Thread: Two way communication between parent and child processes...

Good afternoon!

Taking the following into account:

Code:

/**************************************************************
* p2cComm.c
*   
* C program that implements communication between two processes  
* Program creates 2 unnamed pipes, p and q. Then it creates a 
* child process. Next, it links the parent with the child using
* the two pipes. Pipe p: Parent to Child, Pipe q: Child to Parent.
* Child receives commands from parent through Pipe p and sends 
* responses through Pipe q.
***************************************************************/  

#include <stdio.h> 
#include <stdlib.h> 
#include <unistd.h> 
 
int main(int argc, char *argv[]){ 
 
        int pid; 
        int p[2];   /* pipe "p" */ 
        int q[2];   /* pipe "q" */ 
        int a; 
        int b; 
 
        /* Create Pipe. Pipe P is used to transfer information  
        from the parent process to the child process */ 
        a = pipe(p);
        if(a == -1) 
        { 
        fprintf(stderr, "Pipe Failed.\n"); 
        return EXIT_FAILURE; 
        } 
         
        /* Create second pipe. Pipe Q is used to transfer information 
        from the child process to the parent process. */ 
        b = pipe(q); 
        if(b == -1) 
        { 
         fprintf(stderr, "Pipe Failed.\n"); 
         return EXIT_FAILURE; 
        } 
         
        /* Create child process */ 
        pid = fork(); 
 
        switch(pid){ 
         
                case -1: /* fork failed */ 
                        perror("main: fork"); 
                        exit(1); 
                
		/* Child process will execute a loop, waiting for command
		from the parent process. Child executes the command. Child
		returns a response to the parent */
		case 0: /* Child process */ 
                printf("Child process ID: %d\n", pid);
                break;
                /* do some things */ 
 
                /* Parent process will execute a loop, asking user for a one
		line command. Parent sends command to child for execution.
		Parent waits for the response of the child. Parent finally
		reports the result (displayed on screen). */
		default: /* Parent process */ 
                printf("Parent process ID: %d\n", pid);
                break;
                /* do some things */ 
         } 
        getchar();
        return 0; 
}

The child program will execute a list of commands that it receives from the parent (via pipe p). I have a menu of commands that will run in the parent process and send the user's choice to the child for execution. The child will send the results back to the parent when done (through pipe q), so the parent process may display the results.

In the code sample I submitted, I've created both pipes, p and q. Then, I forked the child process. My question is how will the child know to recieve it's commnads through pipe p and how will the parent know to receive the results through pipe q? Should the creation of the second pipe occur later in the code than where it is located?

As always, I greatly appreciate the guidence that I have recieved while visiting this forum. Any and all suggestions are welcome!

Okay, I'm back. I tried something different. But it's not performing properly...

Code:

//Uses two pipes to establish 2-way communication

#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <ctype.h>

#define MAXLINE 4096

    char command[MAXLINE];
    char choice1[] = "display";
    char choice2[] = "chars";
    char choice3[] = "lines";
    char choice4[] = "words";
    char choice5[] = "find";
    char choice6[] = "exit";
    char filename[50] = "";
    char line[255];
    char x;
    int ch, c;
    int count = 0;
    int words = 0;
    int l = 0;
    FILE *fp;
    FILE *in_file;
    FILE *pFile;
    FILE *wordcount;

int main(void){

	int pid;	//allows parent and child to identify themselves
	int p[2];	//Pipe 'p'
	int q[2];	//Pipe 'q'
	
	//create 2 pipes
	if (pipe(p) < 0 || pipe(q) < 0){
	puts("Cannot create pipe");
	exit(0);
	} // end if pipe fails
	
	pid = fork(); 
	
	if (pid > 0){ //in parent process
	close (p[0]);
	close (q[1]);
	
	menu(q[0], p[1]);
	
	close (p[1]);
	close(q[0]);
	exit(0);	
	} //end if in parent
	
	else{ //in child
	close (p[1]);
	close (q[0]);

	execution(p[0], q[1]);
	
	close (p[0]);
	close (q[1]);
	exit(0);
	} //end if in child
}  // end main program


int menu (int argc, char *argv[]){

    printf("------------------------------------------\n");
    printf("Please choose from the following commands:\n\n");
    printf("display\n");
    printf("chars\n");
    printf("lines\n");
    printf("words\n");
    printf("find\n");
    printf("exit\n\n");
    printf("------------------------------------------\n");
    
    printf("Please enter a command: ");
    scanf("%s" "%s", command, filename);
    
    printf("\n\nThe command is: %s %s\n\n", command, filename);

    return(0);
}

int execution (int argc, char *argv[]){

if(strcmp(choice1, command) == 0){
    
       printf("Executing command: %s %s\n\n", command, filename);
       printf("=================\n");
       printf("\nFile contents are: \n\n %s\n", filename);
       
       fp = fopen(filename, "r");
       if((fp == NULL))
       {       
       printf("No file was selected!\n");
       exit(1);       
       }
       while(!feof(fp))
        {
        if(fgets(line, 255, fp))
        printf("%s", line);               
        }
        printf("\n\nEnd of file: \n\n");
        printf("================\n\n");
        printf("The command was executed\n\n");
        printf("The file was displayed\n\n");
        
        fclose(fp);    
        }
    else if(strcmp(choice2, command) == 0){
               
        printf("Executing command: %s %s\n\n", command, filename);
        in_file = fopen(filename, "r");
                if(in_file == NULL){
                     printf("Cannot open %s\n", filename);
                     exit(8);
                }
                while(1){
                     ch = fgetc(in_file);
                     if(ch == EOF)
                       break;
                     ++count;
                }
                printf("\nNumber of characters in %s is %d\n\n\n", filename, count);
                fclose(in_file);
         printf("The command was executed\n\n");
         printf("The file was displayed\n\n");
               
               }
    else if(strcmp(choice3, command) == 0){
         printf("Executing command: %s \n\n", command);
         pFile = fopen(filename, "r");
         if(pFile == NULL)perror("Error openning file");
         else{
              do{
                 c = fgetc(pFile);
                 if(c == '\n') l++;
              }
              while(c != EOF);
           printf("File contains %d lines\n\n", l);
           fclose(pFile);
                }
               }
               return 0;
}

It compiles okay in Dev-C++. I upload to my UNIX server and compile it there using gcc. It compiles with no errors. When I run it, the menu comes up and I can type in a command from the list. It displays the name of the command and the file and then nothing else. It does not go to the other function called execution and do the work.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks!

Why are you trying to pass an int and an int to functions with arguments int and char*[]? And since you don't use those arguments in any way.... (Just passing a pipe to a function does not magically mean the function will use that pipe.)

Have similar problem as the one above? Did anyone ever figure out why the execution does not run? I even took out the arguments being passed to it. It still doesnt work.