Does array initialize memory in c? [duplicate] - c

Question

This question already has answers here:
initial value of int array in C
(10 answers)
Closed 2 years ago.
Having this linked list:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
struct node {
int value;
struct node *next;
};
typedef struct node node_t;
void printlist(const node_t*);
node_t *create_node(int);
int main(void){
int values[3] = {1,2,3};
node_t *nodes[3];
for(int i =0; i<3 ; i++)
{
nodes[i] = create_node(values[i]);
if(i!=2)
nodes[i]->next = nodes[i+1]; //HERE, can I assign next (un)initialized node?
}
node_t *header = nodes[0];
printlist(header);
}
void printlist(const node_t* header){
for(const node_t *i = header; i; i=i->next)
printf("value is %i\n",i->value);
}
node_t *create_node(int value){
node_t *new = malloc(sizeof(node_t));
new->value=value;
new->next = 0;
return new;
}
Which gives:
value is 1
value is 29590344
Command terminated
As I can see from output, the first node (header), does not have assign next struct member, which should happened from the loop. But I am assigning the next (pointer to new node) to an (un)initialized member from array (of pointer to nodes). I expect a initilization of array should also initilize a memory, when it has size. But does it? If so, then I do not understand why the assignment does not work, otherwise I understand and have to implement other loop. Thanks for answers.

Answer 1

Your code does not create the dynamic list as you have an array of 3 nodes. next is not needed.
You probably want something like this.
/* you need to check if memory allocation was successful */
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <stdio.h>
typedef struct node {
int value;
struct node *next;
} node_t;
void printlist(const node_t*);
node_t *append_node(node_t *, int);
int main()
{
node_t *head = NULL, *parent = head;
for(int x = 0; x < 10; x++)
if(!head)
{
head = append_node(NULL, x);
parent = head;
}
else
{
parent = append_node(parent, x);
}
printlist(head);
}
void printlist(const node_t* head){
while(head)
{
printf("value is %i\n",head->value);
head = head -> next;
}
}
node_t *append_node(node_t *parent, int value){
node_t *new = malloc(sizeof(*new));
new->value=value;
new->next = NULL;
if(parent) parent -> next = new;
return new;
}