Thread: I dont even know how to ask this question :(. Array and strings?

Ok I have an array but I need to get a char array and make it actually equal the name of the array and use it accordingly. For example.

int hello[3];

char nameofarray[]="hello";

I want it to make it so that I can call nameofarray by using something like:

nameofarry[]

Is there anyway to do something like this? I know its kinda far fetched but it would really help me out.

im not sure about everyoen else, but i read your post a few times, and im not sure what your trying to say..?
what do you want to do with nameofarray ?

It appears as if you wish to select an array to use dynamically through a single name, nameofarray. In other words, a map with the name of the array as the key and the address of the array as the value. This is possible, though not nearly as easy as you might like. Here is one way to go about it.

Code:

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

struct map {
  char name[BUFSIZ];
  int (*array)[3];
};

int map_index(const char *name);

int main()
{
  int a[3] = {0};
  int b[3] = {0};
  struct map nameofarray[] = {
    "a", &a,
    "b", &b
  };
  int which = map_index("a");

  if (which != -1) {
    *(nameofarray[which].array)[0] = 10;
    printf("a[0]: %d\n", a[0]);
    printf("b[0]: %d\n", b[0]);
  }

  return 0;
}

int map_index(const char *name)
{
  if (strcmp(name, "a") == 0) {
    return 0;
  }
  else if (strcmp(name, "b") == 0) {
    return 1;
  }
  else {
    return -1;
  }
}

Err ok let me try to explain it better:

I have lets say 3 integers.

int x1;
int x2;
int x3;

Now I have a string. Lets call this string nameofint:

char nameofint[2];

I ask for an input from the user about what integer they want. The user then picks x1, x2, x3. Now nameofint is equal to x1, x2, or x3. So I wanna be able to make the int that the user picked equal another int that we will call uselessint.

int uselessint=0;
uselessint=nameofint;

Since nameofint equals either x1, x2, or x3. I want it to take the value from the integer the user inputs and put it into uselessint.

This isn't for dos this is actually for a very unknown device which i just felt like programming for while I was bored.

so something like thsi(without the x1,x2,x3)

Code:

int array[3];
    printf("Enter 3 numbers(integers)\n");
    scanf("%d %d %d",&array[0],&array[1],&array[2]);
}

with x1,x2,x3

Code:

int x1,x2,x3,array[3];
printf("Enter 3 numbers(integers)\n");
scanf("%d %d %d",&x1,&x2,&x3);
array[0]=x1;
array[1]=x2;
array[2]=x3;

Something more like this:

int x1=5,x2=3,x3=4,
char nameofint[3];
printf("Enter name of integer\n");
gets(nameofint);
int uselessint;

uselesss=nameofint;.//I want uselessint to equal 5 if user types in x1, 3 if he types x2,
//and 4 if he types in x3

>>Any compiler omitting string.h ceases to be a C compiler of any description IMO
A freestanding implementation is not required to supply string.h. If this "unknown device" uses such an implementation then one cannot assume the existence of string.h.

Originally Posted by Salem

And what about the inexcusable gets() - will the free standing implementation provide that, and not string.h?

Possibly, it is up to the implementation at that point. However, my comment was not concerning Axpen's code but your statement that a compiler which omits string.h is not a C compiler "of any description", which is false because a freestanding implementation is not required to support string.h. Of course, you also said IMO so my reply was meant to give additional information to readers rather than to correct you. A statement of opinion can be inaccurate and still be entirely correct.