i have function which is written in c ,in this function i allocate 2 string as temp and found, but i cant free temp string.
i think it may due to using of temp in result array.
can any one helps me.
here is the function.
void split(char* input, char* delim, char** result,int size) {
char* tmp = malloc((strlen(input)) * sizeof(char));
char* found = malloc((strlen(input)) * sizeof(char));
tmp=strcpy(tmp, input);
// #pragma omp parallel for
for (int i=0; i<size; i++) {
found = strstr(tmp, delim);
if (found != NULL) {
int length = found - tmp;
result[i]=malloc((length+1) * sizeof(char));
result[i] = strncpy(result[i], tmp, length);
*(result[i] + length) = '\0';
tmp = found + strlen(delim);
} else {
result[i]=malloc(strlen(tmp) * sizeof(char));
result[i] =strncpy(result[i], tmp, strlen(tmp));
}
}
// free(tmp);
free(found);
}
here size is number of sub strings after split
when i remove the comment of this line:
// free(tmp);
then this err occurs:
munmap_chunk(): invalid pointer
Aborted (core dumped)
can i ask you to help me for writing correct split function
You do assignments to tmp. That means the pointer tmp might no longer point to the same location that malloc returned.
You need to pass the exact same pointer to free that was returned by malloc.
You have the same problem with found, you assign to it and possible change where it points.
Passing an invalid pointer to free leads to undefined behavior.
You also have another problem: You go out of bounds of the original memory allocated and pointed to by tmp. That's because you seem to have forgotten that strings in C are really called null-terminated strings.
When you allocate memory for a string, you need to include space for the null-terminator at the end. And it's not counted by strlen.
Going out of bounds of allocated memory also leads to undefined behavior.
The function does not make a sense.
For starters it invokes undefined behavior
char* tmp = malloc((strlen(input)) * sizeof(char));
char* found = malloc((strlen(input)) * sizeof(char));
tmp=strcpy(tmp, input);
//...
because you allocated to enough memory to store the terminating zero character '\0' of the string input in the character array tmp.
Secondly the function has a memory leak because at first memory was allocated and its address was assigned to the pointer found and then the pointer found was reassigned in the call of strstr in the for loop.
char* found = malloc((strlen(input)) * sizeof(char));
//...
// #pragma omp parallel for
for (int i=0; i<size; i++) {
found = strstr(tmp, delim);
//...
So the address of the early allocated memory is lost and the memory can not be freed.
And this for loop
for (int i=0; i<size; i++) {
is just senseless.
You may not call free neither for tmp nor for found. The pointer found does not point to a dynamically allocated memory and the pointer tmp is being changed within the for loop.
here is my new function. i wrote it in recursive mode.
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
int get_number_of_occurence(char* string, char* delim) {
char* found = strstr(string, delim);
if(found == NULL || strcmp(found,delim) ==0 ||found =="" ){
return 0;
}else{
return 1+get_number_of_occurence(found+strlen(delim), delim);
}
}
int split(char* input, char* delim, char** result,int array_idx) {
char* found= strstr(input, delim);
if (found==""||strlen(input)==0){
return 0;
}else if(found == NULL){
result[array_idx]=malloc(strlen(input)+1 * sizeof(char));
strncpy(result[array_idx], input, strlen(input));
*(result[array_idx] + strlen(input)) = '\0';
return 0;
}else{
int length = found - input;
result[array_idx]=malloc((length+1) * sizeof(char));
strncpy(result[array_idx], input, length);
*(result[array_idx] + length) = '\0';
return split(found+strlen(delim),delim,result,array_idx+1);
}
}
int main () {
char * delim = "ooo";
char * input="ssooonn";
int size = get_number_of_occurence(input, delim);
printf("size is : %d \n",size);
char *splitted_values[size+1];
split(input, delim,splitted_values,0);
for (int i=0; i<(size+1); i++) {
printf("%s\n",splitted_values[i]);
free(splitted_values[i]);
}
}
in this code, first i count the number of occurrence of delimiter.
then i create array in that size and fill it with the help of split function.
thanks for helping.
Related
My goal in the code is to parse some sort of input into words regarding all spaces but at the same time use those spaces to signify a change in words. The logic here is that anytime it encounters a space it loops until there is no longer a space character and then when it encounters a word it loops until it encounters a space character or a '\0' and meanwhile puts each character into one index of an array inside arrays in the 2d array. Then before the while loop continues again it indexes to the next array.
I'm almost certain the logic is implemented well enough for it to work but I get this weird output listed below I've had the same problem before when messing with pointers and whatnot but I just can't get this to work no matter what I do. Any ideas as to why I'm genuinely curious about the reason behind why?
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
void print_mat(char **arry, int y, int x){
for(int i=0;i<y;i++){
for(int j=0;j<x;j++){
printf("%c",arry[i][j]);
}
printf("\n");
}
}
char **parse(char *str)
{
char **parsed=(char**)malloc(sizeof(10*sizeof(char*)));
for(int i=0;i<10;i++){
parsed[i]=(char*)malloc(200*sizeof(char));
}
char **pointer = parsed;
while(*str!='\0'){
if(*str==32)
{
while(*str==32 && *str!='\0'){
str++;
}
}
while(*str!=32 && *str!='\0'){
(*pointer) = (str);
(*pointer)++;
str++;
}
pointer++;
}
return parsed;
}
int main(){
char str[] = "command -par1 -par2 thething";
char**point=parse(str);
print_mat(point,10,200);
return 0;
}
-par1 -par2 thethingUP%�W���U�6o� X%��U�v;,���UP%���cNjW��]A�aW�Ӹto�8so�z�
-par2 thethingUP%�W���U�6o� X%��U�v;,���UP%���cNjW��]A�aW�Ӹto�8so�z�
thethingUP%�W���U�6o� X%��U�v;,���UP%���cNjW��]A�aW�Ӹto�8so�z�
UP%�W���U�6o� X%��U�v;,���UP%���cNjW��]A�aW�Ӹto�8so�z�
I also tried to simply index the 2d array but to no avail
char **parse(char *str)
{
int i, j;
i=0;
j=0;
char **parsed=(char**)malloc(sizeof(10*sizeof(char*)));
for(int i=0;i<10;i++){
parsed[i]=(char*)malloc(200*sizeof(char));
}
while(*str!='\0'){
i=0;
if(*str==32)
{
while(*str==32 && *str!='\0'){
str++;
}
}
while(*str!=32 && *str!='\0'){
parsed[j][i] = (*str);
i++;
str++;
}
j++;
}
return parsed;
}
Output:
command�&�v�U`'�v�U0(�v�U)�v�U�)�v�U
-par1
-par2
thething
makefile:5: recipe for target 'build' failed
make: *** [build] Segmentation fault (core dumped)
A couple of problems in your code:
Your program is leaking memory.
Your program is accessing memory which it does not own and this is UB.
Lets discuss them one by one -
First problem - Memory leak:
Check this part of parse() function:
while(*str!=32 && *str!='\0'){
(*pointer) = (str);
In the first iteration of outer while loop, the *pointer will give you first member of parsed array i.e. parsed[0], which is a pointer to char. Note that you are dynamically allocating memory to parsed[0], parsed[1]... parsed[9] pointers in parse() before the outer while loop. In the inner while loop you are pointing them to str. Hence, they will loose the dynamically allocated memory reference and leading to memory leak.
Second problem - Accessing memory which it does not own:
As stated above that the pointers parsed[0], parsed[1] etc. will point to whatever was the current value of str in the inner while loop of parse() function. That means, the pointers parsed[0], parsed[1] etc. will point to some element of array str (defined in main()). In the print_mat() function, you are passing 200 and accessing every pointer of array arry from 0 to 199 index. Since, the arry pointers are pointing to str array whose size is 29, that means, your program is accessing memory (array) beyond its size which is UB.
Lets fix these problem in your code without making much of changes:
For memory leak:
Instead of pointing the pointers to str, assign characters of str to the allocated memory, like this:
int i = 0;
while(*str!=32 && *str!='\0'){
(*pointer)[i++] = (*str);
str++;
}
For accessing memory which it does not own:
A point that you should remember:
In C, strings are actually one-dimensional array of characters terminated by a null character \0.
First of all, empty the strings after dynamically allocating memory to them so that you can identify the unused pointers while printing them:
for(int i=0;i<10;i++){
parsed[i]=(char*)malloc(200*sizeof(char));
parsed[i][0] = '\0';
}
Terminate all string in with null terminator character after writing word to parsed array pointers:
int i = 0;
while(*str!=32 && *str!='\0'){
(*pointer)[i++] = (*str);
str++;
}
// Add null terminator
(*pointer)[i] = '\0';
In the print_mat(), make sure once you hit the null terminator character, don't read beyond it. Modify the condition of inner for loop:
for(int j = 0; (j < x) && (arry[i][j] != '\0'); j++){
printf("%c",arry[i][j]);
You don't need to print the strings character by character, you can simply use %s format specifier to print a string, like this -
for (int i = 0;i < y; i++) {
if (arry[i][0] != '\0') {
printf ("%s\n", arry[i]);
}
}
With the above suggested changes (which are the minimal changes required in your program to work it properly), your code will look like this:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
void print_mat (char **arry, int y) {
for (int i = 0; i < y; i++) {
if (arry[i][0] != '\0') {
printf ("%s\n", arry[i]);
}
}
}
char **parse(char *str) {
char **parsed = (char**)malloc(sizeof(10*sizeof(char*)));
// check malloc return
for(int i = 0; i < 10; i++){
parsed[i] = (char*)malloc(200*sizeof(char));
// check malloc return
parsed[i][0] = '\0';
}
char **pointer = parsed;
while (*str != '\0') {
if(*str == 32) {
while(*str==32 && *str!='\0') {
str++;
}
}
int i = 0;
while (*str != 32 && *str != '\0') {
(*pointer)[i++] = (*str);
str++;
}
(*pointer)[i] = '\0';
pointer++;
}
return parsed;
}
int main (void) {
char str[] = "command -par1 -par2 thething";
char **point = parse(str);
print_mat (point, 10);
// free the dynamically allocate memory
return 0;
}
Output:
command
-par1
-par2
thething
There is a lot improvements can be done in your code implementation, for e.g. -
As I have shown above, you can use %s format specifier instead of printing string character by character etc.. I am leaving it up to you to identify those changes and modify your program.
Allocate memory to a parsed array pointer only where there is a word in str.
Instead of allocating memory of fixed size (i.e. 200) to parsed array pointers, allocate memory of size of word only.
Few suggestions:
Always check the return value of function like malloc.
Make sure to free the dynamically allocated memory once your program done with it.
You can achieve what you want in a simpler way.
First, define a function that checks if a character (separator) is present in a list of characters (separators):
// Returns true if c is found in a list of separators, false otherwise.
bool belongs(const char c, const char *list)
{
for (const char *p = list; *p; ++p)
if (*p == c) return true;
return false;
}
Then, define a function that splits a given string into tokens, separated by one or more separators:
// Splits a string into into tokens, separated by one of the separators in sep
bool split(const char *s, const char *sep, char **tokens, size_t *ntokens, const size_t maxtokens)
{
// Start with zero tokens.
*ntokens = 0;
const char *start = s, *end = s;
for (const char *p = s; /*no condtition*/; ++p) {
// Can no longer hold more tokens? Exit.
if (*ntokens == maxtokens)
return false;
// Not a token? Continue looping.
if (*p && !belongs(*p, sep))
continue;
// Found a token: calculate its length.
size_t tlength = p - start;
// Empty token?
if (tlength == 0) {
// And reached the end of string? Break.
if (!*p) break;
// Not the end of string? Skip it.
++start;
continue;
}
// Attempt to allocate memory.
char *token = malloc(sizeof(*token) * (tlength + 1));
// Failed? Exit.
if (!token)
return false;
// Copy the token.
strncpy(token, start, tlength+1);
token[tlength] = '\0';
// Put it in tokens array.
tokens[*ntokens] = token;
// Update the number of tokens.
*ntokens += 1;
// Reached the end of string? Break.
if (!*p) break;
// There is more to parse. Set the start to the next char.
start = p + 1;
}
return true;
}
Call it like this:
int main(void)
{
char command[] = "command -par1 -par2 thing";
const size_t maxtokens = 10;
char **tokens = malloc(sizeof *tokens * maxtokens);
if (!tokens) return 1;
size_t ntokens = 0;
split(command, " ", tokens, &ntokens, maxtokens);
// Print all tokens.
printf("Number of tokens = %ld\n", ntokens);
for (size_t i = 0; i < ntokens; ++i)
printf("%s\n", tokens[i]);
// Release memory when done.
for (size_t i = 0; i < ntokens; ++i)
free(tokens[i]);
free(tokens);
}
Output:
Number of tokens = 4
command
-par1
-par2
thing
I'm trying to learn C, and one of the things I'm finding tricky is strings and manipulating them. I think I understand the basics of it, but I've taken for granted a lot of what might go into strings in JS or PHP (where I'm coming from).
I'm trying now to write a function that explodes a string into an array, based on a delimiter, using strtok. Similar to PHP's implementation of explode().
Here's the code:
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
char **explode(char *input, char delimiter) {
char **output;
char *token;
char *string = malloc(sizeof(char) * strlen(input));
char delimiter_str[2] = {delimiter, '\0'};
int i;
int delim_count = 0;
for (i = 0; i < strlen(input); i++) {
string[i] = input[i];
if (input[i] == delimiter) {
delim_count++;
}
}
string[strlen(input)] = '\0';
output = malloc(sizeof(char *) * (delim_count + 1));
token = strtok(string, delimiter_str);
i = 0;
while (token != NULL) {
output[i] = token;
token = strtok(NULL, delimiter_str);
i++;
}
// if i uncomment this line, output gets all messed up
// free(string);
return output;
}
int main() {
char **row = explode("id,username,password", ',');
int i;
for (i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
printf("%s\n", row[i]);
}
free(row);
return 0;
}
The question I have is why if I try to free(string) in the function, the output gets messed up, and if I'm doing this incorrectly in the first place. I believe I'm just not mapping out the memory properly in my head and that's why I'm not understanding the issue.
you misunderstand what strtok does, It does not make new strings, it is simply returning a pointer to different parts of the original string. If you then free that string all the pointers you stored become invalid. I think you need
while (token != NULL) {
output[i] = strdup(token);
token = strtok(NULL, delimiter_str);
i++;
}
strdup will allocated and copy a new string for you
In output you save pointers that points into string so when you free string, you free the memory that the output pointers are pointing to.
It's not enough to save the pointers. You'll have to copy the actual strings. To do that you need to allocate memory to output in another way.
I'm having a little trouble understanding where my code goes wrong. I want to store into an array of strings multiple lines and after to display them; for some unknown reason after I enter a different number of lines ( let's say 5 ), it will only display the last line 5 times. Any idea?
Thank you
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
int readLine(char line[], int max);
void printLines(char *lines[], int size);
int main(){
char *lines[100];
char line[100];
int i = 0;
int len = 0;
char *p;
while( (len = readline(line,100)) > 0){
if((p = malloc(len * sizeof(char))) != NULL){
p = line;
lines[i++] = p;
}
}
lines[i] = '\0';
printLines(lines, i);
return 0;
}
int readline(char line[], int max){
if(fgets(line,max,stdin) == NULL)
return 0;
printf("%d \n", strlen(line));
return strlen(line);
}
void printLines(char *lines[], int size){
int i;
for(i = 0; i < size; i++)
printf("%s\n", lines[i]);
}
if((p = malloc(len * sizeof(char))) != NULL){
p = line;
lines[i++] = p;
You allocate memory for a string, and store the pointer returned from malloc() in p. Then you store a pointer to line in p, effectively throwing away the pointer to the memory you just allocated. You need to copy the string by using strcpy() or similar.
strcpy (p, line);
This is your problem:
if((p = malloc(len * sizeof(char))) != NULL){
p = line;
lines[i++] = p;
}
p is a pointer that points to allocated storage first, but then its value is overwritten with the value of line. What you want is to copy what is currently stored at the location that line points to to the location where p points to. The function for that is strcpy().
Notes:
sizeof (char) is by the very definition of sizeof exactly 1.
You will have buffer overflow issues (google that term!) if people enter lines longer than 100 chars.
You are not really handling malloc() failure but merely skipping some code and otherwise ignoring it. Write an error message and call exit() for now if malloc() fails. Wrap that in a function for easier reuse (ofter called xalloc()).
I am trying to brush up on my C and I have the following code it works when I use the i offset but not with hold++, I don't see why I thought they did same thing?
Here is the version I can't get to work:
char* reversestring2(char* s)
{
int mysize = strlen(s);
char* temp = s+mysize;
//I do +1 for the terminator
char* hold = (char*) malloc(mysize+1);
while(temp > s)
{
*(hold) = *--temp;
hold++;
}
*(hold++) = '\0';
//printf("pre cpy %s", hold);
strcpy(s,hold);
//printf("%s", hold);
return(s);
}
Thanks
char* reversestring(char* s)
{
int mysize = strlen(s);
char* temp = s+mysize;
char* hold = (char*) malloc(mysize+1);
int i=0;
while(temp > s)
{
*(hold+i) = *--temp;
//hold++;
i++;
}
*(hold+i) = '\0';
//printf("pre cpy %s", hold);
strcpy(s,hold);
//printf("%s", hold);
return(s);
}
int main()
{
//printf("%s\n", "you suck");
char test[100] = "you suck";
reversestring(test);
printf("%s\n", test);
//or
char* hold = (char*) malloc(100);
hold = reversestring(test);
if(hold == NULL)
printf("%s\n", "ERROR");
printf("Second run: %s\n", hold);
}
When you use hold++, the pointer hold advances to the end of the allocated array. Then you do this:
*(hold+i) = '\0';
which inserts a value into memory outside the bounds of the allocated space (e.g 200 steps from the beginning of an array of length 100), which causes undefined behavior. Then this:
strcpy(s,hold);
which copies who-knows-what from uncontrolled memory into the string.
hold is a pointer variable which points to the beginning (first char element) of the block of memory that you allocate. hold++ will make it point to the next char in that block of memory.
hold = hold + 5 will make it point to the 6-th char in that block of memory and so on.
if you want to use hold++ instead, you need to delete i++, and replace *(hold+i) = *--temp; with *hold = *--temp; if you want so.
*hold is equivalent to *(hold + 0), I think you get the idea
I am doing an exercise on a book, changing the words in a sentence into pig latin. The code works fine in window 7, but when I compiled it in mac, the error comes out.
After some testings, the error comes from there. I don't understand the reason of this problem. I am using dynamic memories for all the pointers and I have also added the checking of null pointer.
while (walker != NULL && *walker != NULL){
free(**walker);
free(*walker);
free(walker);
walker++;
}
Full source code:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <assert.h>
#define inputSize 81
void getSentence(char sentence [], int size);
int countWord(char sentence[]);
char ***parseSentence(char sentence[], int *count);
char *translate(char *world);
char *translateSentence(char ***words, int count);
int main(void){
/* Local definition*/
char sentence[inputSize];
int wordsCnt;
char ***head;
char *result;
getSentence(sentence, inputSize);
head = parseSentence(sentence, &wordsCnt);
result = translateSentence(head, wordsCnt);
printf("\nFinish the translation: \n");
printf("%s", result);
return 0;
}
void getSentence(char sentence [81], int size){
char *input = (char *)malloc(size);
int length;
printf("Input the sentence to big latin : ");
fflush(stdout);
fgets(input, size, stdin);
// do not copy the return character at inedx of length - 1
// add back delimater
length = strlen(input);
strncpy(sentence, input, length-1);
sentence[length-1]='\0';
free(input);
}
int countWord(char sentence[]){
int count=0;
/*Copy string for counting */
int length = strlen(sentence);
char *temp = (char *)malloc(length+1);
strcpy(temp, sentence);
/* Counting */
char *pToken = strtok(temp, " ");
char *last = NULL;
assert(pToken == temp);
while (pToken){
count++;
pToken = strtok(NULL, " ");
}
free(temp);
return count;
}
char ***parseSentence(char sentence[], int *count){
// parse the sentence into string tokens
// save string tokens as a array
// and assign the first one element to the head
char *pToken;
char ***words;
char *pW;
int noWords = countWord(sentence);
*count = noWords;
/* Initiaze array */
int i;
words = (char ***)calloc(noWords+1, sizeof(char **));
for (i = 0; i< noWords; i++){
words[i] = (char **)malloc(sizeof(char *));
}
/* Parse string */
// first element
pToken = strtok(sentence, " ");
if (pToken){
pW = (char *)malloc(strlen(pToken)+1);
strcpy(pW, pToken);
**words = pW;
/***words = pToken;*/
// other elements
for (i=1; i<noWords; i++){
pToken = strtok(NULL, " ");
pW = (char *)malloc(strlen(pToken)+1);
strcpy(pW, pToken);
**(words + i) = pW;
/***(words + i) = pToken;*/
}
}
/* Loop control */
words[noWords] = NULL;
return words;
}
/* Translate a world into big latin */
char *translate(char *word){
int length = strlen(word);
char *bigLatin = (char *)malloc(length+3);
/* translate the word into pig latin */
static char *vowel = "AEIOUaeiou";
char *matchLetter;
matchLetter = strchr(vowel, *word);
// consonant
if (matchLetter == NULL){
// copy the letter except the head
// length = lenght of string without delimiter
// cat the head and add ay
// this will copy the delimater,
strncpy(bigLatin, word+1, length);
strncat(bigLatin, word, 1);
strcat(bigLatin, "ay");
}
// vowel
else {
// just append "ay"
strcpy(bigLatin, word);
strcat(bigLatin, "ay");
}
return bigLatin;
}
char *translateSentence(char ***words, int count){
char *bigLatinSentence;
int length = 0;
char *bigLatinWord;
/* calculate the sum of the length of the words */
char ***walker = words;
while (*walker){
length += strlen(**walker);
walker++;
}
/* allocate space for return string */
// one space between 2 words
// numbers of space required =
// length of words
// + (no. of words * of a spaces (1) -1 )
// + delimater
// + (no. of words * ay (2) )
int lengthOfResult = length + count + (count * 2);
bigLatinSentence = (char *)malloc(lengthOfResult);
// trick to initialize the first memory
strcpy(bigLatinSentence, "");
/* Translate each word */
int i;
char *w;
for (i=0; i<count; i++){
w = translate(**(words + i));
strcat(bigLatinSentence, w);
strcat(bigLatinSentence, " ");
assert(w != **(words + i));
free(w);
}
/* free memory of big latin words */
walker = words;
while (walker != NULL && *walker != NULL){
free(**walker);
free(*walker);
free(walker);
walker++;
}
return bigLatinSentence;
}
Your code is unnecessarily complicated, because you have set things up such that:
n: the number of words
words: points to allocated memory that can hold n+1 char ** values in sequence
words[i] (0 <= i && i < n): points to allocated memory that can hold one char * in sequence
words[n]: NULL
words[i][0]: points to allocated memory for a word (as before, 0 <= i < n)
Since each words[i] points to stuff-in-sequence, there is a words[i][j] for some valid integer j ... but the allowed value for j is always 0, as there is only one char * malloc()ed there. So you could eliminate this level of indirection entirely, and just have char **words.
That's not the problem, though. The freeing loop starts with walker identical to words, so it first attempts to free words[0][0] (which is fine and works), then attempts to free words[0] (which is fine and works), then attempts to free words (which is fine and works but means you can no longer access any other words[i] for any value of i—i.e., a "storage leak"). Then it increments walker, making it more or less equivalent to &words[1]; but words has already been free()d.
Instead of using walker here, I'd use a loop with some integer i:
for (i = 0; words[i] != NULL; i++) {
free(words[i][0]);
free(words[i]);
}
free(words);
I'd also recommending removing all the casts on malloc() and calloc() return values. If you get compiler warnings after doing this, they usually mean one of two things:
you've forgotten to #include <stdlib.h>, or
you're invoking a C++ compiler on your C code.
The latter sometimes works but is a recipe for misery: good C code is bad C++ code and good C++ code is not C code. :-)
Edit: PS: I missed the off-by-one lengthOfResult that #David RF caught.
int lengthOfResult = length + count + (count * 2);
must be
int lengthOfResult = length + count + (count * 2) + 1; /* + 1 for final '\0' */
while (walker != NULL && *walker != NULL){
free(**walker);
free(*walker);
/* free(walker); Don't do this, you still need walker */
walker++;
}
free(words); /* Now */
And you have a leak:
int main(void)
{
...
free(result); /* You have to free the return of translateSentence() */
return 0;
}
In this code:
while (walker != NULL && *walker != NULL){
free(**walker);
free(*walker);
free(walker);
walker++;
}
You need to check that **walker is not NULL before freeing it.
Also - when you compute the length of memory you need to return the string, you are one byte short because you copy each word PLUS A SPACE (including a space after the last word) PLUS THE TERMINATING \0. In other words, when you copy your result into the bigLatinSentence, you will overwrite some memory that isn't yours. Sometimes you get away with that, and sometimes you don't...
Wow, so I was intrigued by this, and it took me a while to figure out.
Now that I figured it out, I feel dumb.
What I noticed from running under gdb is that the thing failed on the second run through the loop on the line
free(walker);
Now why would that be so. This is where I feel dumb for not seeing it right away. When you run that line, the first time, the whole array of char*** pointers at words (aka walker on the first run through) on the second run through, when your run that line, you're trying to free already freed memory.
So it should be:
while (walker != NULL && *walker != NULL){
free(**walker);
free(*walker);
walker++;
}
free(words);
Edit:
I also want to note that you don't have to cast from void * in C.
So when you call malloc, you don't need the (char *) in there.