Problem with desimal number starting with 0

[birdog9999]

When I try to put in a zip code starting with 0 I get an error saying invalid octal number as in NJ 08088 or RI 02901. How do I tell it that it is a decimal number.

// states.h

// header file for the states program


// data structure declartion and initialization

// initialize the state data in the array of the state structure.

struct state_st{
 char *code;  //postal code for state name
 char *name; // state name
 char *capital;  // capital city
 unsigned int zip;  // zip code
 unsigned int population; // in thousands
 unsigned int area;  // square miles
} States[] = {
 { "CO", "Colorado", "Denver", 80012, 2208, 104247 },
 { "MA", "Massachusetts", "Boston", 02108, 5689, 8257 },
 { "MD", "Maryland", "Annapolis", 21401, 3923, 10577 },
 { "RI", "Road Island", "Providence", 02901, 950, 1214 },
 { "NJ", "New Jersey", "Trenton", 08801, 8938, 8729 },
 {"PA", "Pennsylvania", "Harrisgurg", 17101, 1279, 44742 },
 { "TX", "Taxas", "Austin", 73301, 2696, 268820  },
 { "AK", "Alaska", "Juneau", 99801, 7367 , 663384 },
 { "CA", "California", "Sacramento", 94203, 3880, 163694 },
 { "AL", "Alabama", "Montgomery", 36101, 4849, 52419 },
 { "AZ", "Arizona", "Phoenix",85001, 6731, 113998 }
};

#define NSTATES sizeof States / sizeof (struct state_st)

[Matticus]

A number beginning with zero indicates octal.

I would suggest you store zip codes as strings, since it's unlikely they'll be used as integers for any reason.

[birdog9999]

Thanks simple fix but it worked and I don't think I would have ever thought of it.

[Matticus]

You're welcome. A lot of peoples first instinct when seeing information represented with numbers is to use an integer type. However, certain things (zip codes, phone numbers, etc) are better stored as strings, since values like those are not typically used and/or modified algebraically.