Thread: Need help to understand unexpected behaviour in user function

Hello,

I have the following function, which is based on an earlier example (which works) where the code was executed in main.

So now I'm trying to execute the same logic, but with the code in a function.

Code:

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

void extract_subnet(char ip_address[16],char *ip_subnet[12]);

int main()
{
    char source_ip_address[16];
    char source_ip_subnet[12];

    strcpy(source_ip_address,"192.168.200.150");
    strcpy(source_ip_subnet,"");

    extract_subnet(source_ip_address,&source_ip_subnet);

    printf("Source IP Address: %s\n",source_ip_address);
    printf("Source IP Subnet: %s\n",source_ip_subnet);

    return 0;
}


void extract_subnet(char ip_address[16],char *ip_subnet[12])
{
    printf("Input IP address: %s\n",ip_address);

    int i;
    int period_count = 0;
    char ch;
    int length = strlen(ip_address);
    for(i=0;i<length;i++)
    {
        ch = (ip_address[i]);

        if (ch == '.')
        {
            period_count = period_count + 1;
        }

        if (period_count == 2)
        {
            break;
        }

        ip_subnet[i] = ip_address[i];
     }
     ip_subnet[i] = '\0';

     return;

} // extract_subnet

The issue that I'm observing, is that in the extract_subnet function; when the counter i = 3 and ch should equal the first period ('.') in the IP address (i.e. 192. )

I can see instead via the debugger that the value in ch is 0

I don't understand why this is happening.

I have confirmed via this statement

Code:

printf("Input IP address: %s\n",ip_address);

That the ip_address is being passed correctly to the function.

Thanks in advance

VW

Start here and note the changes I have made:

Code:

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

//void extract_subnet(char ip_address[16], char *ip_subnet[12]);
void extract_subnet(char ip_address[16], char ip_subnet[12]);

int main()
{
   // Initialize all local variables!
    char source_ip_address[16] = "192.168.200.150";
    char source_ip_subnet[12] = "";

//    No longer needed
//    strcpy(source_ip_address,"192.168.200.150");
//    strcpy(source_ip_subnet,"");

    extract_subnet(source_ip_address, source_ip_subnet);

    printf("Source IP Address: %s\n", source_ip_address);
    printf("Source IP Subnet: %s\n", source_ip_subnet);

    return 0;
}


//void extract_subnet(char ip_address[16], char *ip_subnet[12])
void extract_subnet(char ip_address[16], char ip_subnet[12])
{
    printf("Input IP address: %s\n", ip_address);

    int i;
    int period_count = 0;
    char ch;
    int length = strlen(ip_address);
    for(i=0;i<length;i++)
    {
        ch = (ip_address[i]);

        if (ch == '.')
        {
            period_count = period_count + 1;
        }

        if (period_count == 2)
        {
            break;
        }

        ip_subnet[i] = ip_address[i];
     }
     ip_subnet[i] = '\0';

     return;

} // extract_subnet

Hello rstanley,

Thanks for responding.

I'm hoping that you might be able to help me understand how the variable

Code:

source_ip_subnet

is updated in the main function.

extract_subnet is a void function, so it doesn't return a value.

And

Code:

source_ip_subnet

is not a global variable.

So why/how is

Code:

source_ip_subnet

being updated by extract_subnet?

I have recently seen an example where if you pass a pointer as a function argument (in the example the technique was described as "call by reference"); then the variable in the calling function is updated.

This is why I made

Code:

ip_subnet

a pointer; because I was trying to use this "call by reference" approach to update the value in

Code:

source_ip_subnet

.

But in your updated code, the

Code:

source_ip_subnet

is being updated.

Moreover, if I change

Code:

ip_subnet

back to being a pointer (as per the "call be reference" example) then that is what is producing the unexpected behaviour in the extract_subnet function.

Here is the "call be reference" example that I was using as a guide for my initial attempt

Code:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

void Increment(int *p);

int main()
{
    int a;
    a = 10;
    Increment(&a);
    printf("a = %d\n",a);

    return 0;
}


void Increment(int *p)
{
    *p = *p + 1;
}

And if I change the above code so that I'm not using a pointer as the argument to Increment. Then the code doesn't produce the correct result

Code:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

void Increment(int p);

int main()
{
    int a;
    a = 10;
    Increment(a);
    printf("a = %d\n",a);

    return 0;
}

void Increment(int p)
{
    p = p + 1;
}

Originally Posted by laserlight

You have to recognise that in this function:

Code:

void foo(char s[10]) {}

The parameter named s is a pointer, not an array. The 10 indicates that the pointer is expected to point to the first char in an array of 10 char, but this is not enforced, and s remains of type char* not char[10].

Hello laserlight,

That is actually quite subtle.

I have a feeling it is going to be a while before I'm across all these little, but important, details.

Thanks for the explanation.

Hello,

Unfortunately I'm experiencing issues trying to use this function in my actual code.

If I run in the debugger I observe

Code:

[Inferior 1 (process 43548) exited normally]

Sometimes when the function is called, so the error is intermittent, but essentially the function is not stable.

I've tested the standalone function (above) and it works reliably.

I think the issue is likely due to the fact that the input to the function in the actual code is like this

Code:

strcpy(source_ip_address,inet_ntoa(source.sin_addr));

I've checked the contents of source_ip_address via the debugger and it looks normal.

I can also printf inet_ntoa(source.sin_addr) without issue.

But I've noticed in some cases when I enter the extract_subnet function, that when I get to this line

Code:

int length = strlen(ip_address);

length evaluates to 0. Which is clearly wrong, but that makes me think that somehow despite on the surface the value in source_ip_address looks OK. Somehow deep down something is wrong.

Am hoping for some troubleshooting suggestions.

Thanks

VW