File Paths and functions

[zidsal]

Well I am trying to mimic my old c++ code of the map readers. But I am having lot of trouble here is what is suppose to happen:

3 parts to the string FilePath
1.The file path to where to find the map.
2. The file name
3. The ending (.txt).

all of these is then merged with strcat. As maps change every time a player moves the file name changes. E.g.

c:\ (file path).
1 (the map name)
.txt (map ending).

These strings are then merged into 1 file path "c:\1.txt"

My function for this works fine which can be found here:

char changeMap(char mapName[5]){

    strcat(mapPath,mapName);
    strcat(mapPath,mapEnd);

    return(mapPath[50]);
    
     }

All of this works fine if I put in the string my self .e.g chnagemap(3); will make it read from the file c:\3.txt. How ever when I try and use a variable for the value it does not work e.g.

changeMap(player.map);

any help on the matter?

thanks
zidsal

[matsp]

return(mapPath[50]);

So you want to return just one character, the 51st of the string? Because that's what you are in fact doing.

Generally, trying to "return an array", which is what I think were actually attempting to do, is a bad idea - it is NEARLY NEVER the right thing. You can return the address of a string, but that is also a bit tricky. In this case, I'd say you probably want to add another parameter to the function that holds a string with space for the full filename to be filled into. Don't forget to pass the max size of the full name, so that you can ensure that you don't go over the allowed space.

--
Mats

[zidsal]

return(mapPath[50]);

So you want to return just one character, the 51st of the string? Because that's what you are in fact doing.

Generally, trying to "return an array", which is what I think were actually attempting to do, is a bad idea - it is NEARLY NEVER the right thing. You can return the address of a string, but that is also a bit tricky. In this case, I'd say you probably want to add another parameter to the function that holds a string with space for the full filename to be filled into. Don't forget to pass the max size of the full name, so that you can ensure that you don't go over the allowed space.

--
Mats

thanks and about the mapPath[50] that was just expirmenting trying to work it out my self. Thanks for the advaice I have a stab at it.

[matsp]

thanks and about the mapPath[50] that was just expirmenting trying to work it out my self. Thanks for the advaice I have a stab at it.

Yes, I sort of guessed that you didn't get it from the book you are learning from ... I was just trying to point out what it ACTUALLY does, and let you figure out why it's NOT what you wanted. It's a common mistake.

--
Mats