Using malloc() and realloc() to store strings in an Array

Question

getWordsArray() gets a pointer to a char array - the input.

Im trying to split that input and store each word in a char array. And eventually return that char array.

   char *getWordsArray(char *input)
    {
        char *token;
        char *search = " ,";
        char *splited, *temp;
        int counter=0;
        splited = malloc(sizeof(char)*15);
        token = strtok (input,search);
        while (token != NULL ) {
            printf("%s\n",token);
            token = strtok (NULL,search);
          //  splited[counter] = *token;  //aliasing ?
            strcpy(&splited[counter] , token);
            temp= realloc(splited,(counter+1)*sizeof(token));
            if (temp !=NULL) {
                splited = temp;
            } else{
                free(splited);
                printf("Error allocating memory!\n");
                return 0 ;
            }
            counter++;
        }
        printf("list is: %s\n",splited);
        return splited;
    }

It seems like it works since it prints correctly. But i get:

EXC_BAD_ACCESS

on

strcpy(&splited[counter] , token);

Anyone can point me out whats wrong ?

The `sizeof(token)` part looks really suspicious: You're multiplying by the size of a pointer, yet your dynamic array is not an array of pointers... — Medinoc, Jan 03 '14 at 21:35
The variable `splited` is a *single string* not an array of strings. — Some programmer dude, Jan 03 '14 at 21:36
sizeof(token)??? this value is always 4. did you mean strlen(token) by any chance? — barak manos, Jan 03 '14 at 21:57

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 03 '14 at 21:47

Your function return type is all wrong; it needs to be char **, not just char *. The allocation strategy in the function is wrong, too, therefore. You need to allocate an array of char * as well as an array of char for each component word that is stored in the array of char *.

Sebastian · Answer 2 · 2014-01-03T21:43:10.800

1

When you copy the string, e.g. on strcpy(&splited[counter] , token);, it is very likely, that it's too long for the destination. That is because you do not allocate an array of strings but an array of char.

edited Jan 03 '14 at 21:43

answered Jan 03 '14 at 21:37

Sebastian

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Using malloc() and realloc() to store strings in an Array

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