using strlen and finding shortest and longest words

program is to let user input series of words and when user inputs word of length 4 characters, it stops.
It should sort the words alphabetically, so if a group of same-length words is longest/shortest, it outputs longest as last alphabetically, shortest as first alphabetically.
My code is not pulling the longest word correctly.
What is the problem here????

Code:

---


#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#define LENGTH 20


int read_line(char str[], int n);

main()
{
    char largest[LENGTH];
    char smallest[LENGTH];  /*  is the size of array okay */
    char input[LENGTH];
    int len;
   
    printf("Enter word: ");
    read_line(input, LENGTH);
    len = strlen(input);
    strcpy(smallest, input);
    strcpy(largest, input);
    if (len == 4){
      printf("\n\nTime to quit\n\n");
    }

    for ( ; ; )    {
        printf("Enter word: ");
        read_line(input, LENGTH);
        len = strlen(input);            /*  where do I use 'len' to find */
                                                /* shortest and longest */
                                                /* input and print those out ??  */

        if (strcmp(input, smallest) < 0)  /*  is this correct code for */
        strcpy(smallest, input);              /* sorting alphabetically  */
        else if (strcmp(input, largest) > 0)
        strcpy(largest, input);
        if (len == 4) break;            /* is this necessary operation */
    }


    printf("\n\n\nYou input four-letter word\n);
    printf("So time to quit.\n\n");
    printf("Smallest word: %s\n", smallest);
    printf("Largest word: %s\n", largest);

    return 0;
}
 

int read_line(char str[], int n)
{
  char ch;
  int i = 0;

  while ((ch = getchar()) != '\n')
      if (i < n)
      str[i++] = ch;
 
      str[i] = '\0';
      return i; 
}

---

Hi the program is not really very efficient unless it is a class project, as it only allows words up to 3 characters. Still if this is what you require...who am I to say otherwise.

Here are a few alterations

Code:

---

/*you dont need to return a value from function*/
void read_line(char str[]);  /*and you dont need LENGTH*/

main()
{
  /*intialise variable with largest lexicographical combination*/
  /*so it will change*/
    char largest[LENGTH] = "z"; /*lower z*/
    /*same here*/
    char smallest[LENGTH] = "zzz"; 
    char input[LENGTH];
    int len;

printf("Enter word: ");
    read_line(input);
    len = strlen(input);
/*you could lose the if statement and for loop with a while loop*/

  while(len < 4)
  {
        if (strcmp(input, smallest) < 0)
        /*strcpy here will replace the smallest if lexicographically*/
        /*smaller than stored value in smallest*/ 
        strcpy(smallest, input);             
        else if (strcmp(input, largest) > 0)
        /*strcpy here will replace the larger if lexicographically*/
        /*larger than stored value in largest*/ 
        strcpy(largest, input);
        printf("Enter word: ");
        read_line(input);
        len = strlen(input);           
    }

    /*syntax error in this printf fnct missing "    */
    printf("\n\n\nYou input four-letter word\n);
    printf("So time to quit.\n\n");
    printf("Smallest word: %s\n", smallest);
    printf("Largest word: %s\n", largest);

    return 0;
}
 

void read_line(char str[])
{
  char ch;
  int i = 0;

  while ((ch = getchar()) != '\n')
      if (i < LENGTH)  /*LENGTH global when #define*/
      str[i++] = ch;
 
      str[i] = '\0'; /*no return value*/
}

---

This may save you from reposting...as I said the program is not challenging when only 3 chars can be input....The following allows the user to input any sentance up to 80 chars and sorts longest and shortest then sorts alphabetically (lexicographically) when sentances are of same length...

Code:

---

#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#define MAX 80

void main ()
{
  char in_string[MAX],
        small[MAX],
        big[MAX]="z"; /*initialise big string so it will change*/
  int i;
  /*initialise small string so it will change*/
  for(i = 0; i < MAX - 1; i++)
      small[i]= 'z';
  small[i]='\0';

  printf("\n\tEnter a sentance - Hit return to quit\n\t");
  gets(in_string);
  while(*in_string)
  {
    fflush(stdin);
    if(strlen(in_string)< strlen(small))
        strcpy(small, in_string);
    else if(strlen(in_string)== strlen(small))
        if(strcmp(small, in_string)< 0)
          strcpy(small, in_string);

      if(strlen(in_string)> strlen(big))
          strcpy(big, in_string);
      else if(strlen(in_string)== strlen(big))
        if(strcmp(big, in_string)> 0)
            strcpy(big, in_string);

  printf("\n\tEnter a sentance - Hit return to quit\n\t");
  gets(in_string);
  }

  printf("\n\tSmallest Sentance is \n\t\"%s\"", small);
  printf("\n\tLargest Sentance is \n\t\"%s\"", big);
}

---

bigtamscot:

the program is to let user input up to a 20 character word; and any 4-letterword is to stop program (but program still takes that word into account in case it is the shortest) however 2 and 3-letter words as well as 5-20 letterwords are allowed.

also your second suggestion includes fflush and stdin which we have not discussed in class as of yet, so I don't want to use them


thanks for the help, though :)


bornintheUSA

ok user is supposed to input any list of words up to length 20 char
if string = 4 characters, program stops

the program is supposed to choose as "smallest" word that which comes lexicongraphically first and as "largest" word that which comes last

MY PROGRAM IS NOT WORKING


here's output I get with following input:

Enter word: happy
Enter word: dunno
Enter word: zebra /* should be largest */
Enter word: cat /* should be smallest */
Enter word: duck



You input four-letter word
So time to quit.

Smallest word: cat
Largest word: ÿ¾ûÈ /* what the heck is this ??? */

Code:

---



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

#define LENGTH 20

int read_line(char str[], int n);

main()
{
    char largest[LENGTH];
    char smallest[LENGTH];
    char input[LENGTH];
    int len;

printf("Enter word: ");
    read_line(input,LENGTH);
    len = strlen(input);

  while(len != 4)
  {
        if (strcmp(input, smallest) < 0)
          strcpy(smallest, input);
        else if (strcmp(input, largest) > 0)
          strcpy(largest, input);
        printf("Enter word: ");
        read_line(input,LENGTH);
        len = strlen(input);
    }

  if (len == 4)  {
    printf("\n\n\nYou input four-letter word\n");
    printf("So time to quit.\n\n");
  }

    printf("Smallest word: %s\n", smallest);
    printf("Largest word: %s\n", largest);

    return 0;
}


int read_line(char str[], int n)  /* this is proper code as instructed */
{
  char ch;
  int i = 0;

  while ((ch = getchar()) != '\n')
      if (i < n)
      str[i++] = ch;

      str[i] = '\0';
      return i;
}

---

please help me with the output problem !!!

Salem:

ok got the initializing handled;

just a quick question left:

Is there a better way to do the
comparison of the length of the word so I don't have to
have the strcmp :( after the while loop (at the end of which it checks if the string length is 4) ?????

Seems repetitive as it is....

Code:

---



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

#define LENGTH 20

int read_line(char str[], int n);

main()
{
    char largest[LENGTH];
    char smallest[LENGTH];
    char input[LENGTH];
    int len;

    printf("Enter word: ");
    read_line(input,LENGTH);
    len = strlen(input);
    strcpy(smallest,input);
    strcpy(largest,input);

  while(len != 4)
  {
        if (strcmp(input, smallest) < 0)
          strcpy(smallest, input);
        if (strcmp(input, largest) > 0)
          strcpy(largest, input);
        printf("Enter word: ");
        read_line(input,LENGTH);
        len = strlen(input);
        if (len == 4)
              break;
    }

    if (strcmp(input,smallest) < 0)  /* :( seems repetitive  here */
        strcpy(smallest, input);
    if (strcmp(input, largest) > 0)
        strcpy(largest, input);
    printf("\n\n\nYou input four-letter word\n");
    printf("So time to quit.\n\n");


    printf("Smallest word: %s\n", smallest);
    printf("Largest word: %s\n", largest);

    return 0;
}


int read_line(char str[], int n)
{
  char ch;
  int i = 0;

  while ((ch = getchar()) != '\n')
      if (i < n)
      str[i++] = ch;

      str[i] = '\0';
      return i;
}

---

:)

Thanks Salem !!!

works like a charm and looks so much more concise.

#include <string.h>
#define LENGTH 39




main()
{
char largest[LENGTH];
char smallest[LENGTH]; /* is the size of array okay */
char input[LENGTH];
char inputwo[LENGTH];

do{
printf("Enter word: ");
//_read_line(input, LENGTH);//<--why intercept data here?Erase.
fgets(input,in,stdin);
if(!strcmp(input,"Q") )
return 0;
if(strlen(input))=4)
printf("Found a four letter word: %s.",input);getch();
printf("Enter another word: ");
fgets(inputwo,in,stdin);
if(!strcmp(inputwo,"Q") )
return 0;
if(strlen(inputwo))=4)
printf("Found a four letter word: %s.");getch();
if(strlen(input))<strlen(inputwo)
strcpy(smallest,input);
strcpy(largest,inputwo);
else
strcpy(largest,input);
strcpy(smallest,inputwo);
printf("n\nSmallist is %s",smallest);
printf("\n\nlargest is %s\n\n",largest);
}(while !strcmp(inputwo,"Q") )
return 0;
}

thanks Sebastiani,
but I got it working.
I haven't learned yet some of the functions you suggest
but will keep in mind later when I do, to see how it affects
input and output (I/O)


later !!!