Thread: How to add and delete items in a structure?

I don't have a number such as this easy example I have a lot of chars, I can't simply put if (temp->data) so I'm lost at this point (I'm speaking about deleting nodes).

Yes, but you can compare arrays of chars together, that is what strcmp() is for. So if you enter modify delete() to enter a name that you know, you should be able to write an if() with that and delete the correct data.

In real hospitals in the US, they really do give you numbers though. You might want to consider giving the patients each their unique IDs. This way you can do searches prior to calling delete(), and it doesn't matter if you treat one John Smith or 30, each John Smith has their own ID that matches if (temp->data==num). It's something worth thinking about doing at any rate.

Originally Posted by whiteflags

Yes, but you can compare arrays of chars together, that is what strcmp() is for. So if you enter modify delete() to enter a name that you know, you should be able to write an if() with that and delete the correct data.

In real hospitals in the US, they really do give you numbers though. You might want to consider giving the patients each their unique IDs. This way you can do searches prior to calling delete(), and it doesn't matter if you treat one John Smith or 30, each John Smith has their own ID that matches if (temp->data==num). It's something worth thinking about doing at any rate.

I see your point. That's what worries me. So I store a lot of data, among them is the name of the patience. The easiest way that I thought about is deleting comparing a char name with the name of the patience. What about the rest of the chars? (rage, sex, ...) will be deleted as well?

Yes. Structs have all their members together. If you free the variable, all of the data is deleted; this includes age, diagnosis, everything. You were told this already.

Originally Posted by whiteflags

Yes. Structs have all their members together. If you free the variable, all of the data is deleted; this includes age, diagnosis, everything. You were told this already.

I hate to do that... but you are my hope.

I think I have the delete function, this is what I have:

Code:

void delete_patient(tpatient *ptr, char *name) {
   tpatient *temp, *prev;
   temp=first;

   while (temp!=NULL) {
        if (strcmp(temp->name_patient,name)==0) {
            if(temp==first) {
                first=temp->next;
                free(temp);
                return;
            } else {
                prev->next=temp->next;
                free(temp);
                return;
            }
        } else {
            prev=temp;
            temp=temp->next;
        }
    }
}

In the menu, in int main () I have:

Code:

tpatient *ptr=patients;
char name[40];

case 'E':
            printf("Insert the name to delete: ");
            scanf("%s", name);
            if (delete_patient(nombre)) {
                printf("The patient %s has been removed", name);
            } else {
                printf("The patient %s is not in the list", name);
            }
            /*if (p==NULL) {
                printf("\nPatient not found");
            } else {
                delete_patient(patients, name);
            }*/
            break;

in if (delete_patient(nombre)) I get the error:

Code:

cannot convert 'char*' to 'tpatient* {aka patient*}' for argument '1' to 'void delete_patient(tpatient*, char*)'

Do you know how can I fix this? Why is complaining?

I hate to do that... but you are my hope.


I think I have the delete function, this is what I have:

Code:

void delete_patient(tpatient *ptr, char *name) {
   tpatient *temp, *prev;
   temp=first;

   while (temp!=NULL) {
        if (strcmp(temp->name_patient,name)==0) {
            if(temp==first) {
                first=temp->next;
                free(temp);
                return;
            } else {
                prev->next=temp->next;
                free(temp);
                return;
            }
        } else {
            prev=temp;
            temp=temp->next;
        }
    }
}

In the menu, in int main () I have:

Code:

tpatient *ptr=patients;
char name[40];


case 'E':
            printf("Insert the name to delete: ");
            scanf("%s", name);
            if (delete_patient(name)) {
                printf("The patient %s has been removed", name);
            } else {
                printf("The patient %s is not in the list", name);
            }
            /*if (p==NULL) {
                printf("\nPatient not found");
            } else {
                delete_patient(patients, name);
            }*/
            break;

In if (delete_patient(name)) I get:

Code:

error: cannot convert 'char*' to 'tpatient* {aka patient*}' for argument '1' to 'void delete_patient(tpatient*, char*)'|

Do you know how can I fix this? Why is complaining?

Honestly, how much of this have you copied without thinking? The code on this website is not perfectly adapted to your program - the code you can copy on the website uses global variables to simplify the listing.

This leads to your program having several problems: you called your delete() function in main() with 1 name argument, when the prototype asks for 2 arguments: the tpatience pointer first followed by the name. Additionally, when you adapted the delete() function, you didn't finish renaming all the variables to variables that you were actually using in the rest of the program.

When you copy, you at least have to be careful to make sure that everything matches. You can't use ptr as a name in your program, when the original author used first in his.

Originally Posted by whiteflags

Honestly, how much of this have you copied without thinking?

Almost everything. The program runs now, you are right, asks for two arguments: delete_patient(patients, name) <--- just fixed

but is always telling me the name is not in the list. I will research more. It will be a long night.

I finally succeded in all the functions but I am still working in the last one: modify a patient. This is my code of the structures:

Code:

typedef struct {
    int day;
    int month;
    int year;
} date;


typedef struct patient {
    char name_patient[100];
    char rage[100];
    char sex[100];
    char observations[1024];
    char fiagnosis[1024];
    date birth;
    struct patient *next;
} tpatient;

tpatient *first=(tpatient*) NULL;
tpatient *last=(tpatient*) NULL;

This is the function to modity the patient:

Code:

void modify_patient() {
    tpatient *ptr;
    tpatient *prev=NULL;
    tpatient *temp=NULL;
    char name_patient[100];
    printf("\nInsert the patient to modify: ");
    gets(name_patient);


    while (temp!=NULL) {
        if (strcmp(temp->name_patient,name_patient)==0) {
            if(temp==first) {
                prev=temp;
                temp=temp->next;
                break;
            }
        }
    }
    ptr=new tpatient;
    fflush(stdin);
    printf("Insert the name of the patient: ");
    gets(ptr->name_patient);
    fflush(stdin);
    printf("Insert the date of birth of the patient (dd/mm/yy): ");
    scanf("%d/%d/%d", &ptr->birth.day, &ptr->birth.month, &ptr->birth.year);
    printf("Insert the rage of the patient: ");
    gets(ptr->raza);
    flush(stdin);
    printf("Insert the sex of the patient: ");
    gets(ptr->sex);
    fflush(stdin);
    printf("Insert the observations of the patient: ");
    gets(ptr->observations);
    fflush(stdin);
    printf("Insert the diagnosis of the patient: ");
    gets(ptr->diagnosis);
    fflush(stdin);
    prev->next=ptr;
    ptr->next=temp->next;
    temp->next=NULL;
    delete(temp);
    printf("Patient modified successfully");
}

in int main () I simply call the function in the menu:

Code:

case 'f':
case 'F': modify_patient();
break;

The program asks to modify all the data, then crash. I know I have magic numbers and using gets that I will replace with fgets, I am aware of that, I will change later when everything works. Aside from gets, that I know are not recommended, what can I do to prevent crash?

I can't edit the last post. I have some mispellings because of translating the code. In my program I don't have misspellings.

I have some mispellings because of translating the code. In my program I don't have misspellings.

Then please stop "translating" your code. Even if we don't speak your language we do understand C.

Jim

gets()? Really? You should know better by now!

Why are you using new in a C program? You really really should figure out if you want to write a C or C++ program and use the proper features of the language you want to use.

Why are you trying to allocate memory for a single instance of your structure? Why not just use a single instance of the structure instead?

Also what's with all those fflush() calls? Calling fflush() on an input stream can lead to Undefined Behavior.

Jim

Originally Posted by jimblumberg

gets()? Really? You should know better by now!

Why are you using new in a C program? You really really should figure out if you want to write a C or C++ program and use the proper features of the language you want to use.

Why are you trying to allocate memory for a single instance of your structure? Why not just use a single instance of the structure instead?

Also what's with all those fflush() calls? Calling fflush() on an input stream can lead to Undefined Behavior.

Jim

Jim, I know how to use fgets but we are required to submit this project to be evaluated, in class we only studied scanf and gets for this purpose, we also studied getch, getchar, getche, puts and maybe something more I almost forget. The code I am using is the one the instructor expects according to what we are learning, otherwise, she would think we are cheating.

As far as I know, the program is not crashing for using gets neither fflush(stdin) because I tried removing them with the same result, crash. If only someone can tell me why the program is crashing maybe I can fix it.

Good luck since you refuse to take any advice given there is no reason I should continue to offer assistance.

Jim