passing a file pointer to a function

I did a proyect which writes and reads to a binary file, but in each function I opened and closed the file, so I tryed to pass the file pointer to the functions so i would only have to open it once, however the program compiles but doesnt run, it says "the program stopped working", here's a part of the code:

Im new to programming, it would be pretty cool if someone showed me what the problem is...

PD: the double pointer is an random idea to try to fix the problem, it helped to make it compile but doesnt work...

thanks

insert

Code:

---


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


#define ARCHIVO "data.bin"
#define SIZE sizeof(person)


typedef struct
 {int i_id;
  char name[20];
  int active;} person;
 
void v_menu(FILE *f); 
void v_list(FILE **f, person someone);
 
int main()
{
  FILE *f;
  fopen(ARCHIVO,"wb+");
  v_menu(f);
  return 0;
}


void v_menu(FILE *f)
{
  int i_option;
  person someone;
  do{
      system("cls");
      printf("\n\n\t\t1. Add.\n\t\t2. Modify.\n\t\t3. delete.\n\t\t4. Consult.\n\t\t5. List.\n\t\t6. Fin.\n\n\t\t\t\t");
      scanf("%d",&i_option);
      system("cls");
      switch(i_option)
        {
//        case 1:{v_agregarRegistro(&f, registro);break;}
//        case 2:{v_modificarRegistro(&f, registro);break;}
//        case 3:{v_eliminarRegistro(&f, registro);break;}
//        case 4:{v_consultarRegistro(&f, registro);break;}
        case 5:{v_list(&f, someone);break;}
        }
    }
  while(i_option!=6);
}


void v_list(FILE **f, person someone)
{
  fseek(*f,0,SEEK_SET);
  while(fread(&someone,SIZE,1,*f))
    {
      if(someone.active==1)
      printf("\n\n\t\tID: %d\n\t\tName: %s",someone.i_id,someone.name);
    }
  getch();
}

---

Where do you save the return value from fopen to f?

The double pointer isn't needed in this program, but it might be if you wanted to change the value of f within a function and make the change visible in its caller.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by christop

Where do you save the return value from fopen to f?

The double pointer isn't needed in this program, but it might be if you wanted to change the value of f within a function and make the change visible in its caller.

---

I must of errased it while i was shortening the code, so.. it should work if I use just normal pointers, this time it does, but in the full version it doesnt, im guessing its because in the full version i open the file in rb+ mode so i can read and write, is there a difference?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by estefany

in the full version it doesnt, im guessing its because in the full version i open the file in rb+ mode so i can read and write, is there a difference?

---

No, the open mode does not make a difference when deciding between a pointer and a pointer to a pointer. What makes a difference is whether you are going to change f and want the result to be reflected in the caller. If you do, then you would use a pointer to a pointer and hence change *f instead.

Yes you can
Here is an example

Code:

---

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


void print_file(FILE *);


int main(void)
{
    /* Lots of interesting code here... */


    FILE *fp = fopen ( "C:\\ABCDEFGHI.txt", "r" );
    if (!fp)
    {
        perror ( "Unable to open file" );
        exit ( EXIT_FAILURE );
    }


    print_file (fp);


    return 0;
}


void print_file(FILE *in)
{
    char ch=0;


    while(!feof(in))
    {
        ch = (char) getc(in);
        if (ferror(in))
        {
            fputs ("File error - Reading Operation",stderr);
            exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
        }


        if (!feof(in))
        {
            putchar(ch);
        }
    }
    return;
}

---

Edit - I think that your problem was that you were entering &f into your function - f was already a pointer.