how to access an array inside structure using a structure pointer

Question

struct node{
    char a[100];
    struct node* next;
};
typedef struct node* nodeptr;
main()
{
    char b[100];
    nodeptr p;  
    int n;          
    printf("enter the string\n");
    scanf("%s",b);          
    n=strlen(b);                
    p=getnode();                    
    p->a=b;                             
    p->next=null;                           
    printf("%s \n",(q->a));                     
    return 0;                                       
}

How can I access the array inside the struct using a struct pointer? Is this the correct method? I am getting the following error during compilation:

incompatible types when assigning to type ‘char[100]’ from type ‘char *’ "

Francis Upton IV · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-29 17:59:57Z

4

Your code at p->a=b is simply not allowed as a is an array and not a pointer and you are trying to copy a pointer to an array. Try strncpy(p->a, b, 100) (of course you should have 100 as a #define)

edited Dec 29, 2011 at 17:59

answered Dec 29, 2011 at 17:48

Francis Upton IV

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1 Comment

Francis Upton IV Over a year ago

Actually I was wrong, my suggestion is still correct, but the reason is wrong, I corrected my answer. And I recommend strncpy instead of a for loop because you want to put a string into it.

Francis Upton IV · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-29 17:53:08Z

4

Arrays can not be copied in C.

You are accessing them correctly but you need to copy the array value by value.

Change

p->a=b;

Into

for(int loop=0;loop < 100;++loop)
{
    p->a[loop] = b[loop];
}

edited Dec 29, 2011 at 17:53

Francis Upton IV

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answered Dec 29, 2011 at 17:47

Loki Astari

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1 Comment

Dan Fego Over a year ago

+1 because your example is illustrative, despite not the most efficient way (readability-wise) to do it.

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