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  4. What is wrong in this strcpy()?

What is wrong in this strcpy()?

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved C / C++ / MFC
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  • U User 5495012

    What is wrong in this strcpy()? I tried this function call, no compile time errors, but results in error during runtime. What could be the problem in that function call? char *s= "TEST"; char *s1= NULL; char * s_cpy(char * s,char * s1) { char * p=(char*) malloc(strlen(s)); p=s; printf("%s\n",p); // prints TEST printf("%s\n",s1); // prints printf("%s\n",s); // prints TEST strcpy(s1,p); //error, test.exe has encountered a problem return s1; }

    CPalliniC Offline
    CPalliniC Offline
    CPallini
    wrote on last edited by
    #5

    Member 5502879 wrote:

    char *s= "TEST"; char *s1= NULL; char * s_cpy(char * s,char * s1) { char * p=(char*) malloc(strlen(s)); p=s; printf("%s\n",p); // prints TEST printf("%s\n",s1); // prints printf("%s\n",s); // prints TEST strcpy(s1,p); //error, test.exe has encountered a problem return s1; }

    Good C tutorial needed. :)

    If the Lord God Almighty had consulted me before embarking upon the Creation, I would have recommended something simpler. -- Alfonso the Wise, 13th Century King of Castile.
    This is going on my arrogant assumptions. You may have a superb reason why I'm completely wrong. -- Iain Clarke
    [My articles]

    In testa che avete, signor di Ceprano?

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    • M Malli_S

      If you're calling s_cpy() function with s, s1 (global variables i.e.

      char *s= "TEST";
      char *s1= NULL;

      ) the formal parameter s1 will hold NULL (invalid pointer) which makes strcpy() crash. The prototype for strcpy() is

      char *strcpy( char *strDestination, const char *strSource);

      Passing invalid pointer at any of the parameter to strcpy (or any string function taking char *) will crash the program.

      U Offline
      U Offline
      User 5495012
      wrote on last edited by
      #6

      Even when i change s1 to char *s1="TEMP"; strcpy(s1,p); // resulting in error.

      M 1 Reply Last reply
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      • U User 5495012

        What is wrong in this strcpy()? I tried this function call, no compile time errors, but results in error during runtime. What could be the problem in that function call? char *s= "TEST"; char *s1= NULL; char * s_cpy(char * s,char * s1) { char * p=(char*) malloc(strlen(s)); p=s; printf("%s\n",p); // prints TEST printf("%s\n",s1); // prints printf("%s\n",s); // prints TEST strcpy(s1,p); //error, test.exe has encountered a problem return s1; }

        S Offline
        S Offline
        SandipG
        wrote on last edited by
        #7

        One suggestion

        Member 5502879 wrote:

        char * p=(char*) malloc(strlen(s)); p=s;

        you allocating buffer and assigning some other pointer to p again. this will cause memory leak.

        Regards, Sandip.

        U 1 Reply Last reply
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        • U User 5495012

          Even when i change s1 to char *s1="TEMP"; strcpy(s1,p); // resulting in error.

          M Offline
          M Offline
          Malli_S
          wrote on last edited by
          #8

          char *s1 = "TEMP" defines the char pointer to constant "TEMP", of which you cann't change the value. which makes strcpy() fail.

          1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • S SandipG

            One suggestion

            Member 5502879 wrote:

            char * p=(char*) malloc(strlen(s)); p=s;

            you allocating buffer and assigning some other pointer to p again. this will cause memory leak.

            Regards, Sandip.

            U Offline
            U Offline
            User 5495012
            wrote on last edited by
            #9

            Even if do not create 'p' and directly copy s to s1, strcpy(s1,s); im still getting the same error.

            R S 2 Replies Last reply
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            • U User 5495012

              Even if do not create 'p' and directly copy s to s1, strcpy(s1,s); im still getting the same error.

              R Offline
              R Offline
              Rajesh R Subramanian
              wrote on last edited by
              #10

              Try allocating memory to s1 before you copy stuff into it and then tell if it crashes. If it doesn't, well, guess why. :)

              Many are stubborn in pursuit of the path they have chosen, few in pursuit of the goal - Friedrich Nietzsche .·´¯`·->Rajesh<-·´¯`·. [Microsoft MVP - Visual C++]

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              • U User 5495012

                Even if do not create 'p' and directly copy s to s1, strcpy(s1,s); im still getting the same error.

                S Offline
                S Offline
                SandipG
                wrote on last edited by
                #11

                I did not answer you why it crashes.. others have already told you the reason. I just pointed the mistake.

                Regards, Sandip.

                1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • U User 5495012

                  What is wrong in this strcpy()? I tried this function call, no compile time errors, but results in error during runtime. What could be the problem in that function call? char *s= "TEST"; char *s1= NULL; char * s_cpy(char * s,char * s1) { char * p=(char*) malloc(strlen(s)); p=s; printf("%s\n",p); // prints TEST printf("%s\n",s1); // prints printf("%s\n",s); // prints TEST strcpy(s1,p); //error, test.exe has encountered a problem return s1; }

                  A Offline
                  A Offline
                  auralius manurung
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #12

                  try allocate memory like this: char * s_cpy(char * s,char * s1) { char * p =(char*) malloc(strlen(s)+1); s1 = (char*) malloc(10); //use this!!!! p=s; printf("%s\n",p); // prints TEST printf("%s\n",s1); // prints printf("%s\n",s); // prints TEST strcpy(s1,p); //error, test.exe has encountered a problem return s1; } don forget to free them up later or you will encounter memory leak...

                  CPalliniC 1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • A auralius manurung

                    try allocate memory like this: char * s_cpy(char * s,char * s1) { char * p =(char*) malloc(strlen(s)+1); s1 = (char*) malloc(10); //use this!!!! p=s; printf("%s\n",p); // prints TEST printf("%s\n",s1); // prints printf("%s\n",s); // prints TEST strcpy(s1,p); //error, test.exe has encountered a problem return s1; } don forget to free them up later or you will encounter memory leak...

                    CPalliniC Offline
                    CPalliniC Offline
                    CPallini
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #13

                    auralius wrote:

                    char * p =(char*) malloc(strlen(s)+1); s1 = (char*) malloc(10); //use this!!!! p=s;

                    And what's the point of doing the above? :)

                    If the Lord God Almighty had consulted me before embarking upon the Creation, I would have recommended something simpler. -- Alfonso the Wise, 13th Century King of Castile.
                    This is going on my arrogant assumptions. You may have a superb reason why I'm completely wrong. -- Iain Clarke
                    [My articles]

                    In testa che avete, signor di Ceprano?

                    A 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • U User 5495012

                      What is wrong in this strcpy()? I tried this function call, no compile time errors, but results in error during runtime. What could be the problem in that function call? char *s= "TEST"; char *s1= NULL; char * s_cpy(char * s,char * s1) { char * p=(char*) malloc(strlen(s)); p=s; printf("%s\n",p); // prints TEST printf("%s\n",s1); // prints printf("%s\n",s); // prints TEST strcpy(s1,p); //error, test.exe has encountered a problem return s1; }

                      D Offline
                      D Offline
                      David Crow
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #14

                      I see two issues.

                      Member 5502879 wrote:

                      char * p=(char*) malloc(strlen(s)); p=s;

                      You've reassigned p to some other address. This will cause problems if you go to free the address returned by malloc().

                      Member 5502879 wrote:

                      strcpy(s1,p); //error, test.exe has encountered a problem

                      Because s1 has not been allocated any memory. strcpy() is therefore dereferencing a null pointer.

                      "Love people and use things, not love things and use people." - Unknown

                      "The brick walls are there for a reason...to stop the people who don't want it badly enough." - Randy Pausch

                      1 Reply Last reply
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                      • U User 5495012

                        What is wrong in this strcpy()? I tried this function call, no compile time errors, but results in error during runtime. What could be the problem in that function call? char *s= "TEST"; char *s1= NULL; char * s_cpy(char * s,char * s1) { char * p=(char*) malloc(strlen(s)); p=s; printf("%s\n",p); // prints TEST printf("%s\n",s1); // prints printf("%s\n",s); // prints TEST strcpy(s1,p); //error, test.exe has encountered a problem return s1; }

                        M Offline
                        M Offline
                        Member 4194593
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #15

                        Several things are wrong. As pointed out, s1 is allocated as just a pointer to a string so you cannot copy data to it. In addition, you allocated only strlen bytes for the p copy, you need to allocate strlen+1 to allow the terminating null for string s. You may get away with this if a paragraph (16 bytes) is probably allocated for the malloc, but it is still bad code.

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                        • CPalliniC CPallini

                          auralius wrote:

                          char * p =(char*) malloc(strlen(s)+1); s1 = (char*) malloc(10); //use this!!!! p=s;

                          And what's the point of doing the above? :)

                          If the Lord God Almighty had consulted me before embarking upon the Creation, I would have recommended something simpler. -- Alfonso the Wise, 13th Century King of Castile.
                          This is going on my arrogant assumptions. You may have a superb reason why I'm completely wrong. -- Iain Clarke
                          [My articles]

                          A Offline
                          A Offline
                          auralius manurung
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #16

                          allocating memory so i won't be a NULL pointer anymore... :)

                          CPalliniC 1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • U User 5495012

                            What is wrong in this strcpy()? I tried this function call, no compile time errors, but results in error during runtime. What could be the problem in that function call? char *s= "TEST"; char *s1= NULL; char * s_cpy(char * s,char * s1) { char * p=(char*) malloc(strlen(s)); p=s; printf("%s\n",p); // prints TEST printf("%s\n",s1); // prints printf("%s\n",s); // prints TEST strcpy(s1,p); //error, test.exe has encountered a problem return s1; }

                            M Offline
                            M Offline
                            Mahesh Kulkarni
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #17

                            I observed following issues 1) Issue of Memory allocation 2) this is the case where we can understand the Global an Local variable concept. Try to name ur sencond argument in list with different name. May be it will work.

                            The secret of life is not enjoyment but education through experience. - Swami Vivekananda.

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                            • A auralius manurung

                              allocating memory so i won't be a NULL pointer anymore... :)

                              CPalliniC Offline
                              CPalliniC Offline
                              CPallini
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #18

                              char * p =(char*) malloc(strlen(s)+1);
                              s1 = (char*) malloc(10); //use this!!!!
                              p=s;

                              allocating memory for p and then setting p=s; make no sense to me. :)

                              If the Lord God Almighty had consulted me before embarking upon the Creation, I would have recommended something simpler. -- Alfonso the Wise, 13th Century King of Castile.
                              This is going on my arrogant assumptions. You may have a superb reason why I'm completely wrong. -- Iain Clarke
                              [My articles]

                              In testa che avete, signor di Ceprano?

                              A 1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • CPalliniC CPallini

                                char * p =(char*) malloc(strlen(s)+1);
                                s1 = (char*) malloc(10); //use this!!!!
                                p=s;

                                allocating memory for p and then setting p=s; make no sense to me. :)

                                If the Lord God Almighty had consulted me before embarking upon the Creation, I would have recommended something simpler. -- Alfonso the Wise, 13th Century King of Castile.
                                This is going on my arrogant assumptions. You may have a superb reason why I'm completely wrong. -- Iain Clarke
                                [My articles]

                                A Offline
                                A Offline
                                auralius manurung
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #19

                                yup, i know...i meant allocating memory for s1.. my concern wasn't on part where p=s. i thought application crashed due to NULL pointer on s1...that's why we must allocate memory for s1... :-D

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