How to use pointers to allocate an array inside another function - c

Question

I'm 2nd year computer engineer and still in learning process of C language. I'd like to undesrtand how to dynamically alocate an array by using function instead of allocate inside the main.
Here is the code that works when I allocate array inside main.
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <windows.h>
#include <time.h>
#define ESC_KEY 27
#define NUM_1_KEY 49
#define NUM_2_KEY 50
void find_two_largest(int a[], int n, int *largest, int *second_largest);
void arrayInit(int *,int *, int, int);
void randGenArray(int [], int);
void inputArray(int[], int);
void result(int, int);
void loading(void);
int menu(void);
int main(void)
{
system("color f5");
int n,i,largest,largest_2, *a;
arrayInit(a,&n, 2, 10);
if(menu())
randGenArray(a,n);
else
inputArray(a,n);
find_two_largest(a,n,&largest,&largest_2);
result(largest,largest_2);
return 0;
}
void find_two_largest(int a[], int n, int *largest, int *second_largest)
{
int i=0,j=0;
system("cls");
loading();
*largest = 0;
*second_largest = *largest;
for (i=1;i<n;i++){
if(*largest<a[i])
*largest=a[i];
}
for(j=1;j<n;j++){
if(*largest==a[j])
continue;
else{
if(*second_largest<a[j])
*second_largest=a[j];
}
}
return;
}
void randGenArray(int a[], int n)
{
srand(time(NULL));
int i;
for(i=0; i<n; i++){
a[i]=rand()%100;
Sleep(10);
printf("\n>> Integer %d: %d", i+1, a[i]);
}
printf("\n\n\nPress any key to continue...");
getch();
return;
}
void inputArray(int a[], int n)
{
int i;
for(i=0; i<n; i++){
printf("\n Please enter integer %d: ", i+1);
scanf("%d",&a[i]);
}
return;
}
int menu(void)
{
char _char;
printf("\n Please choose one of the following options:\n 1.Fill array manually\n 2.Fill array by random numbers\n\n ");
while(1)
{
_char = getch();
switch(_char)
{
case ESC_KEY:
printf("\n\n Thank you for using our software!\n\n");
exit(0);
case NUM_1_KEY:
system("cls");
return 0;
case NUM_2_KEY:
system("cls");
return 1;
default:
break;
}
}
}
void arrayInit(int *a,int *n, int min, int max)
{
printf("\n Please enter a length of the array: ");
do{
scanf("%d", n);
if (*n<min||*n>max)
printf("\nThe ranged is limited. Please enter the value between %d and %d.\n", min, max);
} while(*n<min||*n>max);
a = (int*)calloc(*n,sizeof(int));
return;
}
void loading(void)
{
printf("\n Loading");
printf(".");
Sleep(300);
printf(".");
Sleep(300);
printf(".");
Sleep(300);
system("cls");
return;
}
void result(int l, int l2)
{
system("cls");
printf("\n Largest = %d Second Largest = %d",l,l2);
Sleep(500);
printf("\n\n\n Thank you using our software! ;D\n\n");
return;
}
But if you cut and paste this line from arrayInit to main and change *n to n - it will work!
a = (int*)calloc(*n,sizeof(int));
I'm sorry for asking about so stupid and obvious things but I didn't figure it out by myself. Thank you for any advice.

Answer 1

Here is a simple program which will show you how to do that -
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
void create(int **p,int n); // function taking arguments as int ** and n is number of elements
int main(void) {
int *a;
int n=5,i; // declare and initialize n
create(&a,n); // pass address of a to function
for(i=0;i<n;i++){
a[i]=i; // store value of i in a[i]
printf("%d\n",i); // print a[i]
}
free(a); // free the allocated memory
return 0;
}
void create(int **p, int n){
*p=calloc(n,sizeof(int)); // allocate memory to *p (type- is int *)
}
Working Code

Answer 2

You must change your function return type
void * arrayInit(int *n, int min, int max)
{
printf("\n Please enter a length of the array: ");
do{
scanf("%d", n);
if (*n<min||*n>max)
printf("\nThe ranged is limited. Please enter the value between %d and %d.\n", min, max);
} while(*n<min||*n>max);
return calloc(*n,sizeof(int));
}
And call it from main in this way: a = arrayInit(&n, 2, 10);