Segmentation fault before main is executed - c

Question

For some reason I am getting a segmentation fault before any of my code is actually executed in the main() function. I have tried following the line of execution by putting in printfs but nothing is actually executed. I don't see anything in my program that would be causing a stack overflow, as I hardly even use memory.
If someone has better eyes than me and can spot this error it would be very much appreciated!
Main:
#include "../inc/protos.h"
HistogramData *histogram_data;
bool signal_caught = false;
sem_t *semaphore_id;
int letter_count[kLetterCount] = { 0 };
int wait_time = 0;
int main(void)
{
int shared_memory_id = 0;
key_t shared_memory_key = 0;
char buffer[kBufferLength] = { 0 };
int heads = 0;
int tails = 0;
printf("1");
histogram_data->signal_caught = false;
signal(SIGINT, signal_handler);
printf("2");
//Get the key to the allocated shared memory
shared_memory_key = ftok("/tmp", 'M');
if(shared_memory_key == -1)
{
printf("(CONSUMER) Cannot allocate key.\n");
return 1;
}
printf("3");
//Look for shared memory every 10 seconds until it finds it
while(true)
{
if((shared_memory_id = shmget(shared_memory_key, sizeof(histogram_data), 0)) == -1)
{
printf("4");
printf("(CONSUMER) Shared Memory does not exist. Please run the Producer program.\n");
sleep(kSleepTime);
}
else
{
printf("5");
break;
}
}
printf("(CONSUMER) Our Shared Memory ID is %d.\n", shared_memory_id);
//Attach the structure to the shared memory
histogram_data = (HistogramData*) shmat(shared_memory_id, NULL, 0);
if(histogram_data == NULL)
{
printf("(CONSUMER) Cannot attach to Shared Memory.\n");
return 3;
}
semaphore_id = sem_open("/HISTOGRAM_SEM", O_CREAT, S_IRUSR | S_IWUSR, 1);
signal(SIGALRM, alarm_handler);
//Set the watchdog timer to 2 seconds.
alarm(kAlarmSeconds);
//Detach from shared memory
shmdt(histogram_data);
return 0;
}
void signal_handler(int signal_number)
{
printf ("(CONSUMER) Received a signal. SIGINT ID is %d\n", signal_number);
histogram_data->signal_caught = true;
// Send SIGINT to Producer2
kill(histogram_data->producer2_pid, SIGINT);
// Send SIGINT to Producer1
kill(histogram_data->producer1_pid, SIGINT);
}
void print_line(int num)
{
int hundreds = num / 100;
num = num % 100;
int tens = num / 10;
num = num % 10;
int ones = num;
int i = 0;
for(i = 0; i < hundreds; i++)
{
printf("*");
}
for(i = 0; i < tens; i++)
{
printf("+");
}
for(i = 0; i < ones; i++)
{
printf("-");
}
printf("\n");
}
void display_histogram(int letter_count[])
{
int i = 0;
printf("\n********** HISTOGRAM **********\n");
for(i = 0; i < kLetterCount; i++)
{
printf("%c-%03d ", i + 65, letter_count[i]);
print_line(letter_count[i]);
}
}
void alarm_handler(int signal_number)
{
int wait_time = 0;
sem_wait(semaphore_id);
int i = 0;
for(i = 0; i < kDCReads; i++)
{
int* read_index = &histogram_data->read_index;
if(histogram_data->circular_buffer[*read_index] != 0)
{
int read_data = histogram_data->circular_buffer[*read_index];
histogram_data->circular_buffer[*read_index] = 0;
++letter_count[read_data - 65];
if(*read_index == kCircleBufferSize)
{
*read_index = 0;
}
if(*read_index == histogram_data->write_index)
{
break;
}
}
}
if(signal_caught == true)
{
//Read and write indexes from the histogram data structure
int* read_index = &histogram_data->read_index;
int* write_index = &histogram_data->write_index;
//Read data from buffer
while(*read_index != *write_index)
{
if(histogram_data->circular_buffer[*read_index])
{
//Data read in from the circular buffer
int read_data = histogram_data->circular_buffer[*read_index];
//Mark element as read
histogram_data->circular_buffer[*read_index] = 0;
++letter_count[read_data - 65];
//Increment the elements
(*read_index)++;
if(*read_index == 256)
{
*read_index = 0;
}
if(*read_index == *write_index)
{
break;
}
}
}
//Display a histogram listing
display_histogram(letter_count);
return;
}
wait_time++;
if(wait_time >= 5)
{
wait_time = 0;
display_histogram(letter_count);
}
//Release semaphore lock
sem_post(semaphore_id);
//Set the alarm for the watchdog to be two seconds
alarm(kAlarmSeconds);
//Reactivate watchdog signal
signal(signal_number, alarm_handler);
}
protos.h:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <stdbool.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <time.h>
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <sys/ipc.h>
#include <sys/shm.h>
#include <fcntl.h>
#include <signal.h>
#include <semaphore.h>
#define kCircleBufferSize 256
#define kBufferLength 126
#define kLetterCount 20
#define kDCReads 60
#define kAlarmSeconds 2
#define kSleepTime 10
typedef struct HistogramData HistogramData;
struct HistogramData
{
int read_index;
int write_index;
int is_wrap_around;
pid_t producer1_pid;
pid_t producer2_pid;
char circular_buffer[kCircleBufferSize];
bool signal_caught;
};
void signal_handler(int signal_number);
void print_line(int num);
void display_histogram(int letter_count[]);
void alarm_handler(int signal_number);

Answer 1

For some reason I am getting a segmentation fault before any of my code is actually executed in the main() function.
One of your preloaded data structures is likely to be causing overflow in the stack. You also have a lot of buffering going on to the output and, additionally, you have several places where you use printf() but do not append the newline \nto flush the console buffer. Alternatively, you can follow #sabbahillel's comment by putting fflush() after your printf() statements.

Answer 2

You create histogram_data as a pointer to HistogramData, but don't create a HistogramData object. Then, when you call histogram_data->signal_caught = false in main, you program dereferences a NULL pointer.
Instead, allocate memory for HistogramData before using the pointer (for example, histogram_data = malloc(sizeof *histogram_data);). Don't forget to free it later, too.