Error: Array type has incomplete element type and binary operand error

Question

I am trying to make a multi-program database in C.

Here is the code:

#include<stdio.h>
#include<stdlib.h>
#include "function.c"


int main()
{
info();
example();

printf("\n\n\n");

char name[1][10], id[1][10], grade[1][1];
char choice;
int x=0;
int sal[1];
FILE *fp;

printf("Would you like to continue? Y/N: ");
scanf("%c",&choice);
fflush(stdin);

if(choice == 'Y' || choice == 'y')
{
    system("cls");

    fp = fopen("database.txt","w");

    if(fp == NULL)
    {
        printf("File does not exist!");
        return 0;
    }
    else
    {
        while(x<=1)
        {
            printf("Enter Employee name no.%d: ",(x+1));
            scanf("%s",name[x]);
            fprintf(fp, "Employee Name: %s\n",name);

            printf("Enter Employee ID: ");
            scanf("%s",id[x]);
            fprintf(fp, "Employee ID: %s\n",id);

            printf("Enter Employee Grade Level (A-E): ");
            scanf("%s",grade[x]);
            fprintf(fp, "Employee Grade Level: %s\n",grade);

            printf("Enter Employee's Basic Salary: ");
            scanf("%d",&sal[x]);
            fprintf(fp, "Employee's Basic Salary: %d\n\n\n",sal);

            printf("Employee's bonus: %d\n",bonus(grade[x],sal[x]));

            printf("Employee's allowance: %d\n",allowance(grade[x], sal[x]));

            printf("\n");
        }
    }   
    fclose(fp);
}
else
{
    return 0;
}




return 0;
}

function.c :

#include<stdio.h>
#include "function.h"

int bonus(char *grade[1][], int *sal[])
{
int bonus;
int *b;
int x;

b = &bonus;

for(x=0;x<=1;x++)
{

    switch(*grade[x])
    {
        case 'A':
            bonus = (1/4) * *sal[x];
            break;
        case 'B':
            bonus = (1/5) * *sal[x];
            break;
        case 'C':
            bonus = (15/100) * *sal[x];
            break;
        case 'D':
            bonus = (1/10) * *sal[x];
            break;
        case 'E':
            bonus = (5/100) * *sal[x];
            break;
        default:
            printf("Invalid Choice!!");
            break;
    }

    return bonus;
    }
}

int allowance(char *grade[1][], int *sal[])
{
int all;
int *a;
int x;

a = &all;

for(x=0;x<=1;x++)
{
    switch(*grade[x])
    {
    case 'A':
        all = (3/10) * *sal[x];
        break;
    case 'B':
        all = (6/25) * *sal[x];
        break;
    case 'C':
        all = (9/50) * *sal[x];
        break;
    case 'D':
        all = (3/25) * *sal[x];
        break;
    case 'E':
        all = (3/50) * *sal[x];
        break;
    default:
        printf("Invalid Choice!!");
        break;
    }

    return all;
    }

}

function.h:

#ifndef _FUNCTION_H_INCLUDED
#define _FUNCTION_H_INCLUDED

int bonus(char *grade[][], int *sal[]); //prototype for calculating bonus
int allowance(char *grade[][], int *sal[]); //prototype for allowance
void info(); //prototype for information
void example(); //prototype for example

#endif

When I try to compile the program, I get:

2   0   function.c  In file included from function.c
4   17  function.h  [Error] array type has incomplete element type
5   21  function.h  [Error] array type has incomplete element type
4   17  function.c  [Error] array type has incomplete element type
function.c  In function 'bonus':
18  19  function.c  [Error] invalid operands to binary * (have 'int' and 'int *')
21  19  function.c  [Error] invalid operands to binary * (have 'int' and 'int *')
24  22  function.c  [Error] invalid operands to binary * (have 'int' and 'int *')
27  20  function.c  [Error] invalid operands to binary * (have 'int' and 'int *')
30  21  function.c  [Error] invalid operands to binary * (have 'int' and 'int *')
function.c  At top level:
41  21  function.c  [Error] array type has incomplete element type
function.c  In function 'allowance':
54  17  function.c  [Error] invalid operands to binary * (have 'int' and 'int *')
57  17  function.c  [Error] invalid operands to binary * (have 'int' and 'int *')
60  17  function.c  [Error] invalid operands to binary * (have 'int' and 'int *')
63  17  function.c  [Error] invalid operands to binary * (have 'int' and 'int *')
66  17  function.c  [Error] invalid operands to binary * (have 'int' and 'int *')

I do not know what the problem is (I'm a beginner in C programming).

My first question: What does array type has incomplete element type mean? Next question: Why am I still getting the invalid operands to binary * error?

Any help would be appreciated.

Right now I'm just trying to wrap my head around the intended purpose of things like char name[1][10]. — WhozCraig
– WhozCraig, Commented Aug 17, 2013 at 18:53
Sir,That error was really hard to read i formatted it please accept my edit — JaDogg
– JaDogg, Commented Aug 17, 2013 at 18:55
@WhozCraig I'm basically creating a database where I have the user input an employee's name, id, salary etc. and print that on a text file. — Nithin Kumar
– Nithin Kumar, Commented Aug 17, 2013 at 19:04

JaDogg · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-17 19:58:36Z

2

for "My first question: What does array type has incomplete element type mean?"

this error occur because in c language you need to specify the array size if you are not declaring it like

int arr[] = {6,1,2,3};

otherwise

it should be int arr[<size of the array>];

for invalid operands to binary * error?

it occurs because you are trying to multiply int and int * values

consider seeing this http://forums.devshed.com/c-programming-42/dynamic-arrays-with-undeclared-size-62036.html

and read some more tutorials about pointers and arrays and how to mix them

answered Aug 17, 2013 at 19:58

JaDogg

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Comments

Jonathan Leffler · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-17 21:41:08Z

1

In the declarations in function.h, you have:

int bonus(char *grade[][], int *sal[]);

You can't leave out all the dimensions; you have to specify a number for every dimension of an array except, perhaps, the first. For example, this might be legitimate:

int bonus(char *grade[][20], int *sal[]);

I've not checked whether 20 is the appropriate number, but some number must be used in the context.

This is causing the 'incomplete array type' message.

answered Aug 17, 2013 at 21:41

Jonathan Leffler

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1 Comment

Nisse Engström Over a year ago

One might wonder why the dimensions are necessary: For the compiler to be able to compute the address of an element of the array, it needs to know the size of the array elements. If the array elements are themselves arrays, it needs to know the size of those arrays.

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