Since there is no string type in C how do read in a string? For example:
I want to prompt the user for the name of a file. Using the name of the file I want to open the file.
Since I won't know the name of the file in advance I can't store the characters in an array because I wont know the size of the string. Is there a function that does this that I don't know about?
> Since I won't know the name of the file in advance I can't store the characters in an array because I wont know the size of the string
Most systems impose limits on the upper length of a filename, which shouldn't be a problem.
> Is there a function that does this that I don't know about?
I dunno, do you know about "malloc" and "realloc"?
Well now you do
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If at first you don't succeed, try writing your phone number on the exam paper.
Thx for the responsse Salem,but is there an easier way to do this? I'm not that advanced in my skills yet.
If you want strings, use C++; otherwise you'll have to create char arrays that are big enough to do what you want.
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In C, no.Originally Posted by mesmer
In C++, yes (as cpjust kindly points out).
And no, there is no "string type" in C, because it's... well, C. There is an array of chars, which are used to make C-strings, but they are not strings. It is just the kind of thing you have to work with when working with a low-level language like C.
Utilizing the upper limit for paths is arguably the easiest way to do it. The PATH_MAX constant, while not standard to C, is quite convenient as it is defined both in Windows in windows.h and in POSIX environments (Linux, Mac OSX) in limits.h.
Use it as the size for a char array in your declarations.
To limit the input in scanf() and prevent the overflow of a buffer you'll need to put a number between % and s:
Code:char buf[1024]; scanf("%1023s",&buf); //Make space for a '\0'
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
Better to use fgets. And you should not use & before buf, because that is a pointer to an char array and these functions expect a pointer to char.
Oh yea.
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
