returning char

[sk]

I'm trying to write a little function that acts very similar to scanf,
but I suck at pointers and returning chars.

My code:

char *getline(){
char *string;
char c;
int i=0;
while((c=getcha r())!='\n'){
string[i++]=c;
}
return string;
}

It runs after compilation, but when I use the function, I get a
segmentation fault. Can someone help?

[osmium]

"sk" writes:

I'm trying to write a little function that acts very similar to scanf, but
I suck at pointers and returning chars.

My code:

char *getline(){
char *string;
string is all hat and no cattle. It is a pointer but it doesn't have
anything to point at. Use malloc to get some space. Since it is in the
nature or a pointer to point *somewhere* you get a fault when you try to
reference that place - wherever it is.
char c;
int i=0;
while((c=getcha r())!='\n'){
string[i++]=c;
}
return string;
}

It runs after compilation, but when I use the function, I get a
segmentation fault. Can someone help?

[Frank Schmidt]

"sk" <sk******@purdu e.edu> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:WArNf.79$o L.59@attbi_s71. ..

I'm trying to write a little function that acts very similar to scanf, but
I suck at pointers and returning chars.

My code:

char *getline(){
char *string;
char c;
int i=0;
while((c=getcha r())!='\n'){
string[i++]=c;
}
return string;
}

It runs after compilation, but when I use the function, I get a
segmentation fault. Can someone help?

What you call string is just a pointer that can point to a string - but
actual it points to "nowhere" and there is no memory allocated for the
string. To avoid the trouble with allocating memory inside the function and
freeing it later... it would be much simpler to allocate the memory outside
of getline, e.g.

char *getline(char* string) {
...
return string;
}

int main() {
char input[256];
getline(input);
return 0;
}
To avoid that getline still can read more characters then the buffer can
hold you should add also a variable that tells the maximum length of the
string and check it against your i in the while loop.

And at the end of getline you need to terminate your string with a 0, e.g.
string[i] = 0; .

[CBFalconer]

sk wrote:

I'm trying to write a little function that acts very similar to
scanf, but I suck at pointers and returning chars.

My code:

char *getline(){
char *string;
char c;
int i=0;
while((c=getcha r())!='\n'){
string[i++]=c;
}
return string;
}

It runs after compilation, but when I use the function, I get a
segmentation fault. Can someone help?

Of course it does, it is putting chars where the sun don't shine.
And it can't return information about EOF, file system errors,
etc. To see a way to implement a suitable function, see:

<http://cbfalconer.home .att.net/download/ggets.zip>

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[Ian Collins]

sk wrote:

I'm trying to write a little function that acts very similar to scanf,
but I suck at pointers and returning chars.

My code:

char *getline(){
char *string;
char c;
int i=0;
while((c=getcha r())!='\n'){
string[i++]=c;
}
return string;
}

It runs after compilation, but when I use the function, I get a
segmentation fault. Can someone help?

Hint - what does string point to?

--
Ian Collins.