Fairly easy C++ question...

[FrogDog]

Is it possible when initializing an array
char blah[2][5] = { "dog", "cat" };
to replace say "dog" with a variable? Such as this:
char blah[2][5] = { "cat", dog[cat-1] };

The way I just did it doesn't work, so is it possible and if so, how do I do it?

Edit - Forgot about the second [] on my char variables...oops 🙂

 

[Descartes]

I think a good book on C (or C++) would suit you well.

char blah[2] is defining 'blah' as a 2-element array of type char. As you're probably aware, a single char cannot hold character arrays of themselves (dog, cat in your example). You would need:

char *blah[2] = { "dog", "cat" };

That would declare 'blah' as a 2-element array of pointers to type char. Does that make sense? As for your second example, yes, you can do that, although the declaration 'char blah[1]' is superfluous, as is '{dog[cat-1]}. It would suffice to say:

char blah = dog[1]; // or whatever

since blah[1] is defining 'blah' as a 1-element array of type char (same as just 'char blah'), and initializing it to the second character in the 'dog' character array.

Btw, your declaration 'char blah[1] = {dog[cat-1]}' could cause some serious problems. Assuming 'cat' is a character array, you're setting blah to the character at the address of the character _before_ the first character in 'cat'. Unless you know that the strings are perfectly aligned (which would still leave you w/ a nul character), you're asking for trouble.

Moral of the story, stick to declarations like char blah = your_char_array[index];

Hope this helps.

 

[RSI]

*nodding his head* I understood that...

:Q

-RSI

 

[FrogDog]

Oh crap yeah I messed up the code I'll edit it now...sorry.

And yeah in my [cat-1] part 'cat' is an int.

 

[FrogDog]

bump

 

[FrogDog]

oye...

 

[StageLeft]

Up ya go!