segmentation fault when adding array to a node n-ary tree - c

Question

I'm trying to create an N-ary tree where I have a char array ex: {A,B,C,D} to insert to a tree.
I set the root to be "/"
if the command is mkdir /A/B/C => create node A at root, then B at A and C at B. if the command is mkdir B/C/D =>create node D inside C, etc... I simplified the code below so hopefully, there won't be any typo here. Anyway, upon debugging with gdb, it looks like the upon reaching search function will give me a segmentation fault, I made the code below, I'm really sure the insert function will have the same error as well but I haven't been able to test it out yet.
head.c
#pragma once
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <ctype.h>
#define len 128
#define num 128
typedef struct tree{
char name;
char type;
struct node *child, *sibbling, *parentNode;
}node;
char *baseName[64];
node *root, *cwd;
tree.c
node *createNode(node * newNode, char ch, char ty){
node *curNode = (node*)malloc(sizeof(node));
curNode->name = ch;
curNode->type = ty;
curNode->parentNode = newNode;
curNode->sibbling = curNode->child=NULL;
return curNode;
}
node * insertNode(node *parent, char name, char type){
if(parent->child == NULL){
parent->child=parent;
createNode(parent->child,name,type);
}
else{
parent->sibbling = parent;
createNode(parent->sibbling,name,type);
}
}
node *searchNode(node *curNode, char name){
if(curNode->name ==name){ <------------error here
return curNode;
}
if(name != curNode->name && curNode->sibbling != '\0'){
searchNode(curNode->sibbling, name);
}
if(name != curNode->name && curNode->child != '\0'){
searchNode(curNode->sibbling, name);
}
return 0;
}
void mkDir(){
int index = 0;
int flag =0;
int baseFlag=0;
node *pwd = root;
///// insert
while(dirName[index] !='\0'){
if(searchNode(root,dirName[index]) != NULL){ <-- error in this searchNode function //no node exist
// insertNode(pwd,"A","D"); <---this probably error too
printf("found A");
}
else{
//node exist
cwd = searchNode(root,dirName[index]);
insertNode(cwd,dirName[index],"D");
}
index++;
}
}
memset(dirName,'\0',sizeof(dirName));
}

Answer 1

I suspect you are passing in a null node reference to the searchNode function, hence when you try to access the property name you are getting a segfault.
I would recommend testing for and handling for null references in your code.

Answer 2

function createNode return type is node*.In function insertNode you must store the address of new node in some other variable of type node*.
node *r
r=createNode(parent->child,name,type);
....
...
In the function searchNode you must check
if(curnode!=NULL) {
if(curNode->name ==name){
return curNode;
}
}
In the last line you are returning 0 but return type is node*
return either NULL or (node*)0.