Thread: Need some guidance with an assignment please - arrays and functions

What is the value of "i" before the loop is run?

Code:

int i, sorted = 0;
  while (sorted == 0)
  {
  sorted = i;
  
  i = 1;

EDIT: About what bubblesort does, it's quite simple. "While numbers with smaller index are bigger than those with bigger index, keep looping".

Originally Posted by Andrew Webb

Now the bit I am struggling with is, once the numbers have been entered the program should work out the total value, smallest number, largest number, the average, display the numbers in ascending order and also show the range, all to be displayed on screen. I've used bubblesort to reorganise the numbers but Im not really sure how it works.

Unless there is a reason to use bubble sort (for example, if the purpose of the assignment is actually to learn how to implement a bubble sort), why not use the standard C qsort? I searched a minute ago for "C qsort example" and found this short example:

Example 3 - Using qsort to sort Ints

EDIT: The above example is not quite correct - parameters to the COMPAR function should be `const void *'. If you use the example, use the following COMPAR function instead:

Code:

int comp(const void *avoid, const void *bvoid) {
    const int *a = avoid;
    const int *b = bvoid;
    return (*a - *b);
}

I like c99tutorial's suggested comp function, and in fact it seemed obvious to me that that was the intention behind the way the comparison function's return value worked (i.e., positive and negative, rather than strict -1 and 1). Unfortunately, the (*a - *b) method has a weakness in that it results in undefined behaviour for certain values of *a and *b. If that is of concern to you, then I suggest an alternative such as:

Code:

int comp(const void *lhs, const void *rhs) {
    const int *a = lhs;
    const int *b = rhs;
    return (*a < *b) ? -1 : (*a == *b);
}

@tutorial..
I think that your post is really a confusing one for a beginner than a helpful one.

How do you assume that he knows what a function pointer is, when he is struggling to do something like this? Propably he is in ip course, or something like that.

Let alone the fact, that the possibility to use a ready implementation into a homework that has as purpose to learn using arrays , has such a small value. I don't even know if that value can be positive!

Oh and as for the fact that the example does not use const is considered by you as a mistake? I agree that it should be there, but for a start it is just fine to use it without const! I mean, the main theme of using qsort is the function pointer, not the const keyword!
But yes, If I see code by a 3rd year student without the const keyword in the compar function, I would suggest him to use it.

Moreover, I do not really know a university that students use qsort in their first steps, except if they are learning about function pointers.

And what next? Should we talk about space and time complexity? Should we say that it might be a better idea to use heapsort?
Of course, the point is to learn!

Maybe I sound a bit angry, but been a student, I hate such answers, that are actually not helpful, but confusing! It is just like a show off or something like that. If I was that guy, who seems not to follow the post ( this I claim happened before you posted ), I would really be confused. I mean if someone posts, it means he needs help. Help him, don't give him a hard time!

Been a beginner myself in many things, I do mistakes. Been a "small" member in this forum, I do mistakes. I like when they correct me, because from our mistakes we learn (you know that, you are coding ). Hope that this will help you answer in a more appropriate way, depending on the experience of the person that asked for help ( well you can not really know about that, but you can make a guess ).

I want to write so many things, but I think I should stop here.
Even laserlight likes this suggestion, but I already stated my opinion.

EDIT: And as for the compar I would go like this

Code:

int comp_int(const void *a, const void *b) {
    return *(int*)a-*(int*)b;
}

Originally Posted by laserlight

Unfortunately, the (*a - *b) method has a weakness in that it results in undefined behaviour for certain values of *a and *b.

Code:

int comp(const void *lhs, const void *rhs) {
    const int *a = lhs;
    const int *b = rhs;
    return (*a < *b) ? -1 : (*a == *b);
}

Thanks for the tip. You are right about the undefined behavior. But shouldn't your return statement be:

Code:

return (*a < *b) ? -1 : (*a != *b);

Then it returns 0 if *a and *b are the same.

Yes.

Originally Posted by c99tutorial

Then it returns 0 if *a and *b are the same.

True.

Originally Posted by std10093

How do you assume that he knows what a function pointer is, when he is struggling to do something like this?

If you learn C++ as a first language, you're likely to be using namespaces and classes before you know what they really are. Same for any other language feature. Personally I remember being confused on what the actual use of function pointers were until I saw the comparison example. Is getting the notation right really harder than implementing a sorting algorithm by hand?

But like I said, if the purpose of the assignment is to learn to do a sorting algorithm, then by all means... it's definitely a valid assignment.

Also I wasn't complaining about the "const" keyword. The link I saw defined the compar function to use "const int *" rather than "const void *", which is a problem. To explain each and every point correctly might seem involved, but why not just take the same route as to why main is written as "int main(int argc, char *argv[])". In other words, "just trust me for now... we'll explain the details later."

Anyway...

Originally Posted by Andrew Webb

heres what I have done so far:

Good that you posted what you have done, but you need to indent your code properly. For example, I might have formatted your obtainNumber function like this:

Code:

int obtainNumber(int numbers[])
{
    int index = -1;
    char option = 'y';
    while (option == 'y' || option == 'Y')
    {
        index = index + 1;
        printf("Enter a number: ");
        scanf("%i", &numbers[index]);
        _flushall();
        if (index < 9)
        {
            printf("Do you want to enter another number?('y' for yes 'n' for no) ");
            scanf("%c", &option);
            _flushall();
        }
        else
        {
            option = 'n';
        }
    }
    return index;
}

At the moment, your code is a mess, making it hard to trace the flow of control through your code.