strcat and overwritten strings

cicalese

For starters, I am a C novice. I don't fully understand how strings
work. I am running on a linux box. I compile w/ gcc. I have a string
called 'myabqcommand' that is being overwritten when i use strcat() on
some unrelated strings.

For this code:

char *myabqcommand;

myabqcommand = strtok(x, "-");
printf("%s\n", myabqcommand);

char str2[4] = "cp ";
strcat(str2, ideck);
strcat(str2, ".inp ");
strcat(str2, myfiles);
strcat(str2, " /homecluster1/");
strcat(str2, uname);
printf("%s\n", str2);
system(str2);

//INCORRECT STRING
printf("%s\n", myabqcommand);

I get this output:
rsh cluster1 abaqus j=A user=new.f
cp A.inp new.f dir1.csv dir2.csv dir3.csv /homecluster1/user1
//RESULT OF INCORRECT STRING
dir3.csv /homecluster1/cicalese
I expected to get this output:
rsh cluster1 abaqus j=A user=new.f
cp A.inp new.f dir1.csv dir2.csv dir3.csv /homecluster1/user1
rsh cluster1 abaqus j=A user=new.f
Can anyone help? Thanks

Feb 23 '06 #1

Kenneth Brody

ci******@gmail.com wrote:
[...]

char str2[4] = "cp ";
Here, you create a char array "str2" consisting of 4 characters, and
you initialize it to the 4 characters 'c', 'p', ' ', and '\0';.
strcat(str2, ideck);
strcat(str2, ".inp ");
strcat(str2, myfiles);
strcat(str2, " /homecluster1/");
strcat(str2, uname);

Here, you do nasty things to the memory beyond the 4 characters that
you set aside for str2.

It's called "buffer overrun", and invokes undefined behavior. You
need to make sure that your buffer is large enough to hold the text
that you are going to store in it. One way would to use malloc(),
based on the combined length of all of the strings you are going
to concatenate into it. (Don't forget to free it when you're done
if you use that method.)

[...]

--
+-------------------------+--------------------+-----------------------------+
| Kenneth J. Brody | www.hvcomputer.com | |
| kenbrody/at\spamcop.net | www.fptech.com | #include <std_disclaimer.h> |
+-------------------------+--------------------+-----------------------------+
Don't e-mail me at: <mailto:Th*************@gmail.com>

Feb 23 '06 #2

Pedro Graca

ci******@gmail.com wrote:

For starters, I am a C novice. I don't fully understand how strings
work. I am running on a linux box. I compile w/ gcc. I have a string
called 'myabqcommand' that is being overwritten when i use strcat() on
some unrelated strings.

For this code:

char *myabqcommand;

myabqcommand = strtok(x, "-");
printf("%s\n", myabqcommand);

char str2[4] = "cp ";
"Map of memory" at this point

--------XXXX--------
^^^^
The X's mark the amount of memory reserved for str2 ('c', 'p', ' ', and
the terminating NUL).
What is to either side of that (if anything) is reserved for something
else.

strcat(str2, ideck);

--------XXXX--------
^^^^^
ideck

If ideck is not an empty sring, You've just tried to use memory that
you don't know exists (or maybe that is reserved for the Operating
System, or that signals demons to start oozing out of your nostrils).

<snip>
For a first newbie approach (I'm a newbie too) try reserving more space
for str2

#define MAXIMUM_STR2_LENGTH 2000

char str2[MAXIMUM_STR2_LENGTH] = "cp ";

if (strlen(str2) + strlen(ideck) < MAXIMUM_STR2_LENGTH) {
strcat(str2, ideck);
} else {
fprintf(stderr, "%d bytes isn't enough for the `myabqcommad'.\n",
MAXIMUM_STR2_LENGTH);
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
--
If you're posting through Google read <http://cfaj.freeshell.org/google>

Feb 23 '06 #3

Default User

ci******@gmail.com wrote:

For starters, I am a C novice. I don't fully understand how strings
work. I am running on a linux box. I compile w/ gcc. I have a string
called 'myabqcommand' that is being overwritten when i use strcat() on
some unrelated strings. char str2[4] = "cp ";
So you allocated space for 4 characters, and used all four.
strcat(str2, ideck);

This overwrote the last (null) character, then started writing off into
some other memory.

At that point, you have undefined behavior. Don't do it. You have to
have enough memory allocated ahead of time for the new combined string.

Brian
--
Please quote enough of the previous message for context. To do so from
Google, click "show options" and use the Reply shown in the expanded
header.

Feb 23 '06 #4

Fred Kleinschmidt

<ci******@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:11*********************@t39g2000cwt.googlegro ups.com...

For starters, I am a C novice. I don't fully understand how strings
work. I am running on a linux box. I compile w/ gcc. I have a string
called 'myabqcommand' that is being overwritten when i use strcat() on
some unrelated strings.

For this code:

char *myabqcommand;

myabqcommand = strtok(x, "-");
printf("%s\n", myabqcommand);

char str2[4] = "cp ";
You have specified storage for a maximum of 4 characters for variable str2.
strcat(str2, ideck);
What is ideck?
strcat(str2, ".inp ");
This will definitely overflow the 4 characters. It can clobber almost
anything. strcat(str2, myfiles); More writing into space you do not own.
strcat(str2, " /homecluster1/"); Same strcat(str2, uname); Same printf("%s\n", str2);
system(str2);

<snip>
--
Fred L. Kleinschmidt
Boeing Associate Technical Fellow
Technical Architect, Software Reuse Project

Feb 23 '06 #5

stathis gotsis

"Pedro Graca" <he****@dodgeit.com> wrote in message
news:sl*******************@ID-203069.user.individual.net...

ci******@gmail.com wrote:

For starters, I am a C novice. I don't fully understand how strings
work. I am running on a linux box. I compile w/ gcc. I have a string
called 'myabqcommand' that is being overwritten when i use strcat() on
some unrelated strings.

For this code:

char *myabqcommand;

myabqcommand = strtok(x, "-");
printf("%s\n", myabqcommand);

char str2[4] = "cp ";

For a first newbie approach (I'm a newbie too) try reserving more space
for str2

#define MAXIMUM_STR2_LENGTH 2000

char str2[MAXIMUM_STR2_LENGTH] = "cp ";

if (strlen(str2) + strlen(ideck) < MAXIMUM_STR2_LENGTH)
More correct would be:
if (strlen(str2) + strlen(ideck) +1 < MAXIMUM_STR2_LENGTH)remembering that
the newly created string will need to terminate with '\0'.
{
strcat(str2, ideck);
} else {
fprintf(stderr, "%d bytes isn't enough for the `myabqcommad'.\n",
MAXIMUM_STR2_LENGTH);
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
--
If you're posting through Google read <http://cfaj.freeshell.org/google>

Feb 24 '06 #6

Pedro Graca

stathis gotsis wrote:

"Pedro Graca" <he****@dodgeit.com> wrote in message
news:sl*******************@ID-203069.user.individual.net...

#define MAXIMUM_STR2_LENGTH 2000

char str2[MAXIMUM_STR2_LENGTH] = "cp ";

if (strlen(str2) + strlen(ideck) < MAXIMUM_STR2_LENGTH)

More correct would be:
if (strlen(str2) + strlen(ideck) +1 < MAXIMUM_STR2_LENGTH)remembering that
the newly created string will need to terminate with '\0'.

Why?

#define MAX_LEN 5

char c1[] = "12";
char c2[] = "42";
if (strlen(str2) + strlen(ideck) < MAX_LEN) { /* ok */ }
/* sizeof "1242" == 5 */
char c1[] = "123";
char c2[] = "42";
if (strlen(str2) + strlen(ideck) < MAX_LEN) { /* not ok */ }
/* sizeof "12342" == 6 */
--
If you're posting through Google read <http://cfaj.freeshell.org/google>

Feb 24 '06 #7

stathis gotsis

"Pedro Graca" <he****@dodgeit.com> wrote in message
news:sl*******************@ID-203069.user.individual.net...

stathis gotsis wrote:

"Pedro Graca" <he****@dodgeit.com> wrote in message
news:sl*******************@ID-203069.user.individual.net...

#define MAXIMUM_STR2_LENGTH 2000

char str2[MAXIMUM_STR2_LENGTH] = "cp ";

if (strlen(str2) + strlen(ideck) < MAXIMUM_STR2_LENGTH)

More correct would be:
if (strlen(str2) + strlen(ideck) +1 < MAXIMUM_STR2_LENGTH)remembering that the newly created string will need to terminate with '\0'.

Why?

#define MAX_LEN 5

char c1[] = "12";
char c2[] = "42";
if (strlen(str2) + strlen(ideck) < MAX_LEN) { /* ok */ }
/* sizeof "1242" == 5 */
char c1[] = "123";
char c2[] = "42";
if (strlen(str2) + strlen(ideck) < MAX_LEN) { /* not ok */ }
/* sizeof "12342" == 6 */

Sorry my mistake. i meant: strlen(str2)+strlen(ideck)+1<=MAX_LEN, which is
the same as your version.

Feb 24 '06 #8

cicalese

issue solved. thanks very much to all.

Feb 24 '06 #9

Barry Schwarz

On 23 Feb 2006 12:45:26 -0800, ci******@gmail.com wrote:

For starters, I am a C novice. I don't fully understand how strings
work. I am running on a linux box. I compile w/ gcc. I have a string
called 'myabqcommand' that is being overwritten when i use strcat() on
some unrelated strings.

For this code:

char *myabqcommand;

myabqcommand = strtok(x, "-");
printf("%s\n", myabqcommand);

char str2[4] = "cp ";
strcat(str2, ideck);
strcat(str2, ".inp ");
strcat(str2, myfiles);
strcat(str2, " /homecluster1/");
strcat(str2, uname);
printf("%s\n", str2);
system(str2);

//INCORRECT STRING
printf("%s\n", myabqcommand);

I get this output:
rsh cluster1 abaqus j=A user=new.f
cp A.inp new.f dir1.csv dir2.csv dir3.csv /homecluster1/user1
//RESULT OF INCORRECT STRING
dir3.csv /homecluster1/cicalese
I expected to get this output:
rsh cluster1 abaqus j=A user=new.f
cp A.inp new.f dir1.csv dir2.csv dir3.csv /homecluster1/user1
rsh cluster1 abaqus j=A user=new.f

Post a complete function that exhibits the unexpected behavior.
Remove del for email

Feb 24 '06 #10