Word Search Using C

Hi guys, first of all, this isn't an assignment or anything. I know people here are irritable when it comes to help with assignments. This is just something I want to try out for sharpening my skills.

I wanted to know if it is possible to do a word search with C when my knowledge is limited to arrays, multidimensional arrays, strings, arrays of strings and dynamic memory allocation (dynamic multidimensional arrays).

The program I had in mind is, the main function would create an array of strings, and then it would call a search function. The search function would search vertically, horizontally and diagonally through the supplied array and see if a specific word is found.

If someone has some ideas on how to do this, could you give me a general idea on how to get started? I'm having writers block here. Thanks

It is certainly possible to do something like that.

I think a great place to start is this:

Code:

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#include <stdio.h>

int main(void){
  return 0;
}

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:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CProgramming11

Hi guys, first of all, this isn't an assignment or anything. I know people here are irritable when it comes to help with assignments. This is just something I want to try out for sharpening my skills.

I wanted to know if it is possible to do a word search with C when my knowledge is limited to arrays, multidimensional arrays, strings, arrays of strings and dynamic memory allocation (dynamic multidimensional arrays).

The program I had in mind is, the main function would create an array of strings, and then it would call a search function. The search function would search vertically, horizontally and diagonally through the supplied array and see if a specific word is found.

If someone has some ideas on how to do this, could you give me a general idea on how to get started? I'm having writers block here. Thanks

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I'm having "answering blocks here". At least give it try, convert your problem to
pseudo code would be a start.

Pseudo code Examples

I know its possible. I'm asking if it's feasible with the limited programming abilities I have.

If you don't want to give any serious input or contribute in any way, why even waste your time replying?

I think you should worry less about what's feasible and what's not and get your hands dirty working with all sorts of code. That is the best way to get better. Read and write a lot of code. There is no miraculous substitute for that.

So if you have an idea for a program that involved string manipulation attempt it with your limited knowledge. It's not going to be something you can sell for sure, but it's going to help you learn something along the way. You can certainly have a go at it with your current knowledge.

You can even turn it into a sort of primitive scrabble game.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CProgramming11

I know its possible. I'm asking if it's feasible with the limited programming abilities I have.

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How do you think a programmer learns... by doing!

The more you do the more you expand your programming abilities... Stretch yourself, give it your best shot. Take note of how much you learn trying to figure it out.

Quote:

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If you don't want to give any serious input or contribute in any way, why even waste your time replying?

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Believe me you are getting the best help possible, right here, from these guys.
The message is ... go for it! Give it your best shot.

If you get stuck, post what you've got and maybe we can help you debug it...

I'm sorry, my reply was not clear to you. I provided a link for you to click on. You stated your objectives clearly, so I think your next step should be to convert that to pseudo code.

Click here ----> Pseudocode Examples

But we're not here to do your homework. You have to show some effort in this.

As I originally said, this is NOT homework. Could have saved yourself a line of text there.

Also, I wasn't replying to you, I was replying to the first, sarcastic poster.

I was in the process of writing it in pseudo code but couldn't wrap my head around it, so I was trying to see if I could get a nudge in the right direction.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CProgramming11

As I originally said, this is NOT homework. Could have saved yourself a line of text there.

Also, I wasn't replying to you, I was replying to the first, sarcastic poster.

I was in the process of writing it in pseudo code but couldn't wrap my head around it, so I was trying to see if I could get a nudge in the right direction.

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It is exactly this attitude of "oh I know it all already, but just wanted to check with you guys" that will continue getting you sarcastic remarks.

My advice is, drop the attitude, everyone who is posting here is trying to help you and if you are not open to advice, criticism and a little fun you are in the wrong place. I was not making fun of you, I was just gently hinting at the fact that you have hardly provided anything that you need help with. We don't know where you want to start because we don't know what you want to do exactly. There are a million ways to go about this and it's better for you to figure out which path you will take. Then, we can guide you along it.

If you are reading from a file, the basic steps you could take.

* read one line at a time from file

* tokenize the line (ie replace space with '\0')

* compare each substring in the line with your array of words

* for each match, increment that word in a distribution array, (same index as your array of words)

* present the results.

I would create a tokenize() and search() function, (alternatively you could use strtok() instead). If you're not reading from a file but plan to compare two array of strings, you wont need to separate into substrings of course.

First, thanks subsonics

To Cladiu: I never said I knew it already. I actually said I did not know it, even to the point of not even knowing if it was possible with my methods or even how to write the pseudo code, so I'm not sure where you're picking up on that attitude. The post you just wrote was much more helpful than the 'int main (void)' post you originally wrote, so why even bother with the first post?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CProgramming11

First, thanks subsonics

To Cladiu: I never said I knew it already. I actually said I did not know it, even to the point of not even knowing if it was possible with my methods or even how to write the pseudo code, so I'm not sure where you're picking up on that attitude. The post you just wrote was much more helpful than the 'int main (void)' post you originally wrote, so why even bother with the first post?

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I think we started off on the wrong foot and I am sorry about that. I wasn't being sarcastic, I was just joking which is why I included a smiley at the end of my post so it didn't sound like I was making fun of you. The int main joke is pretty standard answer to people that say they don't know where to start. It's nothing personal :p

Now, in terms of your project, from what I understand you want to read in a 2D array of characters and then perform a complex search on it. So why not start with just reading that array in and making sure you have it stored properly in your array.

Is there a possibility that this thread can be merged with the getChar thread? If not, is it alright if we continue talking about your issues in this thread CProgramming11? I'm getting confused jumping between the threads.

In your getchar thread, it seems like you are on the right track.

The getchar problem is resolved thanks to you.

If anyone wants to further help on the wordsearch problem, that would be fine with me.

Claudiu we definitely started off on the wrong foot. It's probably a little of my fault, I should have posted some of my (failed) ideas to show you guys what I was getting at. Anyway it's a work in progress that I don't even need an answer to really. If anyone wants to help the cause I am still interested in further ideas however.

There is a hell of great trick for working with a 2D array if the array is 16 columns wide by 8 rows (and it probably could be extended to 16 rows, not sure). We use it in chess and checkers programming for board representation, sometimes.

But it's not for beginners - believe me.

Here's a trick that IS for beginners:

Make your array two rows and two columns, larger than your words will be. Assign them a value like -1 or -99. Now you can use that "out of bounds" border as a help in all your searches:

Code:

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0000000000
0XXXXXXXX0
0XXXXXXXX0
0XXXXXXXX0
0XXXXXXXX0
0XXXXXXXX0
0XXXXXXXX0
0XXXXXXXX0
0XXXXXXXX0
0000000000

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Where X's represent spaces your letters will occupy, and 0's represent border squares.

That help all your diagonal searches, a lot

while sqr != border value
keep getting letters
end while

Running your diagonals clockwise, and using o'clock references for them, is also an idea I found helpful.