Storing filenames in an array

**Zoiddani** · 09-22-2010

Hi,
I'm making a program, which reads the filenames from a directory, and stores them in an array of strings, but when I'm running the program, it stores only 1 filename 20 times in the whole array.

Here's my code:

Code:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <dirent.h>

int main(void)
{
	char *NameArr[20]; // the array which will store the filenames
	DIR *dir;
	int i=0,k;
	struct dirent *ent;
	dir = opendir ("c:\\");
	if (dir != NULL) 
	{
	/* print all the files and directories within directory */
	while ((ent = readdir (dir)) != NULL) 
		{
		NameArr[i]=ent->d_name;
		/* save filenames in the array */
		i++;
		}
	closedir (dir);
	} 
	else 
	{
	/* could not open directory */
	perror ("");
	}
	for (k=0;(k<(i+1)) && (k<20);k++) printf("%s\n",NameArr[k]);
	//print the filenames on the screen
	return 0;
}

Thank you for any help!

**dwks** · 09-22-2010

Code:

char *NameArr[20]; // the array which will store the filenames

What you have here is an array of 20 pointers. The trouble is that readdir() uses a static dirent structure internally (or so it would seem), so that each time you call it, it overwrites its internal data structure and returns a pointer to the same structure. You assign NameArr[i] to ent->d_name and continue. The trouble is that ent->d_name gets overwritten with each call.

Basically, you need to copy the data yourself rather than point at the data which readdir() owns and thus can change if it likes. The simplest way would be to use

Code:

char NameArr[20][256];  // ugh, hard-coded max file length

and then

Code:

strcpy(NameArr[i], ent->d_name);

I'd really malloc() the data, though, so you don't have to worry about file names being too long.

**Zoiddani** · 09-22-2010

Now it doesn't do anything, or it exits with a windows error message.

Code:

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

int main(void)
{
	char NameArr[20][256];
	DIR *dir;
	int i=0,k;
	struct dirent *ent;
	dir = opendir ("c:\\");
	if (dir != NULL) 
	{
	/* print all the files and directories within directory */
	while ((ent = readdir (dir)) != NULL) 
		{
		strcpy(NameArr[i],ent->d_name);
		i++;
		/* save filenames in the array */
		}
	closedir (dir);
	} 
	else 
	{
	/* could not open directory */
	perror ("");
	}
	for (k=0;(k<(i+1)) && (k<20);k++) printf("%s\n",NameArr[k]);
	//print the filenames on the screen
	return 0;
}

**Zoiddani** · 09-22-2010

Got it. There were more then 20 files in the directory. My first program didnt mention it, and ran smoothly.
I will now make it with dynamic memory allocation.
Thank you for your help.

**Zoiddani** · 09-22-2010

Don't wanted to make a new topic for this.
So the program works, but if i get to the end of the list, or at the beginning, the program begins writing crazy things.
It should jump to the end or beginning, which it does after some keypresses.
Navigate with arrows exit with enter or esc
Sorry for hungarian comments:P
The code is in the attachment

Here's the exe: cmenu.exe
I dont have any clue why it didnt jump immediately to the other end of the list...
Maybe you can point me out wheres the problem.
I am pretty new to C, just came from Pascal.
Thank you

**hk_mp5kpdw** · 09-22-2010

Didn't look all the way through the logic of your program but I saw these things of note:

Code:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <dirent.h>  //könyvtárkezelés
#include <string.h>  //stringkezelés (strcpy)
#include <conio.h> //getch()-nak
#include <windows.h> //színeknek

...

NameArr[i]=(char *)malloc(sizeof(char)*MemSize);

#1 You should be including the stdlib header if you are using malloc.
#2 You should not be casting the return value of your malloc call. The void pointer returned by malloc can be safely assigned to the elements of NameArr (char pointers).
#3 sizeof(char) is guaranteed to be 1

Combining all of that, those pieces of your program should look like:

Code:

#include <stdlib.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <dirent.h>  //könyvtárkezelés
#include <string.h>  //stringkezelés (strcpy)
#include <conio.h> //getch()-nak
#include <windows.h> //színeknek

...

NameArr[i]=malloc(MemSize);

Also:

Code:

char *NameArr[100], ch;

...

free(NameArr); //felszabadítja a lefoglalt memóriát

#4 That is not how you free the memory for that array. You must loop through the elements and free each element(pointer) in the array individually (up to i I think?) that had a malloc'ed value assigned to it. Each call to malloc must have an accompanying call to free.

Probably other issues but those are the ones that stood out to me.

**Zoiddani** · 09-23-2010

Thank you, all my problems are solved now.
However, when I send the exe and the c file to my friend, the exe wont run, and the c file wont compile (many errors) by him...
What could be the problem?

**hk_mp5kpdw** · 09-23-2010

Well, what compiler/OS do you have and what compiler/OS does your friend have? Some of the code you have in your program could be compiler/OS specific (I'd be suspicious about the dirent stuff). Also, what are your friends errors.

**Xupicor** · 09-23-2010

What compilers are you both using? What errors does he get? Did you compile with highest level of warnings and "pedantic mode"? Did he?
Ah, hk_mp5kpdw, you got me.

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