How to parse a structure array as a parameter? - c

Question

How should I parse an array of structures as parameter to a function?
For example, I have the following structure definition:
struct Town
{
char *TownName;
char **GiftList;
int *GiftCount;
int GiftTypes;
};
and a declaration of an array of such structures, in my main:
struct Town TownList[100];
struct Town AuxiliaryStructure;
I have written a custom sorting function for this array, in which I want to make use of each structure's fields, but I do not know how to provide the array TownList[100] to the sort function.

Answer 1

To pass an array of anything to a function, you can just pass a pointer to the first element plus an array length:
struct mystruct {
char* something;
/* ... */
}
struct mystruct myarray[100];
void do_something(struct mystruct* array, int length)
{
int i;
for (i=0; i<length; ++i)
{
array[i].something = ...
}
}
int main(void)
{
do_something(myarray, 100);
return 0;
}

Answer 2

Based on what you wrote, you would reference it in the caller and pass the result. For example:
void sort(char* str){
...
}
int main(){
for(int i=0; i<100; ++i){
sort(array[i].something);
}
}
Alternately you may want to pass the full array and handle it in another function, which would be like this:
void sort(struct mystruct * array){
...
}
int main(){
for(int i=0; i<100; ++i){
sort(array);
}
}
If, on the other hand, you meant that you want to sort the outer array of structures by the contents of something, then you would either have to pass the array as above and implement your own sort, or use a sorting function that takes a function pointer so you can write a comparator. The latter is available in the standard C library, and could be used something like this.
#include <stdlib.h>
int compare_mystruct_by_something(const void *a, const void *b){
return strcmp(((struct mystruct*)a)->something, ((struct mystruct *)b)->something);
}
int main(){
qsort(array, 100, sizeof(struct mystruct), compare_mystruct_by_something);
}