Getting confused with strings and length

Hi, could someone explain why I am getting two different values in the code below please?

Code:

---

#import <stdio.h>
#import <string.h>

int main (int argc, const char *argv[])
{
        int inputLength;

        char userInput[10];
       
        printf("Enter a number to be reversed: ");
        scanf("%s", &userInput);
       
        inputLength = strlen(userInput);

        printf("inputLength = %i\n\n", inputLength);

        char computerOutput[inputLength];

        printf("\n\ncomputerOutput length = %i", strlen(computerOutput));

        printf("\n\nYour entry of %s is %i characters long.\n\n", userInput, inputLength);

        for (int x = inputLength-1, y = 0; x >= 0; --x, ++y)
                computerOutput[y] = userInput[x];

        printf("computerOutput = %s\n\n", computerOutput);
}

---

So if I enter 23 at the prompt I get the follwoing output:

inputLength = 2 (yep this is what I expected)

computerOutput length = 21 (What? where is 21 coming from? it should be 2)

Your entry of 23 is 2 characters long. (yep this is what I expected)

computerOutput = 32??????hw???c? (this is 15 long not 21)

I am obviously missing the plot here?

Can someone help please?

Thanks

Since computerOutput is garbage, who knows how long it's going to be? Apparently six of the characters are not printable, even as question marks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tabstop

Since computerOutput is garbage, who knows how long it's going to be? Apparently six of the characters are not printable, even as question marks.

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LOL I am not overly worried about the garbage in computerOutput.

What I dont understand is that if the userInput length is 1after I enter a single digit the variable inputLength is correctly set to .... 1

But when I then use inputLength as the dimension when declaring computerOutput why does the length of computerOutput be reported as 5 and not 1?

If I enter a 4 digit entry again inputLength = 4 which is correct but after using it to dimension computerOutput it turns into....21?

I dont get it?

It is better to use fgets instead of scanf to read strings.
Remember: strlen returns the actual length of the string stored inside the buffer, but not the size of the buffer itself.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FreeCare

LOL I am not overly worried about the garbage in computerOutput.

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Well, you should be, because it is the root of your troubles.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FreeCare

But when I then use inputLength as the dimension when declaring computerOutput why does the length of computerOutput be reported as 5 and not 1?

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Answer:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tabstop

Since computerOutput is garbage, who knows how long it's going to be? Apparently six of the characters are not printable, even as question marks.

---

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FreeCare

If I enter a 4 digit entry again inputLength = 4 which is correct but after using it to dimension computerOutput it turns into....21?

---

Answer:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tabstop

Since computerOutput is garbage, who knows how long it's going to be? Apparently six of the characters are not printable, even as question marks.

---

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FreeCare

I dont get it?

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Answer:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tabstop

Since computerOutput is garbage, who knows how long it's going to be? Apparently six of the characters are not printable, even as question marks.

---

And also remember that the length of a string is "how many characters there are before a character with all bits zero", which cannot possibly be changed or determined by a declaration of an array.

char computerOutput[2];

this would have an array with 2 characters containing garbage until set to something.

the length of this array is 2.

int x = 5;

char computerOutput[x];

this would have an array with 5 characters containing garbage until set to something.

the length of this array is 5

So why does strlen(computerOutput) return .....21 and not .... 5

This is what I do not understand.

I know that until all characters are assigned a value they will contain garbage printable or otherwise.

What I do not understand is why when using a variable with the value of 5 to declare an array size it somehow turns into 21?

You're talking about buffer size. The entire array consists of 5 elements of type char. So the array size is 5, not the length of string.
A string is stored inside a buffer, and may or may not fill up the entire array. The length of a string is gotten through strlen.
As for why you get 21, it's simply called undefined behavior.
http://cpwiki.sourceforge.net/Undefined_behaviour

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FreeCare

What I do not understand is why when using a variable with the value of 5 to declare an array size it somehow turns into 21?

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Because you have lost the ability to read. We'll try the bold-n-caps since it helped last time:

strlen counts the number of characters UNTIL A 0 IS REACHED WHETHER IT IS YOUR MEMORY OR NOT. The fact that you only asked for two characters (or five characters) IS COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT TO THE DISCUSSION.

Whoa, calm down.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tabstop

Because you have lost the ability to read. We'll try the bold-n-caps since it helped last time:

strlen counts the number of characters UNTIL A 0 IS REACHED WHETHER IT IS YOUR MEMORY OR NOT. The fact that you only asked for two characters (or five characters) IS COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT TO THE DISCUSSION.

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Tell you what, here is a simple tip for you. If you cannot be bothered to stay calm or refrain from being sarcastic or arsey why not...go make a cup of tea, count to 10 and move on and ignore my posts from here on. That way you wont show yourself up as a hot head

Elysia, thank you for the link. I am reading it and trying to understand it.

Wise saying: If someone who does not understand what they are being told it is not their fault, it is the fault of the person imparting the knowledge not conveying it in a way the respondent can understand!

The remedy is not to get arsey

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by FreeCare

Tell you what, here is a simple tip for you. If you cannot be bothered to stay calm or refrain from being sarcastic or arsey why not...go make a cup of tea, count to 10 and move on and ignore my posts from here on. That way you wont show yourself up as a hot head

Elysia, thank you for the link. I am reading it and trying to understand it.

Wise saying: If someone who does not understand what they are being told it is not their fault, it is the fault of the person imparting the knowledge not conveying it in a way the respondent can understand!

The remedy is not to get arsey

---

Good. Now we both feel better, and I will make a point to ignore your posts from here on.

Elysia, just started to read you post on the use of scanf....very interesting!

I'm working through Programming in Objective C which introduces the use of scanf.....hence my, learning of reading strings.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tabstop

Good. Now we both feel better, and I will make a point to ignore your posts from here on.

---

And I yours....have a good life

Code:

---

#import <stdio.h>
#import <string.h>

int main (int argc, const char *argv[])
{
        int inputLength;

        char userInput[10];
       
        printf("Enter a number to be reversed: ");
        scanf("%9s", &userInput);
       
        inputLength = strlen(userInput);

        char computerOutput[inputLength];

        printf("\n\nYour entry of %s is %i characters long.\n\n", userInput, inputLength);

        for (int x = inputLength-1, y = 0; x >= 0; --x, ++y)
                computerOutput[y] = userInput[x];
       
        computerOutput[inputLength] = 0;

        printf("computerOutput = %s\n\n", computerOutput);
}

---

BTW tabstop.....got it. Thanks

To be 100% correct, you should actually remove the & from the line:
scanf("%9s", &userInput);
Because scanf expects a pointer to the buffer, not a pointer to an array, though technically they are the same thing.
If you like reading, here's another good link for you! http://www.research.att.com/~bs/bs_faq2.html#whitespace