Sorting a string array in C

Question

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>

int main()
{
    int i,j;
    char temp[10];

    char **A;

    A=(char**)malloc(10*sizeof(char*));

    for(i=0;i<10;i++)
        A[i]=(char*)malloc(100*sizeof(char));

    printf("Enter the words you would like to sort :\n");
    for(i=0;i<10;i++)
        gets( *A );

    for(i=0; i < 10 ; i++)
    {

        {
            if(strcmp(A[i],A[i+1]) > 0)
            {
                strcpy(temp,A[i]);
                strcpy(A[i],A[i+1]);
                strcpy(A[i+1],temp);
            }
        }
    }

    for (i = 0; i < 10; i++)
        printf("%s\n", A[i]);         

    return 0;
}

I am trying to write a C program that sorts a given list of 10 strings in alphabetical order. The program takes all of the strings but then it freezes and doesn't sort them. Can anyone tell me where I am going wrong? Thank you in advance.

Yea I have changed it but when I compile the program i'm still getting the same error. — Module
– Module, Commented Nov 16, 2014 at 14:17
if(strcmp(A[i],A[i+1]) > 0) : a[i+1] out of bounds when i is 9. — BLUEPIXY
– BLUEPIXY, Commented Nov 16, 2014 at 14:19

Anonymous · Accepted Answer · 2014-11-16 14:35:05Z

3

Your gets(*A) overwrites previous input. You should use gets(A[i]) instead.

Also you should use c builtin sorting fun for it: qsort(A,sizeof(char*),10,strcmp); instead of manual bubbling.

If you want it to do manualy, instead of copying strings you should simply swap pointers to them.

for (int i=0; i<9; i++)
{
    for (int j=i+1; j<10; j++)
        if (strcmp(A[i],A[j])>0)
        {
            char* t=A[i];
            A[i]=A[j];
            A[j]=t;
        }
}

edited Nov 16, 2014 at 14:35

answered Nov 16, 2014 at 14:17

Anonymous

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4 Comments

Module Over a year ago

I didn't want to revert to the built in sorting function. Instead I want to try doing it manually.

Module Over a year ago

How would I implement qsort in this condition?

Anonymous Over a year ago

You could sort pointers to strings using strcmp comparator function.

Module Over a year ago

And to print them out I used for (i = 0; i < 10; i++) printf("%s\n",A[i]); , but I didn't get the sorted list back.

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