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Groups > comp.lang.c > #385989

Re: Whaddaya think?

From Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com>
Newsgroups comp.lang.c
Subject Re: Whaddaya think?
Date 2024-06-15 15:22 -0700
Organization None to speak of
Message-ID <87ed8x4zjl.fsf@nosuchdomain.example.com> (permalink)
References <666ded36$0$958$882e4bbb@reader.netnews.com>

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DFS <nospam@dfs.com> writes:
> I want to read numbers in from a file, say:
>
> 47 185 99 74 202 118 78 203 264 207 19 17 34 167 148 54 297 271 118
> 245 294 188 140 134 251 188 236 160 48 189 228 94 74 27 168 275 144
> 245 178 108 152 197 125 185 63 272 239 60 242 56 4 235 244 144 69 195
> 32 4 54 79 193 282 173 267 8 40 241 152 285 119 259 136 15 83 21 78 55
> 259 137 297 15 141 232 259 285 300 153 16 4 207 95 197 188 267 164 195
> 7 104 47 291
>
>
> This code:
> 1 opens the file
> 2 fscanf thru the file to count the number of data points
> 3 allocate memory
> 4 rewind and fscanf again to add the data to the int array
>
>
> Any issues with this method?
>
> Any 'better' way?
>
> Thanks

In a quick test, your code compiles without errors and runs correctly
with your input.  I do get a warning about argc being unused, which you
should address.

> ----------------------------------------------------------
> #include <stdio.h>
> #include <stdlib.h>
>
> int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
>
> 	int N=0, i=0, j=0;

The usual convention is to use all-caps for macro names.  Calling your
variable N is not a real problem, but could be slightly confusing.

N is the number of integers in the input.  i is an index.  j is a value
read from the file.  That's not at all clear from the names.

I suggest using longer and more descriptive names in lower case.
"N" could be "count".  "i" is fine for an index, but "j" could be
"value".

Consider using size_t rather than int for the count and index.  That's
mostly a style point; it's not going to make any practical difference
unless you have at least INT_MAX elements.

> 	int *nums;
> 	
> 	FILE* datafile = fopen(argv[1], "r");

Undefined behavior if no argument was provided, i.e., argc < 1.

> 	while(fscanf(datafile, "%d", &j) != EOF){

Numeric input with the *scanf functions has undefined behavior if the
scanned value is outside the range of the target type.  For example, if
the input contains "99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999",
arbitrary bad things could happen.  (Most likely it will just store some
incorrect value in j, with no indication that there was an error.)

strtol is trickier to use, but you can detect errors.

fscanf returns EOF on reaching the end of the file or on a read error,
and that's the only condition you check.  It returns the number of items
scanned.  If the input doesn't contain a string that can be interpreted
as an integer, fscanf will return 0, and you'll be stuck in an infinite
loop.  `while (fscanf(...) == 1)` is more robust, but it doesn't
distinguish between a read error and bad data.  It's up to you how and
whether to distinguish among different kinds of errors.

Your sample input consists of decimal integers with no sign.  Decide
whether you want to hande "-123" or "+123".  (fscanf will do so; so will
strtol.)

> 		N++;
> 	}
> 	
> 	nums = calloc(N, sizeof(int));

Consider using `sizeof *nums` rather than `sizeof(int)`.  That way you
don't have to change the type in two places if the element type changes.

You'll be updating all the elements of the nums array, so there's not
much point in zeroing it.  If you use malloc:

    nums = malloc(N * sizeof *nums);

Whether you use calloc() or malloc(), you should check the return
value.  If it returns a null pointer, it means the allocation failed.
Aborting the program is probably a good way to handle it.

(There are complications on Linux-based systems which I won't get into
here.  Google "OOM killer" and "overcommit" for details.)

> 	rewind(datafile);

This can fail if the input file is not seekable.  For example, on a
Linux-based system you could do something like:
    ./your_program /dev/stdin < file
Perhaps that's an acceptable restriction, but be aware of it.

> 	while(fscanf(datafile, "%d", &j) != EOF){

Again, UB for out of range values.

It's not guaranteed that you'll get the same data the second time you
read the file; some other process could modify it.  This might not be
worth worrying about.

> 		nums[i++] = j;
> 	}
> 	fclose (datafile);
> 	printf("\n");

You haven't produced any output yet; why print a blank line?  (Of course
you can if you want to.)

> 	for(i=0;i<N;i++) {
> 		printf("%d. %d\n", i+1, nums[i]);
> 	}
> 	printf("\n");
> 	free(nums);
> 	return(0);

A minor style point: a return statement doesn't require parentheses.
IMHO using parentheses make it look too much like a function call.  I'd
write `return 0;`, or more likely I'd just omit it, since falling off
the end of main does an implicit `return 0;` (starting in C99).

> }

A method that doesn't require rescanning the input file is to initially
allocate some reasonable amount of memory, then use realloc() to
expand the array as needed.  Doubling the array size is probably
reasonable.  It will consume more memory than a single allocation.

-- 
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com
void Void(void) { Void(); } /* The recursive call of the void */

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Thread

Whaddaya think? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2024-06-15 15:36 -0400
  Re: Whaddaya think? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2024-06-15 22:33 +0100
  Re: Whaddaya think? Ben Bacarisse <ben@bsb.me.uk> - 2024-06-15 23:03 +0100
    Re: Whaddaya think? bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2024-06-16 00:22 +0100
      Re: Whaddaya think? Ben Bacarisse <ben@bsb.me.uk> - 2024-06-16 10:30 +0100
    Re: Whaddaya think? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2024-06-16 11:52 -0400
      Re: Whaddaya think? Ben Bacarisse <ben@bsb.me.uk> - 2024-06-17 00:17 +0100
        Re: Whaddaya think? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2024-06-17 08:49 -0400
  Re: Whaddaya think? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-15 15:22 -0700
    Re: Whaddaya think? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2024-06-16 12:20 -0400
      Re: Whaddaya think? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-16 13:54 -0700
      Re: Whaddaya think? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2024-06-16 22:41 -0400
        Re: Whaddaya think? Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2024-06-16 22:45 -0700
        Re: Whaddaya think? Kaz Kylheku <643-408-1753@kylheku.com> - 2024-06-17 07:39 +0000
          Re: Whaddaya think? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2024-06-17 01:22 -0700
          Re: Whaddaya think? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2024-06-17 09:50 -0400
            Re: Whaddaya think? Richard Harnden <richard.nospam@gmail.invalid> - 2024-06-17 16:23 +0100
              Re: Whaddaya think? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2024-06-17 18:46 +0200
              Re: Whaddaya think? Kaz Kylheku <643-408-1753@kylheku.com> - 2024-06-22 22:14 +0000
                Re: Whaddaya think? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-22 17:10 -0700
                Re: Whaddaya think? Phil Carmody <pc+usenet@asdf.org> - 2024-06-23 11:20 +0300
          Re: Whaddaya think? Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2024-06-18 00:19 -0700
            Re: Whaddaya think? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-18 03:10 -0700
              Re: Whaddaya think? Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2024-06-18 17:24 -0700
                Re: Whaddaya think? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-18 17:55 -0700
                Re: Whaddaya think? Kaz Kylheku <643-408-1753@kylheku.com> - 2024-06-19 01:58 +0000
        Re: Whaddaya think? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2024-06-17 08:50 -0400
          Re: Whaddaya think? Ben Bacarisse <ben@bsb.me.uk> - 2024-06-17 15:41 +0100
            Re: Whaddaya think? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-18 08:12 +0200
              Re: Whaddaya think? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-18 03:07 -0700
      Re: Whaddaya think? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2024-06-17 00:30 -0400
  Re: Whaddaya think? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2024-06-16 01:56 +0300
    Re: Whaddaya think? Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2024-06-16 03:26 +0000
      Re: Whaddaya think? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-16 05:41 +0200
        Re: Whaddaya think? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-15 21:17 -0700
          Re: Whaddaya think? Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2024-06-16 04:41 +0000
          Re: Whaddaya think? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-16 06:44 +0200
            Re: Whaddaya think? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2024-06-16 11:09 -0400
              Re: Whaddaya think? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2024-06-16 17:56 +0200
                Re: Whaddaya think? bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2024-06-16 18:14 +0100
                Re: Whaddaya think? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2024-06-17 14:44 +0200
                Re: Whaddaya think? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2024-06-17 09:52 -0400
        Re: Whaddaya think? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-16 06:51 +0200
          Re: Whaddaya think? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-15 22:21 -0700
            Re: Whaddaya think? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-16 07:41 +0200
              Re: Whaddaya think? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-15 22:49 -0700
                Re: Whaddaya think? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-16 11:29 +0200
                Re: Whaddaya think? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2024-06-16 16:04 +0100
                Re: Whaddaya think? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-16 17:13 +0200
                Re: Whaddaya think? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-16 13:32 -0700
                Re: Whaddaya think? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-17 07:41 +0200
                Re: Whaddaya think? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-16 23:20 -0700
                Re: Whaddaya think? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-17 09:16 +0200
                Re: Whaddaya think? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2024-06-17 09:38 -0400
                Re: Whaddaya think? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-17 16:17 -0700
                Re: Whaddaya think? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-18 07:09 +0200
                Re: Whaddaya think? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2024-06-18 03:25 -0400
                Re: Whaddaya think? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-18 02:57 -0700
                Re: Whaddaya think? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-17 16:15 -0700
                Re: Whaddaya think? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-18 08:02 +0200
                Re: Whaddaya think? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-18 19:07 -0700
                Re: Whaddaya think? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2024-06-19 09:50 +0200
                Re: Whaddaya think? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-19 13:13 -0700
                Re: Whaddaya think? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2024-06-17 02:21 -0400
                Re: Whaddaya think? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-17 09:22 +0200
              Re: Whaddaya think? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2024-06-16 11:11 +0300
                Re: Whaddaya think? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-16 11:07 +0200
                Re: Whaddaya think? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2024-06-16 12:38 +0300
                Re: Whaddaya think? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-16 12:03 +0200
                Re: Whaddaya think? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2024-06-16 14:31 +0300
                Re: Whaddaya think? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-16 17:37 +0200
                Re: Whaddaya think? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2024-06-17 00:45 +0300
              Re: Whaddaya think? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-16 17:06 -0700
                Re: Whaddaya think? Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2024-06-16 22:40 -0700
                Re: Whaddaya think? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-17 07:52 +0200
                Re: Whaddaya think? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2024-06-17 09:45 -0400
                Re: Whaddaya think? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2024-06-17 13:16 -0700
                Re: Whaddaya think? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2024-06-17 17:07 -0400
                Re: Whaddaya think? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-17 15:48 -0700
                Re: Whaddaya think? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2024-06-17 22:48 +0000
                Re: Whaddaya think? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-17 15:44 -0700
                Re: Whaddaya think? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2024-06-18 15:00 +0200
                Re: Whaddaya think? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-18 06:57 +0200
                Re: Whaddaya think? Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2024-06-18 00:25 -0700
                Re: Whaddaya think? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2024-06-17 02:38 -0400
                Re: Whaddaya think? Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2024-06-18 17:01 -0700
                Re: Whaddaya think? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-17 07:48 +0200
                Re: Whaddaya think? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-16 23:29 -0700
                Re: Whaddaya think? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-17 09:35 +0200
        Re: Whaddaya think? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2024-06-16 08:19 +0100
        Re: Whaddaya think? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2024-06-16 10:44 +0300
          Re: Whaddaya think? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-16 11:13 +0200
    Re: Whaddaya think? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2024-06-16 11:03 -0400
  Re: Whaddaya think? Lew Pitcher <lew.pitcher@digitalfreehold.ca> - 2024-06-16 15:52 +0000
    Re: Whaddaya think? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2024-06-16 17:17 +0100
    Re: Whaddaya think? Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2024-06-18 08:06 +0000

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