---

if (array[1] ==2)

---

Now for the problems at hand...

Try a typecast in front of array[1]:

Code:

---

if (  (int *) array[1]  ==2 )

---

I've found using Typecast very useful for problems
just like you described.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Char*Pntr

I've found using Typecast very useful for problems
just like you described.

---

On the contrary, nyekknyakk, casting array[1] to int* is the wrong thing to do here. Rather, I notice that you are already using strcmp to compare say, array[1] with "A". You can use it to compare array[1] with "2".

At a glance, there are a few other things you could improve:

• Make your indentation more consistent.
• #include <stdlib.h> if you really want to use the exit function.
• Avoid global variables.
• Replace the use of gets with say, fgets.

i tried Char*Pntr's suggestion but it didn't work..
but still thanks for the reply!

laserlight, are you saying that i can compare array[1] with an integer?

Code:

---

if(strcmp(array[1], 2)==0)

---

my compiler said that passing `int' to argument 2 of `strcmp(const char *, const char *)' lacks a cast and incompatible types in assignment of `int' to `char[100]'..

i'm sorry for my indentations, i'm still not used to it.
i also forgot about stdlib.h, i'm using global variables right now because the program i'm working on has a lot of functions. why should i avoid global variables?
and also, i still don't know how fgets is used. i'm still learning the basics>
thanks!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by nyekknyakk

laserlight, are you saying that i can compare array[1] with an integer?

---

Yes, except that this integer is actually a string :)

Code:

---

if(strcmp(array[1], "2") == 0)

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by laserlight

Yes, except that this integer is actually a string :)

Code:

---

if(strcmp(array[1], "2") == 0)

---

---

but my compiler says: incompatible types in assignment of `int' to `char[100]'?
i don't understand what that means?

What exactly did you write?

you mean my whole code?

Code:

---

#include<string.h>
#include<stdio.h>
#include<stdlib.h>
  char search_string[100]="\0";
  char *array[50];
  int loop;

int main(void)
{
  while(1){
  printf("\n>>");
  gets(search_string);
 
  if(search_string = 1)
          printf("HI!");

  array[0]=strtok(search_string," ");
  if(array[0]==NULL)
  {
    printf("Error.\n");
    exit(0);
  }

  for(loop=1;loop<50;loop++)
  {
    array[loop]=strtok(NULL," ");
  }
 
              if (strcmp(array[0], "A")==0) {
                      printf("%s\n", array[0]);
                      if (strcmp(array[1], "B")==0)
                              printf("%s", array[1]);
                      else if (strcmp(array[1], "C")==0)
                              printf("%s", array[1]);
                      else printf("x"); }
              else if (strcmp(array[0], "D")==0)
                      printf("%s\n", array[0]);
                  else if(strcmp(array[1], "2") == 0)
                          printf("%s", array[1]);
        }
}

---

what seems to be the problem?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by nyekknyakk

what seems to be the problem?

---

Along with the error message should come a line number. In this case, the error message indicates that the error was detected on line 14 (but note that the error could actually be elsewhere; it was merely detected on this line). We see:

Code:

---

if(search_string = 1)

---

What exactly are you trying to do by assigning 1 to search_string? Perhaps you mean to compare search_string with 1, but that still does not make much sense.

oh.. where did that came from?
finally, now it compiled!
i was really focusing on line 14, i didn't notice this simple mistake.
i'm sorry about that and thank you very much!

edit:
but there seems to be another problem, whenever i run the program,
if i typed A alone, it crashes and stops, why is that happening?

You declared 'array' as an array of 50 pointer-to-char, so array[i] is a pointer. when you write:

Code:

---

if (strcmp(array[0], "A")==0

---

array[0] is a pointer. You can't compare a pointer and a string.
I think you actually meant:

Code:

---

char *array

---

which will work. if you do so, remove the for loop and replace it with:

Code:

---

char *array
 array = strtok(search_string," ,");
 while (array != NULL)
  {
    printf("%s\n", array);
    array = strtok(NULL," ,");
  }

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by nyekknyakk

but there seems to be another problem, whenever i run the program,
if i typed A alone, it crashes and stops, why is that happening?

---

It might be a good idea to post the current version of your code.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by nimitzhunter

You can't compare a pointer and a string. (...) which will work.

---

It is true that it does not normally make sense to compare a pointer and a string, but here strcmp is used to compare the string whose first element is pointed to by the pointer, with a string literal. Other than possible problems with what array[0] points to, it is perfectly fine.

In fact, taking your suggestion of changing array to be a pointer to char is wrong: you would then be trying to use strcmp to compare a lone char with a string. If instead we use strcmp(array, "A"), it would then be "comparing a pointer and a string", using your phrasing.

there has been a lot of changes in my program, recently. i'm now working on a program which lets the user make and display a matrix.

Code:

---

#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>

void make_mat();
char cmd_str[50]="\0";
char *array[50];
char get_cmd();
int mat_A[50][50], mat_B[50][50], mat_C[50][50];
int r1, c1, r2, c2, r3, c3, i, j;
int loop;

int main()
{               
        while(1)
        {
                get_cmd();
                if (strcmp(array[0], "MAKE")==0)
                                make_mat();
                else if (strcmp(array[0], "DISP")==0)
                                printf("DISP");
                else       
                                printf("Invalid Command!");                       
        }
}                                       

/*Get Command Function*/
char get_cmd()
{
        printf("\n>>");
        gets(cmd_str);
       
  array[0]=strtok(cmd_str," ");
  if(array[0]==NULL)
  {
          printf("Error.\n");
  }
 
  for(loop=1;loop<50;loop++)
          array[loop]=strtok(NULL," ");
         
        return (*array[0]);
}

/*Make Function*/
void make_mat()
{
        if (strcmp(array[1], "A")==0)
        {
                printf("Enter rows: ");
      scanf("%d", &r1);
      printf("Enter columns: ");
                        scanf("%d", &c1);
                        for(i=0;i<r1;i++)
                                for(j=0;j<c1;j++)
                                {
                                        printf("A[%d][%d] = ", i, j);
                                        scanf("%d",&mat_A[i][j]);
                                }
        }
        else if (strcmp(array[1], "B")==0)
        {
                printf("Enter rows: ");
      scanf("%d", &r2);
      printf("Enter columns: ");
                        scanf("%d", &c2);
                        for(i=0;i<r2;i++)
                                for(j=0;j<c2;j++)
                                {
                                        printf("A[%d][%d] = ", i, j);
                                        scanf("%d",&mat_B[i][j]);
                                }
        }
        else if (strcmp(array[1], "C")==0)
        {
                printf("Enter rows: ");
      scanf("%d", &r3);
      printf("Enter columns: ");
                        scanf("%d", &c3);
                        for(i=0;i<r3;i++)
                                for(j=0;j<c3;j++)
                                {
                                        printf("A[%d][%d] = ", i, j);
                                        scanf("%d",&mat_C[i][j]);
                                }
        }
}

---

there, but now, it has 2 problems:

a. if the user only typed MAKE, the program will immediately crash.

Code:

---

>>MAKE

---

-will crash
b. if the user typed MAKE A, it is fine. but, after completing the matrix(filling the rows), the program will print >>Error then, immediately crash.

Code:

---

>>MAKE A
Enter row: 2
Enter column: 2
A[0][0] = 1
A[0][1] = 2
A[1][0] = 3
A[1][1] = 4

>>Error.

---

-also crashes

New_Ink2001 told me that i should try moving the loop for tokenizing so that it is not run when get_cmd decides it's got an error or perhaps avoid tokenizing the string entirely if it is empty because strtok and gets are both somewhat misfits.
how should i do that?

First, we need to indent the code properly. Then, change the global variables into local variables. You would notice a few patterns when this is done. I have purposely made mat_A, mat_B and mat_C local to certain if statements in make_mat. You actually should not do this, but I am doing this to demonstrate how your use of global variables has caused you to duplicate code needlessly:

Code:

---

#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>

void make_mat(void);
char get_cmd(void);

char *array[50];

int main(void)
{
    while (1)
    {
        get_cmd();
        if (strcmp(array[0], "MAKE") == 0)
            make_mat();
        else if (strcmp(array[0], "DISP") == 0)
            printf("DISP");
        else
            printf("Invalid Command!");
    }
}

/*Get Command Function*/
char get_cmd(void)
{
    char cmd_str[50] = "\0";
    int loop;

    printf("\n>>");
    gets(cmd_str);

    array[0] = strtok(cmd_str, " ");
    if (array[0] == NULL)
    {
        printf("Error.\n");
    }

    for (loop = 1; loop < 50; loop++)
        array[loop] = strtok(NULL, " ");

    return *array[0];
}

/*Make Function*/
void make_mat(void)
{
    int i, j;

    if (strcmp(array[1], "A") == 0)
    {
        int mat_A[50][50];
        int r1, c1;

        printf("Enter rows: ");
        scanf("%d", &r1);
        printf("Enter columns: ");
        scanf("%d", &c1);
        for (i = 0; i < r1; i++)
            for (j = 0; j < c1; j++)
            {
                printf("A[%d][%d] = ", i, j);
                scanf("%d", &mat_A[i][j]);
            }
    }
    else if (strcmp(array[1], "B") == 0)
    {
        int mat_B[50][50];
        int r2, c2;

        printf("Enter rows: ");
        scanf("%d", &r2);
        printf("Enter columns: ");
        scanf("%d", &c2);
        for (i = 0; i < r2; i++)
            for (j = 0; j < c2; j++)
            {
                printf("A[%d][%d] = ", i, j);
                scanf("%d", &mat_B[i][j]);
            }
    }
    else if (strcmp(array[1], "C") == 0)
    {
        int mat_C[50][50];
        int r3, c3;

        printf("Enter rows: ");
        scanf("%d", &r3);
        printf("Enter columns: ");
        scanf("%d", &c3);
        for (i = 0; i < r3; i++)
            for (j = 0; j < c3; j++)
            {
                printf("A[%d][%d] = ", i, j);
                scanf("%d", &mat_C[i][j]);
            }
    }
}

---

I did not turn array into a local variable as this would mean that I would be doing quite a bit of surgery on your program that you should be doing. array is more of a list of command words extracted from the command entered by the user, so perhaps you should rename it to command_words.

Now, the problem that you currently face is that command_words is an array of 50 pointers to char. This is fine, except it means that you have not allocated any space for each command word. Rather, the result that you get from strtok should be copied into an array of char. This means that you either use dynamic memory allocation with this pointer to char, or you say, change command_words to be an array of 50 arrays of char.

Once you do this, the next step is to make make_mat independent of command_words. make_mat (rename it to make_matrix?) should make a matrix, rather than make matrix A, B or C, depending on the user input. If you do it this way, you only need to test that make_mat works, then you can use it later to make matrix D, E and F, etc.

Perhaps you should change
gets(cmd_str);
to
fgets(cmd_str, sizeof(cmd_str), stdin)

actually, ms. laserlight, i became more confused of the terms you used. i'm only on my first year at learning c, and still at 3rd year high school.
i don't know what it means to change command_words from an array of 50 pointers to char, to an array of 50 arrays of char.

i just wanted to know how to seperate strings into the different words, variables or numbers (which serves as the commands) it has, as long as it is seperated by a space, because later on i will have to deal with strings with 4 commands such as:

Code:

---

>>MMUL A B C

---

which means that matrix A will be multiplied to matrix B and the answer will be stored to matrix C or

Code:

---

>>SMUL 2 A B

---

which means that a scalar(int), 2, will be multiplied to matrix A and the answer will be stored to matrix B or

Code:

---

>>ADDR A 1 2 3

---

which means that 1st row of matrix A will be added to its 2nd row and the answer will be stored to its 3rd row.

i really have no idea on how to do it, but i think i know the operations well. it's just that i have no idea how to deal with this kinds of strings. in fact, i only learned strtok while searching the net, and i'm not even sure if its the correct procedure. so please, teach me how to seperate the strings so i can use them in the if statements properly.

thanks for the help!

Divide the terms into tokens.
50 pointers to char -> 50 pointers, char. That is: char* example[50]
Array of 50 arrays of char -> Array, 50 arrays, char. That is: char Example[N][50]
Where N is a positive number.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Elysia

Divide the terms into tokens.
50 pointers to char -> 50 pointers, char. That is: char* example[50]
Array of 50 arrays of char -> Array, 50 arrays, char. That is: char Example[N][50]
Where N is a positive number.

---

you mean to change char* cmd_words[50] to char cmd_words[50][50]?
ms. laserlight told me not to use global variables so if i combine your suggestions it will look like this:

Code:

---

#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>

void make_mat(void);
char get_cmd(void);


int main(void)
{
        char cmd_words[50][50];
    while (1)
    {
        get_cmd();
        if (strcmp(cmd_words[0], "MAKE") == 0)
            make_mat();
        else if (strcmp(cmd_words[0], "DISP") == 0)
            printf("DISP");
        else
            printf("Invalid Command!");
    }
}

/*Get Command Function*/
char get_cmd(void)
{
    char cmd_str[50] = "\0";
        char cmd_words[50][50];
    int loop;

    printf("\n>>");
    gets(cmd_str);

    cmd_words[0] = strtok(cmd_str, " ");
    if (cmd_words[0] == NULL)
    {
        printf("Error.\n");
    }

    for (loop = 1; loop < 50; loop++)
        cmd_words[loop] = strtok(NULL, " ");

    return *cmd_words[0];
}

/*Make Function*/
void make_mat(void)
{
  int i, j;
  char cmd_words[50][50];

    if (strcmp(cmd_words[1], "A") == 0)
    {
        int mat_A[50][50];
        int r1, c1;

        printf("Enter rows: ");
        scanf("%d", &r1);
        printf("Enter columns: ");
        scanf("%d", &c1);
        for (i = 0; i < r1; i++)
            for (j = 0; j < c1; j++)
            {
                printf("A[%d][%d] = ", i, j);
                scanf("%d", &mat_A[i][j]);
            }
    }
    else if (strcmp(cmd_words[1], "B") == 0)
    {
        int mat_B[50][50];
        int r2, c2;

        printf("Enter rows: ");
        scanf("%d", &r2);
        printf("Enter columns: ");
        scanf("%d", &c2);
        for (i = 0; i < r2; i++)
            for (j = 0; j < c2; j++)
            {
                printf("A[%d][%d] = ", i, j);
                scanf("%d", &mat_B[i][j]);
            }
    }
    else if (strcmp(cmd_words[1], "C") == 0)
    {
        int mat_C[50][50];
        int r3, c3;

        printf("Enter rows: ");
        scanf("%d", &r3);
        printf("Enter columns: ");
        scanf("%d", &c3);
        for (i = 0; i < r3; i++)
            for (j = 0; j < c3; j++)
            {
                printf("A[%d][%d] = ", i, j);
                scanf("%d", &mat_C[i][j]);
            }
    }
}

---

but my compiler said that in function, char get_cmd(), lines 33 & 40 have incompatible types in assignment of `char *' to `char[50]'. what does that mean?

It simply means you cannot assign a pointer to an array.
An array is N elements successively from position 0, while a pointer simply points at some lone char. It doesn't make sense to be able to assign them.
strtok returns a pointer. The pointer points to the lone char at the start of a successive number of chars (an array).
I'm not sure what laserlight intended, but I'm sure laserlight can clarify further, if you wait a little.

Quote:

---

i just wanted to know how to seperate strings into the different words, variables or numbers (which serves as the commands) it has, as long as it is seperated by a space, because later on i will have to deal with strings with 4 commands such as:

Code:

---

>>MMUL A B C

---

which means that matrix A will be multiplied to matrix B and the answer will be stored to matrix C or

Code:

---

>>SMUL 2 A B

---

which means that a scalar(int), 2, will be multiplied to matrix A and the answer will be stored to matrix B or

Code:

---

>>ADDR A 1 2 3

---

---

How about using "main(int argc, int * argv[])" to take in command line arguments?