Split string whose length is varying

[Java and Swing]

Say I have a string which contains numbers separated by a comma... such
as "0,1,2,3,4,5"...I want to split the string at the commas and return
an array containing, 0,1...5.

Suggestions? I've tried something like...

int *Split(char *msg) {
int len = 0;
char *tmp;
char *sub_string = NULL;
int *results;

tmp = (char *) malloc(strlen(msg) * sizeof(char));
strcpy(tmp, msg);

sub_string = strtok(tmp, ",");
while (sub_string != NULL) {
len++;
sub_string = strtok(NULL, ",");
}

results = (int *) malloc(len * sizeof(int));
sub_string = strtok(msg, ","); <<<<----crahses here
while (sub_string != NULL) {
*results = (int) atoi(sub_string);
results += sizeof(int);
sub_string = strtok(NULL, ",");
}

return results;
}

....above you can see I have pointed out where it crashes. I think it's
because strtok needs a pointer to the string...so I changed that line
to..

sub_string = strtok(&msg, ",");

...which got me past the error, but then when I try to print the results
after the function...it's not right. Maybe its my function or my way
of printing results.

main() {
char *msg = "1,2,3,4,5";
int *results = Split(msg);
// How do I print the results here??
}

Thanks in advance.

 

[Eric Sosman]

Java and Swing wrote On 10/06/05 10:57,:

Say I have a string which contains numbers separated by a comma... such
as "0,1,2,3,4,5"...I want to split the string at the commas and return
an array containing, 0,1...5.

Suggestions? I've tried something like...

int *Split(char *msg) {
int len = 0;
char *tmp;
char *sub_string = NULL;

Why bother to initialize? You never make use of
the initialized value; it just gets overwritten the
first time you call strtok().

int *results;

tmp = (char *) malloc(strlen(msg) * sizeof(char));
strcpy(tmp, msg);

The classic C off-by-one error: your `tmp' region
is too small to contain `msg'. (You've also failed to
check for malloc() failure, and you've created a memory
leak by not free()ing `tmp' when you're done with it.)

sub_string = strtok(tmp, ",");
while (sub_string != NULL) {
len++;
sub_string = strtok(NULL, ",");
}

This loop just counts the number of commas in `msg'.
Well, almost: if the input held ",1,,3," this loop
would count two, not four -- but if you don't need to
worry about that sort of thing, there are simpler ways
to obtain the count.

results = (int *) malloc(len * sizeof(int));
sub_string = strtok(msg, ","); <<<<----crahses here

Remember, strtok() modifies the string it is scanning.
You've handed it a pointer to a string literal, which must
be treated as a constant: any attempt to modify the string
causes undefined behavior.

while (sub_string != NULL) {
*results = (int) atoi(sub_string);

Why cast an int to an int? Also, atoi() is not a
good way to convert strings to numbers: it will do
unpredictable things if given strings like "abba", and
its behavior on strings like "23skiddoo", although
predictable, leaves you unaware of the strange input.
Try strtol() instead.

results += sizeof(int);

This is horribly wrong. You need to go back to your
textbook and review what it says about pointer arithmetic.

sub_string = strtok(NULL, ",");
}

return results;
}

...above you can see I have pointed out where it crashes. I think it's
because strtok needs a pointer to the string...so I changed that line
to..

sub_string = strtok(&msg, ",");

This is wrong, too, and your compiler should have
complained about it -- unless, perhaps, you forgot to
#include <string.h>, which would be yet another error.

The practice of making random changes in hopes that
a bug you don't understand will somehow disappear is not
the use of reason but of magic. Even if you do get the
program to work for the test cases you throw at it, you
won't understand why it works and you won't know whether
it works only by the strangest of unstable coincidences.
Maybe it only works if the last number happens to be odd,
or if there's an even number of numbers altogether, or
if the moon is waning. The technique is Not Recommended.

..which got me past the error,

... by introducing a completely different one ...

 

[Java and Swing]

thanks for the input, i will try to make changes as you suggested.
what simpler ways are there to count the number of commas in msg?

any good online tutorials? ...its been quite a few years since i've
done C.

thanks.

 

[Christopher Benson-Manica]

thanks for the input, i will try to make changes as you suggested.
what simpler ways are there to count the number of commas in msg?

It is proper Usenet etiquette to include the text you are replying to.
To do this using Google groups, please follow the instructions below,
penned by Keith Thompson:

If you want to post a followup via groups.google.com, don't use
the broken "Reply" link at the bottom of the article. Click on
"show options" at the top of the article, then click on the
"Reply" at the bottom of the article headers.

(That said, assuming count is an int and cp is a char *:

count=0;
while( (cp=strchr(msg,',')) != NULL ) {
count++;
cp++;
}

is much better for counting commas.)

 

[Java and Swing]

when i try..

void count(char *msg) {
int count = 0;
char *cp;

while ( (cp = strchr(msg, ',')) != NULL ) {
printf("cp = %s\n", cp);
count++;
cp++;
}

printf("Count: %d", count);
}

main() {
char *msg = "1,2,4,5";
count(msg);
}

...the output i get is , ",2,4,5" forever.

 

[Java and Swing]

i fixed it...

void count(char *msg) {
int count = 0;
char *cp;
char *bak = (char *) malloc((strlen(msg) * sizeof(char)) + 1);
strcpy(bak, msg);

while ( (cp = strchr(bak, ',')) != NULL ) {
printf("cp = %s\n", cp);
count++;
bak++;
}
printf("Count: %d", count);
}

 

[deaden]

char *bak = (char *) malloc((strlen(msg) * sizeof(char)) + 1);

There is no need (and in fact it can hide errors) to cast malloc's
return value, the reason your compiler is complaining if you dont have
a cast is because you didnt include stdlib.h.

deaden

 

[Christopher Benson-Manica]

i fixed it...

while ( (cp = strchr(bak, ',')) != NULL ) {
printf("cp = %s\n", cp);
count++;
bak++;
}

Well, it's certainly gratifying to see that you grasped the concept
well enough to fix the bug in my code.

I hate when I do that.

 

[Java and Swing]

however, i did realize that the code does not count the number of
tokens. it counts the number of chracters minus 1.

for example, pass it, "1,2,3,4" and you get back count = 6. I changed
to use strtok and have it working fine now.

 

[Christopher Benson-Manica]

however, i did realize that the code does not count the number of
tokens. it counts the number of chracters minus 1.

for example, pass it, "1,2,3,4" and you get back count = 6. I changed
to use strtok and have it working fine now.

I'm not doing myself any favors here (I already look like a dork), but
the *real* fix should be

cp=msg;
count=0;
while( (cp=strchr(cp,',')) != NULL ) {
count++;
cp++;
}

Do you see why you got 6 with

? (Try to figure it out - if you get it, then you really get this now.)

In any case, do NOT use strtok() for counting the commas - I
promise you it can be done better without it, just please overlook the
fact that it took me three times to get it right...