I am trying to copy a char* and char symbol into a new char* , however the desired result after copying is wrong.
char* name = "someData";
char symbol ='!';
int size1 = strlen(name);
int size2 = 1;
int newSize = size1 + size2 + 1;
char* res = new char[newSize];
strcpy(res,name);
const char* symbolPointer = &symbol;
strcat(res, symbolPointer);
cout<<*res;
I expect the result to be "someData!" , however it is only "s" , where is my mistake?
char* name = "someData";
This is an ill-formed conversion in C++ (since C++11). I recommend to not point to string literals with pointer to non-const.
const char* symbolPointer = &symbol;
strcat(res, symbolPointer);
Both arguments of std::strcat must be null terminated. symbolPointer is not a pointer to a null terminated string. Because the pre-condition of std::strcat is violated, the behaviour of the program is undefined.
cout<<*res;
res is a pointer to the first character of the string. By indirecting through the pointer to first character, you get the first character. That is why you see the first character (in case the undefined behaviour hasn't caused the program to do something completely different).
Lastly, the program leaks the allocated res.
Here is a fixed example:
std::string name = "someData";
name += '!';
std::cout << name;
The problem is the following:
cout<<*res;
This is equivalent to:
cout << res[0];
It prints just the first character of the output. Use
cout<<res;
Try it this way:
const string name = "someData";
const char symbol ='!';
string res = name + symbol;
cout << res;
You should avoid the legacy C nul-terminated string handling functions. You should avoid using new directly in your code.
The observed result you are asking about is due to you writing *res (a single character) instead of res (a pointer to the first character) in the output statement. But the code was buggy besides that, as strcat will copy until it finds the terminator, so it will overwrite some unknown amount of memory beyond what you allocated.
symbolPointer should end with null character, because strcat requires 0-terminated string.
So if you want to continue on your way,
(not a good idea but)
You can add this before strcat.
*(symbolPointer+1) = 0;
#include <iostream>
#include <cstring>
int main() {
char name[] = "someData";
char symbol ='!';
int size1 = strlen(name);
int size2 = 1;
int newSize = size1 + size2 + 1;
char* res = new char[newSize];
strcpy(res,name);
char* symbolPointer = &symbol;
*(symbolPointer + 1) = 0;
strcat(res, symbolPointer);
cout<<res;
return 0;
}
Related
I have code that is supposed to remove all characters in one C-string from another.
The problem arises when I try to use the function strstr: both an array and a char* get converted to bool. Obviously it doesn't work because strstr needs to receive 2 char* arguments.
#include <iostream>
#include <ctype.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <malloc.h>
using namespace std;
char* temp_char(char* orig,char* del)
{ char *str_temp, *temp, *p, *c;
char symbol[2];
int i=0;
int len = strlen(orig);
temp=(char *)calloc(len,1);
str_temp = (char *)calloc(len,1);
strcpy(str_temp,orig);
for(i=0;i<strlen(del);i++){
symbol[0]=del[i];
symbol[1]=0;
temp[0]=0;
while( p=strstr(str_temp,del)!=NULL){
strncat(temp,str_temp,p-str_temp);
p++;
str_temp=p;
}
strcat(temp,str_temp);
strcpy(str_temp,temp);
}
cout<<temp;
return temp;
}
int main () {
char a[]="stuccsess",b[]="test";
temp_char(a,b);}
Any help would be appreciated.
You have two errors in one line of your code. The first is not addressing the issue that the != operator has higher priority than =. Thus, in the following line:
while( p=strstr(str_temp,del)!=NULL) {
the comparison is actually:
while( p = ( strstr(str_temp,del)!=NULL ) ){
So, you are attempting to assign the result of the != test, which will be a bool value, to a char* variable (p).
You can fix this, easily, by putting the assignment expression in parentheses.
However, although that will fix the compiler error, it will not address the second error. Just a few lines above that while statement, you assign one of the characters of the del string to the first of the symbol string (and, properly, add a nul terminator to that) … but you never then actually use that symbol string. Instead, you pass the entire del string as the second argument in the call to strstr. You should be passing your created symbol as that second argument.
So, changing that while line to the following will make the code work:
while ((p = strstr(str_temp, symbol)) != nullptr) { // Use nullptr in C++
But that leaves other errors in your function. How will you ever be able to free the memory allocated in the str_temp = (char*)calloc(len, 1); call? Once you have subsequently modified that str_temp pointer (in the str_temp = p; line), you no longer have the original pointer value, which must be used when calling free(). So, you need to save that value, just after you have made the allocation. (The temp memory pointer is returned, so that can be freed in the main function.)
There are other issues in your code that could be improved, like using new[] and delete[] in C++, rather than the old, C-language calloc, and that your index and length variables should really be of size_t type, rather than int. Here's a version with the corrections and suggestions discussed applied:
#include <iostream>
#include <cstring>
using std::cout;
char* temp_char(char* orig, char* del)
{
size_t len = strlen(orig);
char* temp = new char[len + 1];
char* str_temp = new char[len + 1];
char* save_temp = temp; // Save it so we can call delete...
strcpy(str_temp, orig);
for (size_t i = 0; i < strlen(del); i++) {
char symbol[2];
symbol[0] = del[i];
symbol[1] = 0;
temp[0] = 0;
char* p;
while ((p = strstr(str_temp, symbol)) != nullptr) {
strncat(temp, str_temp, static_cast<size_t>(p - str_temp));
p++;
str_temp = p;
}
strcat(temp, str_temp);
strcpy(str_temp, temp);
}
cout << temp;
delete[] save_temp; // ... don't forget to free this.
return temp;
}
int main()
{
char a[] = "stuccsess", b[] = "test";
char* answer = temp_char(a, b);
delete[] answer; // We should free the memory allocated!
return 0;
}
But your approach is far more complicated than it need be. You can simply loop through the original string and check each character to see if it is in the 'delete' string (using the strchr function, for example); if it is not (i.e. that strchr returns nullptr), then append the character to the accumulated temp and increase the running length:
char* temp_char(char* orig, char* del)
{
size_t len = strlen(orig);
char* temp = new char[len + 1];
int newlen = 0;
for (char* cp = orig; *cp != '\0'; ++cp) {
if (strchr(del, *cp) == nullptr) temp[newlen++] = *cp;
}
temp[newlen] = '\0'; // Add null terminator
std::cout << temp;
return temp;
}
Assuming you read the title, here's a little example in pseudo code:
char inputChar[5][20];
{put data in array obviously}
char * outputChar;
copy(inputChar[2][7], inputChar[2][18], outputChar);
printf("%s", outputChar);
or optionally (although I prefer the above version):
char inputChar[5][20];
{put data in array obviously}
std::string outputString;
copy(inputChar[2][7], inputChar[2][18], outputString);
cout outputString; //I don't know how to use std::strings with printf
I've tried std::copy and memcpy but I can't get it to work. The result either gives me random characters that aren't part of the string, or just results in compiler errors due to me not understanding the syntax fully.
EDIT:
Here is the actual code I'm using:
(assume for this example that storeMenu already has data assigned to it)
int line = 0
int frame5 = 11;
char storeMenu[9][13];
char * temp1 = new char[12];
char * temp2 = new char[12];
std::copy(&storeMenu[line+1][0], &storeMenu[line+1][frame5-10], temp1);
std::copy(&storeMenu[line][frame5-10], &storeMenu[line][12], temp2);
To use std::copy you need a pointer to the location of the character, you are passing the character itself here. You also need to initialize outputChar.
char inputChar[5][20] = {"abc","def","ghi01234567890","jkl"};
char * outputChar = new char[20];
auto last = copy(&inputChar[2][0], &inputChar[2][5], outputChar);
*last = '\0';
printf("%s\n", outputChar);
Alternatively using std::string:
char inputChar[5][20] = {"abc","def","ghi01234567890","jkl"};
string outputChar;
copy(&inputChar[2][0], &inputChar[2][5], back_inserter(outputChar));
printf("%s\n", outputChar.c_str());
Using inputs as std::string too:
string inputChar[5] = {"abc","def","ghi01234567890","jkl"};
int fromChar = 2; // from (inclusive) ^ ^
int toChar = 5; // to (exclusive) ^
string outputChar;
copy(inputChar[2].begin()+fromChar, inputChar[2].begin()+toChar, back_inserter(outputChar));
printf("%s\n", outputChar.c_str());
cout << outputChar << endl;
I have built my own functions of strlen and strdup.
When i use my strdup in the first time it's okay, i close the window, run it again, then in the end of the program after the return 0 from the main the program crashes. VS just says that it triggered a breakpoint.
#include "stdafx.h"
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int MyStrlen(const char* str);
char* MyStrdup(const char* str);
int main()
{
char *s1 = "Hello World!";
char *s2 = MyStrdup(s1);
cout << s1 << " , " << s2 << endl;
system("pause");
return 0;
}
int MyStrlen(const char* str)
{
register int iLength = 0;
while (str[iLength] != NULL)
{
iLength++;
}
return iLength;
}
char* MyStrdup(const char* str)
{
char* newStr;
int strLength = MyStrlen(str);
newStr = new char(strLength+1);
for (register int i = 0; i < strLength; i++)
{
newStr[i] = str[i];
}
newStr[strLength] = NULL;
return newStr;
}
Can someone note the place that makes it crash? I think it's a memory leak maybe.
Also, can you note things to improve in the code? For my learning purpose
EDIT: Thanks, I don't know why I used () instead of [] to define my new char[]. That was a memory leak or overwrite after all.
The "new" statement for an array should be with square brackets:
newStr = new char[strLength+1];
When you do
new char(c)
It allocates a single character and copies the character c into it.
When you do
new char[n]
it allocates memory for n characters
The expression new char(strLength+1) allocates a single character, and initializes it to strLength + 1. That of course means you will write out of bounds and have undefined behavior when you copy the string.
You should use new char[strLength + 1] instead, to allocate an "array" of characters.
On an unrelated note, while the terminating character in a string is commonly called the null character, it's not actually a null pointer (which is what NULL is for). Not that it really matters since in C++ NULL is a macro that expands to 0, but you should probably be explicit and use '\0' anyway (it gives more context for future readers).
I've tried so may ways on the Internet to append a character to a char* but none of them seems to work. Here is one of my incomplete solution:
char* appendCharToCharArray(char * array, char a)
{
char* ret = "";
if (array!="")
{
char * ret = new char[strlen(array) + 1 + 1]; // + 1 char + 1 for null;
strcpy(ret,array);
}
else
{
ret = new char[2];
strcpy(ret,array);
}
ret[strlen(array)] = a; // (1)
ret[strlen(array)+1] = '\0';
return ret;
}
This only works when the passed array is "" (blank inside). Otherwise it doesn't help (and got an error at (1)). Could you guys please help me with this ? Thanks so much in advanced !
Remove those char * ret declarations inside if blocks which hide outer ret. Therefor you have memory leak and on the other hand un-allocated memory for ret.
To compare a c-style string you should use strcmp(array,"") not array!="". Your final code should looks like below:
char* appendCharToCharArray(char* array, char a)
{
size_t len = strlen(array);
char* ret = new char[len+2];
strcpy(ret, array);
ret[len] = a;
ret[len+1] = '\0';
return ret;
}
Note that, you must handle the allocated memory of returned ret somewhere by delete[] it.
Why you don't use std::string? it has .append method to append a character at the end of a string:
std::string str;
str.append('x');
// or
str += x;
The function name does not reflect the semantic of the function. In fact you do not append a character. You create a new character array that contains the original array plus the given character. So if you indeed need a function that appends a character to a character array I would write it the following way
bool AppendCharToCharArray( char *array, size_t n, char c )
{
size_t sz = std::strlen( array );
if ( sz + 1 < n )
{
array[sz] = c;
array[sz + 1] = '\0';
}
return ( sz + 1 < n );
}
If you need a function that will contain a copy of the original array plus the given character then it could look the following way
char * CharArrayPlusChar( const char *array, char c )
{
size_t sz = std::strlen( array );
char *s = new char[sz + 2];
std::strcpy( s, array );
s[sz] = c;
s[sz + 1] = '\0';
return ( s );
}
The specific problem is that you're declaring a new variable instead of assigning to an existing one:
char * ret = new char[strlen(array) + 1 + 1];
^^^^^^ Remove this
and trying to compare string values by comparing pointers:
if (array!="") // Wrong - compares pointer with address of string literal
if (array[0] == 0) // Better - checks for empty string
although there's no need to make that comparison at all; the first branch will do the right thing whether or not the string is empty.
The more general problem is that you're messing around with nasty, error-prone C-style string manipulation in C++. Use std::string and it will manage all the memory allocation for you:
std::string appendCharToString(std::string const & s, char a) {
return s + a;
}
char ch = 't';
char chArray[2];
sprintf(chArray, "%c", ch);
char chOutput[10]="tes";
strcat(chOutput, chArray);
cout<<chOutput;
OUTPUT:
test
How would I manually concatenate two char arrays without using the strncpy function?
Can I just say char1 + char2?
Or would I have to write a for loop to get individual elements and add them like this:
addchar[0] = char1[0];
addchar[1] = char1[1];
etc
etc
addchar[n] = char2[0];
addchar[n+1] = char2[1];
etc
etc
To clarify, if
char1 = "happy"
char2 = "birthday"
I want addchar to = happybirthday
For a C-only solution use strncat:
char destination[80] = "";
char string1[] = "Hello";
char string2[] = " World!";
/* Copy string1 to destination */
strncat(destination, string1, sizeof(destination));
/* Append string2 to destination */
strncat(destination, string2, sizeof(destination) - sizeof(string1));
Note that the strn* family of string functions are safer than the ones without n, because they avoid the possibility of buffer overruns.
For a C++ solution, simply use std::string and operator+ or operator+=:
std::string destination("Hello ");
destination += "World";
destination += '!';
If you consider two trivial loops to be "manual", then yes, without using the standard library this is the only way.
char *append(const char *a, const char *b) {
int i = 0;
size_t na = strlen(a);
size_t nb = strlen(b);
char *r = (char*)calloc(na + nb + 1, 1);
for (i = 0; i < na; i++) {
r[i] = a[i];
}
for (i = 0; i < nb; i++) {
r[na + i] = b[i];
}
return r;
}
Remember to call free.
If you're using c++ just use an std::string. With std::strings, the + operator is supported, so you can do string1+string2.
Without using library functions, here is the procedure:
1. Point to the first character in string1.
2. While the current character at the pointer is not null, increment the pointer.
3. Create a "source" pointer pointing to string2.
4. While the character at the "source" location is not null:
4.1. Copy the character from the "source" location to the location pointed to by the String1 pointer.
4.2. Increment both pointers.
Unless this is homework, use C++ std::string for your text.
If you must use C style strings, use the library functions.
Library functions are optimized and validated, reducing your development time.
Alright, you want something like this:
char1 + char2
First, let's see the insane solution:
C:
char* StringAdd(char* a_Left, char* a_Right)
{
unsigned int length_left = strlen(a_Left);
unsigned int length_right = strlen(a_Right);
unsigned int length = length_left + length_right;
char* result = (char*)malloc(length);
// clear the string
memset(result, 0, length);
// copy the left part to the final string
memcpy(result, a_Left, length_left);
// append the right part the to the final string
memcpy(&result[length_left], a_Right, length_right);
// make sure the string actually ends
result[length] = 0;
return result;
}
C++:
char* StringAdd(char* a_Left, char* a_Right)
{
unsigned int length_left = strlen(a_Left);
unsigned int length_right = strlen(a_Right);
unsigned int length = length_left + length_right;
char* result = new char[length];
// clear the string
memset(result, 0, length);
// copy the left part to the final string
memcpy(result, a_Left, length_left);
// append the right part the to the final string
memcpy(&result[length_left], a_Right, length_right);
// make sure the string actually ends
result[length] = 0;
return result;
}
Now, let's see the sane solution:
char* StringAdd(char* a_Left, char* a_Right)
{
unsigned int length = strlen(a_Left) + strlen(a_Right);
char* result = new char[length];
strcpy(result, a_Left);
strcat(result, a_Right);
return result;
}
So, was this homework? I don't really care.
If it was, ask yourself: what did you learn?