STRNCAT Problem

Hi, Thanks in advanced. Specs: C, Borland Compiler, 64bit, Win7.

Short & Sweet:
Im having a strncat problem. Im using a loop to iterate through input and strncat to write two different strings based on the input. The problem is that the new strings will have some of the other characters in them.

Code:

---

gets(string);

for( i=0; i < (int)strlen(string); ++i )
{
    //if the input is a number, write it to a string named num.
    if( string[i] >= 47 && string[i] <= 58)
          strncat(num, &string[i], 1);

    //if the input is a character, write it to a string named alpha.
    else
          strncat(alpha, &string[i], 1);
}

puts(num);
puts(alpha);

---

What exactly are you trying to do, and what is the problem you are having?

Quote:

---

Syntax:

#include <string.h>
char *strncat( char *str1, const char *str2, size_t count );


Description:
The function strncat() concatenates at most count characters of str2 onto str1, adding a null termination. The resulting string is returned.

---

Maybe strcat() is what you want to do?

Quote:

---

Syntax:

#include <string.h>
char *strcat( char *str1, const char *str2 );

Description:
The strcat() function concatenates str2 onto the end of str1, and returns str1.

---

Im trying to produce two strings from one. The first containing all of the numbers and the second with all of the other characters.
ex.
string[123abc] --> s1[123] & s2[abc];

The problem is that the piece of code above puts some numbers in with the letters and some letters in with the numbers.
ex.
string[123abc] --> s1[123abc] & s2[23abc]

The actual piece of code. The problem ex. is input/output take directly from this code.

Quote:

---

Code:

---

void loop(char *string)
{
    int i;
    int nLength = strlen(string);
    char *num = "";
    char *alpha = "";
   
    for(i=0; i < nLength; ++i)
    {   
        if( string[i] >= 47 && string[i] <= 58 )
        {
            printf("%c\n", string[i]);
            strncat(num, &string[i], 1);
        }
        else
        {
            printf("%c\n", string[i]);
            strncat(alpha, &string[i], 1);
        }
    }
    puts(num);
    puts(alpha);
}

---

---

Is there a fixed format... say 3 numbers then 4 letters ... or is it different every time?

Can you give us a sample of some of the strings you're trying to burst?

You might also want to look into using isdigit() and isalpha() for sorting.

And ... you really shouldn't use gets() as it will easily allow you to overrun the limits of your input buffer. Use fgets() instead.... as ... fgets(buffer, size, stdin); ... no more overruns.

No fixed format. The input should be able to vary: "1" or "abc" or "123abc...".

Code:

---

Here are some samples:
1.INPUT:123 
num:123   
alpha:23

2.INPUT:abc             
 num:                         
alpha:abc     

3.INPUT:123abc 
num:123abc
alpha:23abc

4.INPUT:abc123
num: bcbc123
alpha: 23

---

Out of the samples, #2 was the only success.


__________________________________________________ ___________________
I want to modify the code for other conditions to trigger the sorting. It's specifically a problem with strncat and the output. The code above seemed like the easiest way to communicate the problem I was having.

Phooey!

This is dead simple if you just write your own code for it. You have one hour to do so:

<< CLOCK IS TICKING! >>

:p :p

Don't use magic numbers like 47 and 58. If it's supposed to be between '0' and '9' then just use '0' and '9' (including those single quotes).

This line is the same in the if and the else:

Code:

---

            printf("%c\n", string[i]);

---

Instead of duplicating it for both the if and the else, just do it before the if.

I changed the code to:

Code:

---

void loop(char *string)
{
    int i;
    int nLength = strlen(string);
    char *num = "\n";
    char *alpha = "\n";
   
    for(i=0; i < nLength; ++i)
    {   
        printf("%c\n", string[i]);
        if( string[i] >= '0' && string[i] <= '9' )
        {
           
            strncat(num, &string[i], 1);
        }
        else
       
        {
            strncat(alpha, &string[i], 1);
        }
    }
    puts(num);
    puts(alpha);
}

The new code samples:

       

Quote:

       

               

---

               
                       
1.INPUT:ABC
OUTPUT:
a
b

abc
-------------
2.INPUT:123
OUTPUT:
1
2
3

123
23
-------------
                       
               

---

       

---

I don't know if that gives you more insight but it seems to be more buggy.

Time's up! ;)

Code:

---

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

#define ROWS 4
#define SIZE 24

int main() { //  string work
  int row=0,i,j,k,len,test=0;
  char input[ROWS][SIZE]={{"123"},{"abc"},{"123abc"},{"abc123"}};
  int num[SIZE]={0};
  char alpha[SIZE]={'\0'};


  for(row=0;row<ROWS;row++) {
      printf("Input: %s\t\t",input[row]);
      len=strlen(input[row]);
     
      j=k=0;
      for(i=0;i<len;i++) {
        test = input[row][i];
        if(isdigit(test)) {
            num[j++]=test-'0';
        }else {
            alpha[k++]=input[row][i];
        }
      }
     
      printf("alpha: "); 
      for(i=0;i<k;i++)
        printf("%c",alpha[i]);
      if(k<j)
        for(;k<j;k++)
            putchar(' ');

      printf("\t\tnum: ");
      for(i=0;i<j;i++)
        printf(" %d ", num[i]);
      printf("\n\n");

  }
  printf("\n");
  return 0;
}

---

Give that a study.

Give this a try....

Code:

---

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

void split(char *num, char *alpha, char *string)
  {
    int len = strlen(string);
    int i;
    char *n = num;
    char *a = alpha;

    for(i = 0; i < len; i++)
      {
        if (isalpha(string[i]))
          *(a++) = string[i];
        else if (isdigit(string[i]))
          *(n++) = string[i];
        }
      *n = 0;
      *a = 0;
  }



int main (void)
  {
    char *test1 = "abc123";
    char *test2 = "456efg";
    char num[10];
    char alpha[10];

    split(num,alpha,test1);
    printf("abc123 = %s and %s\n",num, alpha);

    split(num,alpha,test2);
    printf("abc123 = %s and %s\n\n",num, alpha);

    return 0;
}

---

> char *num = "\n";
> char *alpha = "\n";
On any decent OS/Compiler, any attempt to modify these string constants would have instantly resulted in the untimely demise of your program (via a segfault).

The other big issue you had was that strncat always LOOKS for a \0, but doesn't always ADD a \0.
So you need to do something else (as well) if you want to generalise the "append char to string" function.

Okay got it. Thank you guys so much!!! I really appreciate the advice. I got a bunch of general tips for improving my coding and ultimately the pointer use in commontater's split function helped me figure out my problem.

Sincerely,
og.