Array of array of strings

Question

So I want to send an input like

ls -l | ./a.out

to the following program

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

int main (int argc, char *argv[])
{
    char virtualLs[100];
    char eachLineOfLsInArray[100][100];
    scanf("%[^\t]", virtualLs);
    char *eachLineOfLs;
    eachLineOfLs = strtok(virtualLs, "\n");
    int loopCounterForStuffing;
    loopCounterForStuffing = 0;
    while (eachLineOfLs != NULL)
    {
        strcpy(eachLineOfLsInArray[loopCounterForStuffing], eachLineOfLs);
        eachLineOfLs = strtok(NULL, "\n");
        ++loopCounterForStuffing;
    }
    char newLsArray[100][sizeof(eachLineOfLsInArray) / sizeof(char)];
    int i;
    for(i = 0; i < sizeof(eachLineOfLsInArray) / sizeof(char); i++)
    {
        char *array[10];
        int k=0;
        array[k] = strtok(eachLineOfLsInArray[i], " ");
        while(array[k] != NULL)
        {
        array[++k] = strtok(NULL, " ");
        }
        newLsArray[i] = array;
        printf ("res[%d] = %s\n", i, array[i]); 
    }

I get the following error message in compilation

largest.c:31:17: error: array type 'char [10000]' is not assignable
                newLsArray[i] = array;
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^
1 error generated.

The purpose of this program is to put each line in to an array that contains its word as an array.

I just love how this question starts with "When I do X" then follows it with "but of course Y stops me from ever trying to do X." — John Zwinck
– John Zwinck, Commented Sep 28, 2014 at 13:29
char eachLineOfLsInArray[100][100]; means sizeof(eachLineOfLsInArray) = 10000. so for(i = 0; i < 10000; i++) whereas you got char newLsArray[100][...] — DOOM
– DOOM, Commented Sep 28, 2014 at 13:34

Igor Pejic · Accepted Answer · 2014-09-28 13:34:01Z

1

Use the strcpy function:

Instead of

newLsArray[i] = array;

write

strcpy(newLsArray[i], array);

answered Sep 28, 2014 at 13:34

Igor Pejic

3,7061 gold badge17 silver badges32 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

1 Comment

hyde Over a year ago

Except strcpy is dangerous, it's too easy to generate potential buffer overrun with it. Better use strncat or snprintf (but not strncpy, which actually isn't the same kind of string handling function as strcpy or strncat at all).

tomer.z · Accepted Answer · 2014-09-28 13:39:21Z

1

When you define an array like char[10] his type is char [10] not char* and so array is of type char[10] while newLsArray[i] is of type char [sizeof(eachLineOfLsInArray) / sizeof(char)] which is different and so you get a type error, you can either use strcpy or work with pointers and malloc command and that way the line newLsArray[i] = array; would work.

To work with pointers you will need to define an array as char* and 2-d array as char** and malloc them accordingly.

answered Sep 28, 2014 at 13:39

tomer.z

1,0831 gold badge11 silver badges27 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Array of array of strings

2 Answers 2

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related