How should I print the value that a pointer points to?

Question

I am attempting to display a series of questions to a user, then scan in the responses. My code builds without error, but when I run it I get errors: Expecting pointer to char but found pointer to aggregate. What are the mistakes here?

#include <stdio.h>

int main ()

{

 char name[50] , lastname[50] , add[100], post[50], town[60], state[60], tel[50];

 printf ("**** PLEASE ENTER THIS CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION****");

  printf ("\n=================================================\n=================================================");

printf ("\n\nFirst name:");
scanf ("%s",&name);

printf ("\nLast name:");
scanf  ("%s",&lastname);

printf ("\nAddress Please:");
scanf ("%s",&add);

printf ("\nPostcode:");
scanf("%s",&post);

printf ("\ntown:");
scanf ("%s",&town);

printf("\nTelephone number:");
scanf("%s",&tel);


printf ("\n\n****CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION****");

printf ("\n=================================================\n=================================================");

printf ("\nName:%s %s \n" ,name ,lastname);
printf ("Address:%s\n",add);
printf ("postal code:%s\n",post);
printf ("Town:%s\n",town);
printf ("State:%s\n",state);
printf ("Tel:%s\n",tel);

}

Your question being too long is not the problem. Problem is that there is no question. — LihO, Oct 09 '13 at 15:35
well,didn't see those comments coming,so sorry..I dont know how to properly address the problem.May i ask what do you mean by that @clcto? — Hafiz Syazwan, Oct 09 '13 at 15:49
What I think @clcto means is that all of your variables are strings (arrays of chars). With int, float, double et. al. you would use the ***&*** to pass the address of the variable, but with strings, you do not. the name of the string already points to the address needed. So, change `scanf ("%s",&name);` to `scanf ("%s",name);`. (same with the other lines) — ryyker, Oct 09 '13 at 16:09
@ryyker so i've tried what you said,and the results still mixed,for example:my address has numbers and letters,and when I add space it will be pushed into "town:" or "post:" — Hafiz Syazwan, Oct 09 '13 at 16:12
both numbers and letters from a users input using scanf with "%s" will all be scanned as char into a string. The other problem - of a line with an embedded space being scanned into two lines is addressed later in this post, see the comments following my answer below. — ryyker, Oct 09 '13 at 18:35

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 09 '13 at 16:16

0

Try this (& all removed) See my comment above for reason.

#include <stdio.h>

int main ()

{

 char name[50] , lastname[50] , add[100], post[50], town[60], state[60], tel[50];

 printf ("**** PLEASE ENTER THIS CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION****");

  printf ("\n=================================================\n=================================================");

printf ("\n\nFirst name:");
scanf ("%s",name);

printf ("\nLast name:");
scanf  ("%s",lastname);

printf ("\nAddress Please:");
scanf ("%s",add);

printf ("\nPostcode:");
scanf("%s",post);

printf ("\ntown:");
scanf ("%s",town);

printf("\nTelephone number:");
scanf("%s",tel);


printf ("\n\n****CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION****");

printf ("\n=================================================\n=================================================");

printf ("\nName:%s %s \n" ,name ,lastname);
printf ("Address:%s\n",add);
printf ("postal code:%s\n",post);
printf ("Town:%s\n",town);
printf ("State:%s\n",state);
printf ("Tel:%s\n",tel);

}

answered Oct 09 '13 at 16:16

ryyker

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thanks for the answer and for editing,but when I execute it for example my address is"357,jln batik 1/1" then the "jln" and "batik" skips to the variable "post",which confuses me.Maybe it's just my computer,maybe it's me – Hafiz Syazwan Oct 09 '13 at 16:23
The space in the address string is causing the string to be scanned by the address, then the postcode. ***[Look here](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1247989/how-do-you-allow-spaces-to-be-entered-using-scanf)*** for how to use scanf with embedded spaces. – ryyker Oct 09 '13 at 16:33
I don't quite understand the link you give yet,but I'll try my best to do so,thanks a lot @ryyker – Hafiz Syazwan Oct 09 '13 at 16:43
It is mainly pointing out another way to capture input from a user by using `fgets (name, MAX_NAME_SZ, stdin);` instead of `scanf ("%s",name);`. It provides more control over unexpected things like embedded spaces etc. Try the suggested technique there, and if you have questions, post them here. – ryyker Oct 09 '13 at 17:49

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 09 '13 at 16:48

0

When you do scanf for strings, you don't need

scanf("%s",&str);

instead just do

scanf("%s",str).

answered Oct 09 '13 at 16:48

Kraken

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score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 13 '19 at 09:24

#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
    int i=3;
    int *j;
    j = &i;

    printf("i %d\n",i);//value of i
    printf("j %d",*j);//value of i in j
    printf("j %d",&j);// address of i in j
   return 0;
}

So, this is how referencing and dereferencing a pointer is done. I just gave the clue. Now you use your brain... Cheers!

How should I print the value that a pointer points to?

3 Answers3