Re: C String terminator

From	Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c
Subject	Re: C String terminator
Date	2020-01-16 13:31 +0000
Organization	A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID	<87zhencyud.fsf@bsb.me.uk> (permalink)
References	(4 earlier) <qvnncu$ci0$1@dont-email.me> <87a76ofad3.fsf@bsb.me.uk> <qvohm6$rt5$1@dont-email.me> <87muaodqqn.fsf@bsb.me.uk> <qvolrg$ean$1@dont-email.me>

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T <T@invalid.invalid> writes:

> By the way
>     my $array = CArray[uint16].new($string.encode.list, 0);
> the "0" at the end puts a zero in both bytes of teh last
> word, which is perfect.

Yes, how could it not?  Mind you, it seems an odd way to express it.
The 0 puts a zero into the array, nothing more, nothing less.

> On 2020-01-15 19:28, Ben Bacarisse wrote:
>> and a note to the effect that, in general, character arrays passed to C
>> functions taking strings should be null-terminated.
>>
>> The example in the documentation is not actually wrong because it is
>> possible that the C function knows or can assume the length of the
>> usable data.  
>
> You are asking for the C function to go careening.  It
> is really bad practice.

I'm just pointing out that the example is not self-evidently wrong --
it's not asking for the C function to go careening off.

If you want to be heard, make sure your criticism is correct.  I agree
it's bad practice but you just can't say, from the example in the
documentation, that either called C function will go wrong.

> Also, the C guys told those
> functions that can figure out on the own are not
> actually called a string function.  I can try to
> find what they called it, just the wrote me a ton stuff.

So what?  Anyway, the example does not call set_foo (one of the C
functions called) a "string function".  What's more, there are some
functions (like strncmp) that C documents as "string handling" functions
but which don't need a null-terminated array to be passed.

You just get tied in knots about terms getting nowhere.  For the greater
good, the best option is simply to get a better example into the
documentation.

>> It's just a bad example as it's not really general.
>
> JJ's point is that it works in the example, so it is not
> an error.  My point is that the documentation should help
> the reader understand how to use the thing in practice.
> I lost.

You have not yet achieved your goal!  Can you submit a patch to the
documentation?

-- 
Ben.

Thread

C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-14 09:22 -0800
  Re: C String terminator Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2020-01-14 09:32 -0800
    Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-14 09:43 -0800
      Re: C String terminator Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2020-01-14 17:53 +0000
        Re: C String terminator David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2020-01-14 20:17 +0100
          Re: C String terminator Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2020-01-14 20:01 +0000
      Re: C String terminator Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2020-01-14 09:57 -0800
        Re: C String terminator Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2020-01-14 11:37 -0800
          Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-15 09:02 -0800
            Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-15 09:38 -0800
              Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-15 09:53 -0800
        Re: C String terminator Manfred <noname@add.invalid> - 2020-01-14 20:48 +0100
    Re: C String terminator chad <cdalten@gmail.com> - 2020-01-15 05:43 -0800
      Re: C String terminator Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2020-01-15 07:12 -0800
      Re: C String terminator Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2020-01-15 15:35 +0000
        Re: C String terminator chad <cdalten@gmail.com> - 2020-01-19 06:20 -0800
    Re: C String terminator Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2020-01-15 10:52 -0800
      Re: C String terminator Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2020-01-15 12:52 -0800
        Re: C String terminator gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2020-01-15 20:56 +0000
        Re: C String terminator Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2020-01-16 02:17 +0000
        Re: C String terminator Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2020-01-15 21:54 -0800
          Re: C String terminator fir <profesor.fir@gmail.com> - 2020-01-16 02:07 -0800
            Re: C String terminator Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2020-01-16 02:45 -0800
              Re: C String terminator Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2020-01-16 08:21 -0700
                Re: C String terminator Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2020-01-16 08:03 -0800
              Re: C String terminator John Bode <jfbode1029@gmail.com> - 2020-01-16 09:06 -0800
              Re: C String terminator James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2020-01-16 11:29 -0800
      Re: C String terminator Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2020-01-16 02:01 +0000
        Re: C String terminator James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2020-01-15 23:02 -0500
        Re: C String terminator David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2020-01-16 11:15 +0100
          Re: C String terminator Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2020-01-16 13:07 +0000
        Re: C String terminator Manfred <noname@add.invalid> - 2020-01-17 18:43 +0100
          Re: C String terminator Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2020-01-21 04:00 -0800
          Re: C String terminator James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2020-01-21 05:00 -0800
  Re: C String terminator Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2020-01-14 12:36 -0700
    Re: C String terminator Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2020-01-14 12:05 -0800
      Re: C String terminator Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2020-01-14 13:54 -0700
        Re: C String terminator James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2020-01-14 15:03 -0800
          Re: C String terminator Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2020-01-15 04:55 -0800
            Re: C String terminator Guillaume <message@bottle.org> - 2020-01-15 20:49 +0100
              Re: C String terminator Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2020-01-15 12:55 -0800
        Re: C String terminator Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2020-01-14 21:31 -0800
    Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-15 09:28 -0800
      Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-15 09:38 -0800
        Re: C String terminator Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2020-01-15 10:50 -0700
          Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-15 10:17 -0800
        Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-15 09:53 -0800
  Re: C String terminator Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2020-01-14 21:43 -0500
  Re: C String terminator "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2020-01-14 22:52 -0800
    Re: C String terminator "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2020-01-14 22:54 -0800
  Re: C String terminator Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2020-01-15 02:00 -0800
    Re: C String terminator gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2020-01-15 10:47 +0000
      Re: C String terminator Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2020-01-15 03:02 -0800
    Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-15 10:19 -0800
      Re: C String terminator Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2020-01-15 11:33 -0800
        Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-15 12:03 -0800
          Re: C String terminator Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2020-01-16 01:30 +0000
            Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-15 18:17 -0800
              Re: C String terminator Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2020-01-16 03:44 +0000
                Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-15 20:33 -0800
          Re: C String terminator fir <profesor.fir@gmail.com> - 2020-01-16 02:26 -0800
  Re: C String terminator Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2020-01-15 15:11 +0000
    Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-15 09:32 -0800
      Re: C String terminator Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2020-01-15 10:47 -0800
        Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-15 10:58 -0800
          Re: C String terminator Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2020-01-16 01:39 +0000
            Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-15 18:27 -0800
              Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-15 19:03 -0800
              Re: C String terminator Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2020-01-16 03:28 +0000
                Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-15 19:33 -0800
                Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-15 19:38 -0800
                Re: C String terminator Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2020-01-16 13:31 +0000
                Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-16 09:09 -0800
                Re: C String terminator Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2020-01-16 10:27 -0700
                Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-16 10:54 -0800
                Re: C String terminator Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2020-01-16 20:59 +0000
                Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-16 14:11 -0800
                Re: C String terminator Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2020-01-16 20:17 +0000
                Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-16 14:14 -0800
                Re: C String terminator Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2020-01-16 23:45 +0000
                Yes, Ben makes house calls (Was: C String terminator) gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2020-01-16 23:57 +0000
                Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-17 11:28 -0800
                Re: C String terminator Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2020-01-17 20:46 +0000
                Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-17 12:48 -0800
                Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-17 12:54 -0800
                Re: C String terminator Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2020-01-17 21:02 +0000
                Re: C String terminator Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2020-01-17 21:21 +0000
                Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-17 13:35 -0800
                Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-17 13:44 -0800
                Re: C String terminator fir <profesor.fir@gmail.com> - 2020-01-17 15:03 -0800
                Re: C String terminator fir <profesor.fir@gmail.com> - 2020-01-17 15:06 -0800
                Re: C String terminator Ike Naar <ike@sdf.lonestar.org> - 2020-01-18 07:30 +0000
                Re: C String terminator Lew Pitcher <lew.pitcher@digitalfreehold.ca> - 2020-01-17 16:06 -0500
                Re: C String terminator Lew Pitcher <lew.pitcher@digitalfreehold.ca> - 2020-01-17 16:23 -0500
                Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-17 13:37 -0800
                Re: C String terminator Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2020-01-21 04:10 -0800
                Re: C String terminator Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2020-01-21 10:41 -0800
                Re: C String terminator Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2020-01-17 01:55 -0800
                Re: C String terminator Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2020-01-17 09:52 -0800
                Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-17 11:29 -0800
                Re: C String terminator Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2020-01-16 18:21 +0000
                Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-16 10:50 -0800
                Re: C String terminator Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2020-01-16 20:50 +0000
                Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-16 14:17 -0800
  Re: C String terminator Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2020-01-15 09:59 -0800
  Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-15 10:15 -0800
  Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-18 21:42 -0800
    Re: C String terminator T <T@invalid.invalid> - 2020-01-19 22:13 -0800
  Re: C String terminator Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2020-01-21 19:49 +0100
  Re: C String terminator John Bode <jfbode1029@gmail.com> - 2020-01-21 15:33 -0800
    Re: C String terminator Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2020-01-21 23:19 -0800
    Re: C String terminator Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2020-01-22 08:39 +0100
      Re: C String terminator chad <cdalten@gmail.com> - 2020-01-22 06:59 -0800
        Re: C String terminator Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2020-01-22 18:44 +0100

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