declaring array of strings dynamically!!!!

somebody out there would like to help me???

My BIG problem:
-----------------------------
is there a way to assign an array of strings dynamically in C ?(e.g. malloc())

I tried to declare a char pointer: char **str;

and..

try to assign:

*str = (char *)(malloc (20));

is this a proper assignment or allocating an array of strings in C?
I compiled it successfully, but crashed my system as I runned it, what's the problem with my code??? can somebody help me???


help plz.


thanks a lot,
REYAL

thanks a lot Salem,

I tried your code, it compile successfully, but still crushed by system.

By the way, this are my module implementations in allocating memory for every file. I didn't include the graphics implementation and the main module.


----------module for display the file in an inputted directory---------

fname is define outside this modules (char *fname), it is a holder for the current directory.

Code:

---

#include <dir.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <graphics.h>


struct ffblk ffblk;
char **files;

void countMem_to_Alloc(){
        int done,counter=0,i;

        done = findfirst(fname,&ffblk,0);
        while(!done){
                done = findnext(&ffblk);
                counter++;
        }

                files = malloc(counter * sizeof(char));
                for(i=0;i<counter;i++) files[i] = malloc(50*sizeof(char));
}

void saveFiles(int* nDex){
        int i,done;

        countMem_to_Alloc();

        done = findfirst(fname,&ffblk,0);
        while(!done){
                done = findnext(&ffblk);
                strcpy(files[*nDex++],ffblk.ff_name);
        }
}

void displayDir(){
        int i,index=0,
                chHeight = textheight("H"),
                curX = 10,curY = 66;

        saveFiles(&index);

        setcolor(14);
        settextstyle(2,0,0);
        for(i=0;i<index;i++){
                  if(i==42){curX = 272;curY = 66;}

                        outtextxy(curX,curY,files[i]);
                        curY += chHeight;
        }

        for(i=0;i<index;i++)free(files[i]);
        free(files);
}

---

thanks a lot man for your quick reply, this is actually our project program to be passed tomorrow.

hope you'll help with this.


thanks,
REYAL