Survival Guide: Lawrence Angrave

C Survival Guide
Lawrence Angrave
Copyright ©: Nahrstedt, Angrave, Abdelzaher 1

Copyright ©: Angrave, Abdelzaher,Nahrstedt
C in 3 slides: Pointers
 & 'address-of' (reference operator)
 * 'contents-of' (dereference operator)
 Automatic variables are temporary and stored
in the stack
 char* p; p is a pointer to a character.
*p =0; contents-of p set to 0. (Kaboom!)
 After declaring a pointer, initialize it to
something before using it. (Doh!)
2
Instant C #2: Strings

 C strings are terminated with a null byte
 strcpy( "hello", "world" ) will crash
 strcmp(s1,s2) returns 0 if same
 argv[0] is the program name
 argv[argc] is a null pointer
3
Instant C #3: Heap Allocation

 malloc(bytes) to reserve heap memory
 later… free(ptr)
 static char* ptr;

static variables are not stored in stack
4
Common Causes of 'Death'*

 Uninitialized pointers
strcpy(dest,"hello");
 C Strings need null byte at the end
 Buffer overflow
 Un-initialized memory
 Too confident: not checking return
values
 Miss-use of static vs. stack variables.
*Talk like a Professional : "Segfault" / "Signal 11"

5
Review
Fix the following code if necessary
1. int p1;
What does &p1 mean? 1. if(strcmp("a","a"))
printf("same!");
2. char**argv;
What type is argv? 2. int i =4;
What type is *argv?
What type is **argv?
int *iptr;
iptr = &i;
3. main(int argc,char**argv) {
*iptr = 5;//now i=5
what is *argv ?
what is argv[argc ] ?
3. char *p;
4. What are the differences between x
p=(char*)malloc(99);
and y? strcpy("Hello",p);
char* f() { printf("%s World",p);
char *x; free(p);
static char*y;
return y;
} 4. char msg[5];
strcpy (msg,"Hello");
Good news: You've used C++ in CS225 so…
Writing C code is easy!

 void* myfunction() {
char *p;
*p = 0;
return (void*) &p;
7
that crashes / is unpredictable

Writing C code  is easy !
 void* myfunction() {
char *p;
*p = 0;
return (void*) &p;
8
How do I write good C

programs?
 Fluency in C syntax
 Stack vs. Heap
 Key skill: read code for bugs
 (compiler warnings,if any, and testing are
insufficient)
9
100 minute challenge

 Pointers
 C character arrays & string functions
 Stack & heap allocation
 Tools:make, gcc, (gdb)
Exchange rate: 10 minutes learning = 100 minutes of debugging an MP

10
C is powerful - it's the System

Programmer's choice language
 Sun Operating System

 Linux Operating System
 BSD & Apple OS X
 Ruby, Python, JVM, gcc
 bash shell, dir
 Apache web server
http://svn.apache.org/repos/asf/httpd/httpd/trunk/server/util.c
http://www.google.com/codesearch?q=lang:c 11
The C Language Spirit

 Made by professional programmers for professional
programmers
 Very flexible, very efficient and portable
 Does not protect the programmers from themselves.
Rationale: programmers know what they are doing.
 UNIX and most “serious” system software (servers,
compilers, etc) are written in C.
 Can do everything Java and C++ can. It’ll just look
uglier in C
12
Compiler
 gcc
 Preprocessor
 Compiler
 Linker
 See manual “man” for options: man gcc
 "Ansi-C" standards C89 versus C99
 C99: Mix variable declarations and code (for int i=…)
 C++ inline comments //a comment
 make – a compilation utility
 Google 'makefile'
13
Programming in C
C = Variables + Instructions
14
Programming in C
char
int
float
pointer
array
… string 15
Programming in C
char assignment
int printf/scanf
float if
pointer for
array while
… string … switch 16
Variables
Name
10,000
x Value1
10,002
y
Value2
Memory
Address Value
10,008
z Value3
10,010
p Value4
10,012
d Value5
…
17
The “&” Operator:

Reads “Address of”
Name
10,000
&y x Value1
10,002
y
Value2
Value
10,008
z Value3
10,010
p Value4
10,012
d Value5
…
18
Pointers
Name
A pointer is a variable
10,000 whose value is the
x Value1
address of another
10,002
y
Value2
Value
10,008
z Value3
10,010
p 10,002
10,012
d Value5
…
19
The “*” Operator

Reads “Variable pointed to by”
Name
A pointer is a variable
10,000 whose value is the
x Value1
address of another
10,002
y
*P
Value2
Value
10,008
z Value3
10,010
p 10,002
10,012
d Value5
…
20
What is the Output?

main() {
int *p, q, x;
x=10;
p=&x;
*p=x+1;
q=x;
printf (“Q = %d\n“, q);
}
21
What is the Output?

main() {
int *p, q, x; p #@*%!
x=10; q #@%$!
p=&x; x @*%^
*p=x+1;
q=x;
}
22
What is the Output?

main() {
int *p, q, x; p #@*%!
x=10; q #@%$!
p=&x; x 10
*p=x+1;
q=x;
}
23
What is the Output?

main() {
int *p, q, x; p
x=10; q #@%$!
p=&x; x 10
*p=x+1;
q=x;
}
24
What is the Output?

main() {
int *p, q, x; p
x=10; q #@%$!
p=&x; x 11
*p=x+1;
q=x;
}
25
What is the Output?

main() {
int *p, q, x; p
x=10; q 11
p=&x; x 11
*p=x+1;
q=x;
}
26
Cardinal Rule: Must Initialize

Pointers before Using them
int *p; BAD
*p = 10;
27

int *p;
*p = 10;
p #@*%!
??
Pointing somewhere
random
28

int *p;
*p = 10;
p #@*%!
10
#@*%!
29
How to Initialize Pointers
30

 Set pointer equal to location of known
variable
int *p;
int x;
…
p=&x;
31

 Use malloc()
int *p;
…
p=(int*) malloc (sizeof (int));
32

 Create an Array
int p[10];
Same as:
int *p;
p=(int*) malloc (10*sizeof (int));
33
Arrays
int p[5];
p
p[0]
p[1]
Name of array (is a pointer)
p[2]
p[3]
p[4]
Shorthand:
*(p+1) is called p[1]
*(p+2) is called p[2]
etc..
34
Example
int y[4];
y[1]=6; y
y[2]=2; y[0]
y[1] 6
y[2] 2
y[3]
35
Array Name as Pointer

 What’s the difference between the examples below:
Example 1:
int z[8];
int *q;
q=z;
Example 2:
int z[8];
int *q;
q=&z[0];
36
Array Name as Pointer

 What’s the difference between the examples below:
Example 1:
int z[8];
int *q; NOTHING!!
q=z;
x (the array name) is a pointer
Example 2:
to the beginning of the array,
int z[8];
int *q; which is &x[0]
q=&z[0];
37
Example:
How much is y at the end:
int y, x, *p;
x = 20;
*p = 10;
y = x + *p;
38
Example:
How much is y at the end:
int y, x, *p;
BAD!!
x = 20; Dereferencing an unitialized pointer
*p = 10; will likely segfault or overwrite
something!
y = x + *p;
Segfault = unauthorized memory
access
39
Question:
 What’s the difference between
int* q;
int q[5];
 What’s wrong with:

int ptr[2];
ptr[1] = 1;
ptr[2] = 2;
40
Question:
 What is the value of b[2] at the end?
int b[3];
int* q;
b[0]=48; b[1]=113; b[2]=1;

q=b;
*(q+1)=2;
b[2]=*b
b[2]=b[2]+b[1];
41
Strings
(Null-terminated Arrays of Char)
 Example
char s[5];
 Strings are arrays that contain the string
characters followed by a “Null” character to

indicate end of string.
 Do not forget to leave room for the null character
s
s[0]
s[1]
s[2]
s[3]
s[4]
42
Conventions
Strings
 “string”
 “c”
Character
 ‘c’
43
String Operations
 strcpy
 strlen
 strcat
 strcmp
44
strcpy, strlen
Syntax:
strcpy(ptr1, ptr2);
where ptr1 and ptr2 are pointers to char
value = strlen(ptr);
where value is an integer and
ptr is a pointer to char
Example:
int len;
char str[15];
strcpy (str, "Hello, world!");
len = strlen(str); 45
strcpy, strlen
What’s wrong with
char str[5];
strcpy (str, "Hello");
46
strncpy
Syntax:
strncpy(ptr1, ptr2, num);
num is the number of characters to be copied
Example:
int len;
char str1[15], str2[15];
strcpy (str1, "Hello, world!");
strncpy (str2, str1, 5); 47
strncpy
Syntax:
strncpy(ptr1, ptr2, num);
num is the number of characters to be copied
Caution: strncpy blindly copies the
Example: characters. It does not voluntarily append
int len; the string-terminating null character.
char str1[15], str2[15];
strcpy (str1, "Hello, world!");
strncpy (str2, str1, 5); 48
strcat
 Syntax: strcat(ptr1, ptr2);
Concatenates the two null terminates strings

yielding one string (pointed to by ptr1).
char S[25] = "world!";

char D[25] = "Hello, ";
strcat(D, S);
49
strcat
Example
 What’s wrong with:
char S[25] = "world!";

strcat(“Hello, ”, S);
50
strcmp
 Syntax: diff = strcmp(ptr1, ptr2);
where diff is an integer and
ptr1 and ptr2 are pointers to char
 Returns zero if strings are identical
int diff;
char s1[25] = "pat";
char s2[25] = "pet";
diff = strcmp(s1, s2);
51
Math: Increment and

Decrement Operators
Example 1:
int x, y, z, w;
y=10; w=2;
x=++y;
z=--w;
Example 2:
int x, y;
y=10; w=2;
x=y++;
z=w--; 52
Math: Increment and

Decrement Operators
Example 1:
int x, y, z, w;
y=10; w=2; First increment/decrement then assign result
x=++y; x is11, z is 1
z=--w;
Example 2:
int x, y;
First assign then increment/decrement
y=10; w=2; x is 10, z is 2
x=y++;
z=w--; 53
Math: Increment and Decrement

Operators on Pointers
Example 1:
int a[2];
int number1, number2, *p;
a[0]=1; a[1]=10; a[2]=100;
p=a;
number1 = *p++;
number2 = *p;
What will number1 and number2 be at the end?
54
Math: Increment and Decrement

Operators on Pointers
Example 1:
int a[2];
int number1, number2, *p;
a[0]=1; a[1]=10; a[2]=100;
Hint: ++ increments pointer p not variable *p
p=a;
number1 = *p++;
number2 = *p;
What will number1 and number2 be at the end?
55
Logic: Relational (Condition)

Operators
== equal to
!= not equal to
> greater than
< less than
>= greater than or equal to
<= less than or equal to
56
Logic Example
if (a == b) printf (“Equal.”);
else printf (“Not Equal.”);
 Question: what will happen if I replaced the above

with:
if (a = b) printf (“Equal.”);
else printf (“Not Equal.”);
57

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C Survival Guide

Copyright ©: Nahrstedt, Angrave, Abdelzaher 1

Instant C #2: Strings

Instant C #3: Heap Allocation

 static char* ptr;

Common Causes of 'Death'*

*Talk like a Professional : "Segfault" / "Signal 11"

Good news: You've used C++ in CS225 so…

Writing C code is easy!

that crashes / is unpredictable

How do I write good C

100 minute challenge

Exchange rate: 10 minutes learning = 100 minutes of debugging an MP

C is powerful - it's the System

 Sun Operating System

The C Language Spirit

The “&” Operator:

The “*” Operator

What is the Output?

What is the Output?

What is the Output?

What is the Output?

What is the Output?

What is the Output?

Cardinal Rule: Must Initialize

Cardinal Rule: Must Initialize

Cardinal Rule: Must Initialize

How to Initialize Pointers

How to Initialize Pointers

How to Initialize Pointers

How to Initialize Pointers

Array Name as Pointer

Array Name as Pointer

 What’s wrong with:

b[0]=48; b[1]=113; b[2]=1;

characters followed by a “Null” character to

Concatenates the two null terminates strings

char S[25] = "world!";

 What’s wrong with:

char S[25] = "world!";

Math: Increment and

Math: Increment and

Math: Increment and Decrement

What will number1 and number2 be at the end?

Math: Increment and Decrement

What will number1 and number2 be at the end?

Logic: Relational (Condition)

 Question: what will happen if I replaced the above

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