Storing strings dynamically in a linked list

Question

I want to create a linked list in C in which the user can input strings which will be stored as nodes in the list. This is my node structure:

typdef struct NODE {
    char word[50];
    struct NODE* next;
} node;

From my main method I want to prompt the user to enter a strings and subsequently call a method that adds the string to the linked list (but does not include any characters following a space), and do that repeatedly until the user enters a specific string which terminates the process, so in my main method I have:

void main(){
    node* fullList = NULL;
    char stopString[5];
    sprintf(stopString, "stop"); 
    char string[50];
    printf("Enter a word: ");
    scanf("%[^ ]s", string);
    while (strcmp(string, stopString) != 0) {
         addToLinkedList(fullList, string);   
         printf("Enter a word: ");
         scanf("%[^ ]s", string);
    }
}

This is my addition method:

void addToLinkedList(node* list, char str[]) {
    node* freeSpot;
    node* newNode;

    freeSpot = list;
    if (list == NULL){
            freeSpot = freeSpot->next;
    }

    newNode = (node *)malloc(sizeof(node));

    newNode->word = str;
    //strcpy(nweNode->next, str);
    newNode->next = NULL;
    freeSpot->next = newNode;

}

BUT I get an error:

"incompatible types when assigning to type âchar[256]â from type âchar *â"

and if I replace "newNode->word = str;" with the piece of code commented out below, I get:

warning: passing argument 1 of âstrcpyâ from incompatible pointer type [enabled by default]
/usr/include/string.h:128:14: note: expected âchar * __restrict__â but argument is of type
âstruct NODE *â

I'm pretty stuck at this point, I'm not sure how to implement this successfully; any suggestions?

and if (list == NULL){ --> while(freeSpot->next != NULL){ — BLUEPIXY
– BLUEPIXY, Commented Nov 14, 2014 at 21:31
for scanf you don't need the extra s, this is fine scanf("%s", string); %s stops reading after a space character is read. Also note that since you are not allocating new memory for your string inputs, all strings in the list will contain the same value — smac89
– smac89, Commented Nov 14, 2014 at 21:32
void addToLinkedList(node* list, char str[]) { --> void addToLinkedList(node** list, char str[]) { — BLUEPIXY
– BLUEPIXY, Commented Nov 14, 2014 at 21:32

Eugene Sh. · Accepted Answer · 2014-11-14 21:20:33Z

1

This error is related to the commented line. Have you saved your file after commenting this out? Have you cleaned the project? Anyway, this line: newNode->word = str; is going to cause troubles as well. Use strcpy instead. You want to copy string, not the pointer.

answered Nov 14, 2014 at 21:20

Eugene Sh.

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2501 · Accepted Answer · 2014-11-14 21:25:13Z

0

Remove:

newNode->word = str;

And add:

strcpy(nweNode->word, str);

You are copying to the member word of the current node, not to the next node.

You should check that str is not longer than (50-1) before copying.

edited Nov 14, 2014 at 21:25

answered Nov 14, 2014 at 21:18

2501

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1 Comment

cerremony Over a year ago

Wow, thanks, can't believe I didn't catch such a silly mistake

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