Thread: infinite loop

  1. #1
    Registered User sballew's Avatar
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    Sep 2001
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    infinite loop

    I am trying to wrote code that DOES NOT utilize pointers (that is another similar program for later) and has to use getchar
    to print in reverse whatever is input by user. So I first was trying to figure out how to use getchar to print exactly what was input. I am getting an infinite loop. Can someone tell me why??
    Just what am I doing wrong here???

    Code:
    #include <stdio.h>
    
    #define N 50
    
    main()
    {
    
      char ch;
      int i;
      
      printf("Enter in any message.\n");
    
      for (i=0; i < N; i++)
        {
          ch = getchar();
          while (ch != '\n')
            putchar(ch);
        }
      printf("\n");
    
     return 0;
    }
    Sue B.

    dazed and confused


  2. #2
    Has a Masters in B.S.
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    took me a sec but you problem is the while loop will never end cause ch will always be the same since getchar only returns the first character typed, there is nothing to change its value in the loop.
    ADVISORY: This users posts are rated CP-MA, for Mature Audiences only.

  3. #3
    Registered User
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    Hi Again,
    What I think you require here is two for loops, one to store user input into string, the other to store the output the reverse of the intput to the display of the input....

    Code:
    #include <stdio.h>
    #include <string.h>
    int main (void)
    {
    char in_str[50];
    int i;
    
    for(i = 0; i < 50; i++)
          in_str[i] = getchar();   /*this loop stores character in string*/
    
    in_str[i] ='\0'; /*add null character*/
    
    /*second loop*/
    printf("\n");
    for(i = strlen(in_str)-1; i >=0; i--)
         putchar(in_str[i]); 
    }
    /*second loop prints in reverse the input string - notice use of strlen- dont know if you have covered this yet- this sets i to last character input minus the null character in string- we print to display each character then decrement i (i-- ) until i is less than 0 (first element or character)*/
    Last edited by bigtamscot; 09-20-2001 at 11:51 PM.
    hoping to be certified (programming in c)
    here's the news - I'm officially certified.

  4. #4
    Registered User sballew's Avatar
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    nothing happens

    I compiled your code and nothing happens.
    After entering in message and hitting return,
    computer just sits there waiting ...............

    I added a while loop to check for \n after input of message,
    still nothing.

    What is missing here???
    Sue B.

    dazed and confused


  5. #5
    Registered User
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    247
    Thats because i followed your code for 50 input characters. If your message is less than 50 then the program waits for the rest of the input of 50 chars. An obvious restriction. Busy just now answer later
    hoping to be certified (programming in c)
    here's the news - I'm officially certified.

  6. #6
    Ethereal Raccoon Procyon's Avatar
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    It would be much better to stop when the user hits [enter] (AKA '\n'), rather than after a specific number of characters.


    Replace this:

    Code:
    for(i = 0; i < 50; i++)
      in_str[i] = getchar();
    with this:

    Code:
    i = -1;
    do
    { 
      i++;
      in_str[i] = getchar();
    } while ((instr[i] != '\n') && (i < 49))
    
    instr[i+1] = 0; //don't forget the null zero when you input this way.
    Of course, you should replace 50 with N and 49 with N-1 so you can vary the string length if you want.

  7. #7
    Has a Masters in B.S.
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    or this should also work

    Code:
    #include <stdio.h>
    
    #define N 50
    
    main()
    {
        char ch;
        for(int i = 0;(i < N) && (ch == getchar) != '\n';i++)
        {
            putchar(ch);
        }
    
        return 0;
    }
    or this

    Code:
    #include <stdio.h>
    
    #define N 50
    
    main()
    {
        char ch[N];
        int inputsize = 0;
        for(int i = 0;(i < N) && (ch[i] == getchar) != '\n';i++);
    
        inputsize = i;
    
        for (/*int - this may be unneccessary*/ i  = 0;i < inputsize;i++)
            purchar(ch[i]);
        return 0;
    }
    ADVISORY: This users posts are rated CP-MA, for Mature Audiences only.

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