Can't more than two strings compare? - c

Question

If we compared integers we would assign one of them as the largest/smallest one.
However, when I try comparing more than two strings, I can't manage assaigment.
In my code "for loop" compares two of the strings. This is good method but I need to compare one of them to the others individually. (I can predict that I need to use two for loop, but also I can't implement) What is your suggestions?
Here is my code:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>
typedef struct wordSorting
{
char name[15];
int i = 0;
};
int main()
{
wordSorting *wordElement = (wordSorting *)malloc(sizeof(wordSorting));
wordElement = (wordSorting *)malloc(sizeof(wordSorting));
printf("-- Enter three person name --\n\n");
for (wordElement->i = 0; wordElement->i < 3; wordElement->i++)
{
printf("Enter %d. person name: ", wordElement->i + 1);
scanf("%s", wordElement[wordElement->i].name);
}
printf("\n");
for (wordElement->i = 0; wordElement->i < 3; wordElement->i++)
{
if ((strcmp(wordElement[wordElement->i].name, wordElement[wordElement->i + 1].name))<0)
{
printf("%s", wordElement[wordElement->i].name);
}
}
}

Answer 1

First
typedef struct wordSorting
{
char name[15];
int i = 0;
};
Members of typedef/struct cannot be initied.
That is not the way to define a typedef, change it as:
typedef struct
{
char name[15];
int i;
}wordSorting;
Second:
wordElement = (wordSorting *)malloc(sizeof(wordSorting));
makes no sense. malloc returns void pointer, and you already init your variable at the first element in the first line of code.
And, as someone edited: do not cast malloc return, please.
Third, :
wordSorting *wordElement = (wordSorting *)malloc(sizeof(wordSorting));
wordElement = (wordSorting *)malloc(sizeof(wordSorting));
printf("-- Enter three person name --\n\n");
for (wordElement->i = 0; wordElement->i < 3; wordElement->i++)
{
printf("Enter %d. person name: ", wordElement->i + 1);
scanf("%s", wordElement[wordElement->i].name);
}
You are allocating space for one element, no array are defined then wordElement[wordElement->i].name is undefined Behaviour.
Finally
I don't know what compiler are you using, but gcc cannot compile such a bad code full of errors...
Suggestion.
What I think you need is to use array, but you must allocate the number of member you need, by:
wordSorting *wordElement = malloc(sizeof(wordSorting)*num_of_elements);
or simply, using a local array:
wordSorting wordElement[num_of_elements];