char* pointer alloted to char array,and outputted within for - c++

Question

I have defined the struct chararray as follows.
struct chararray
{
char* lhs;
char* rhs;
};
Now, I have two arrays la[l] and ra[l](both have all l values defined). I assign that to the struct,and return the function.
chararray s;
s.lhs = new char[l];
s.rhs = new char[l];
s.lhs = &la[0];
s.rhs = &ra[0];
return s;
In main , I ouptut
for(int i = 1; i < l;i++){
cout << *(s.rhs + i);
}
Now,I get gibberish as output.
But if I output *(s.rhs + 0) and *(s.rhs + 1) and ... [ the values 0,1,.. are explicitly included ], I get correct output!
Why doesnt the for loop work?
PS - My entire code is -
#include <iostream>
#include <cstring>
#include <vector>
#include <cmath>
using namespace std;
struct chararray
{
char* lhs;
char* rhs;
};
chararray getcenter(char in[],int l){
int open_count = 0;
int open = 0;
int first = 0;
int last = 0;
int limit;
int close_count = 0;
char lhs[l],rhs[l];
for(int i = 0; i < l;i++){
lhs[i] = ' ';
rhs[i] = ' ';
}
for(int i = 0; in[i]!='\0';i++){
int flag = 0;
if(in[i] == '('){
if(flag == 0){first = i;flag = 1;}
open++;
}
if(in[i] == '('){
last = i;
}
limit = i;
}
for(int i = 0; in[i]!='\0';i++)
{
//cout << "entrt" << endl;
int temp;
if(in[i] == '(') { open_count++; }
if(in[i] == ')') { close_count++; }
if((open_count == close_count) && (open_count != 0) && (open_count != open))
{
//cout << open_count << endl;
for(int j = 0;j < i+1;j++)
{
lhs[j] = in[j];
}
lhs[i+1] = ' ';
lhs[i+2] = ' ';
for(int j = i+3; in[j]!='\0';j++)
{
lhs[j] = ' ';
rhs[j-i-3] = in[j];//Assuming no space between -> and rhs
temp = j;
}
for(int j = temp;rhs[j] != '\0';j++){
rhs[j] = ' ';
}
for(int j = temp;lhs[j] != '\0';j++){
lhs[j] = ' ';
}
break;
}
}
chararray s;
s.lhs = new char[l];
s.rhs = new char[l];
s.lhs = &lhs[0];
s.rhs = &rhs[0];
return s;
}
int main()
{
string input;
cin >> input;
int l=input.length()+1;
char in[l];
strcpy(in, input.c_str());
chararray s = getcenter(in,l);
for(int i = 1; i < l;i++){
//cout << *(s.rhs + i); - Doesnt work
}
cout << *(s.lhs + 5); // Works!
return 0;
}

Answer 1

Your for loop is starting at i=1, and when you explicitly set the values you are using 0 and 1. Decide where you want to start, and try it again.
Try this:
for(int = 0 ; i < l; i++)
cout << *(s.rhs + i);
Note that you are actually risking a memory leak with these lines of code:
s.lhs = new char[l];
s.rhs = new char[l];
s.lhs = &lhs[0];
s.rhs = &rhs[0];
You are allocating 1 char and storing its address in s.lhs, then resetting s.lhs to the address of lhs[0]. There is no need for the two first lines with the new in them. So replace that code with this: (also note that &lhs[0] is the same as lhs)
s.lhs = lhs;
s.rhs = rhs;