need to get better code to read file into variables - c

Question

Currently have this code (see below). It was working fine, but I needed to be able to manage empty lines, and also lines with comment. These comment lines are defined as : having "#" as the first character of a line. Initially, I would just loop 100 times, because I limit the storage into variable to 100 as well, but when skipping empty lines and remark lines, the simple counter to 100 doesn't work. Still, only the first 100 valid lines may be read, and stored into the "menu_choices" variable. Also, the length of each line should be limited to 100 characters (or, I have a variable of 100 characters, so 99+enter). I'll need to include that as well. I can't decide wheter I need an IF statement, or a while, or whatever.
int x;
char inputfile[512];
char menu_number[100];
char menu_choices[100][100];
printf("\nopening:%s\n",inputfile);
p_datafile=fopen(inputfile,"r");
x=1;
//for (x=1 ; x <= 100 ; x++ )
do
{
// read next line into variable
fgets(menu_choices[x],100,p_datafile);
if ( strcmp ( menu_choices[x] , "" ) == 0 ) break;
if ( strncmp(menu_choices[x],"#",1) )
{
printf("%d[lngth=%d]=%s",x,strlen(menu_choices[x]),menu_choices[x]);
x++;
}
else
{
printf("\n LINE WITH #");
}
sleep (1);
} while (1);
fclose(inputfile);
Can you improve the above code ?

Answer 1

To achieve what you describe, may be this could work.
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <ctype.h>
int
main()
{
int lineCount;
char filename[512];
/* if you want to read 100 characters you need 1 extra for the termination 0 */
char menu_choices[100][100 + 1 /* termination 0 */];
int extraLines;
int lineLength;
FILE *p_datafile; // p_datafile was not declared...
int character;
int skipLine;
printf("enter filename please: ");
scanf("%511s", filename);
printf("\topening:%s\n", filename);
lineCount = 0;
p_datafile = fopen(filename, "r");
if (p_datafile == NULL)
return 0; // or perhaps return a value, since there is no context here I don't know
memset(menu_choices[0], 0, 101);
extraLines = 0;
lineLength = 0;
skipLine = 0;
while ((p_datafile != NULL) && ((character = getc(p_datafile)) != EOF))
{
if (character == '\n')
{
if ((lineLength > 0) && (skipLine == 0))
{
menu_choices[lineCount][lineLength] = 0;
lineCount += 1;
printf("valid line %d [length -> %d] -> %s\n", lineCount, lineLength, menu_choices[lineCount - 1]);
memset(menu_choices[lineCount], 0, 101);
}
else if (skipLine != 0)
{
fprintf(stderr, "line starts with #\n");
extraLines += 1;
}
else if (lineLength == 0)
{
fprintf(stderr, "line is empty\n");
extraLines += 1;
}
skipLine = 0;
lineLength = 0;
}
else if ((lineLength == 0) && (isspace(character) != 0))
{
/* Ignore spaces if non-space characters where not found yet. */
}
else
{
if ((lineLength == 0) && (character == '#'))
skipLine = 1; /* Ignore this line, it starts with */
else if (lineLength < 100)
{
menu_choices[lineCount][lineLength] = (char)character;
lineLength += 1;
}
}
}
fclose(p_datafile); // the FILE * not the filename
return 0;
}

Answer 2

I'm not very sure if i have understood your question, but it seems following points can help you to achieve your goal.
add a NULL check on p_datafile to check the success of fopen(). [assuming p_datafile is already defined as FILE *, which part you din't show us.]
instead of break; after if ( strcmp ( menu_choices[x] , "" ) == 0 ), use continue.
add a continue; after printf("\n LINE WITH #"); inside else block.
after if...else block, check if (x == 100), if true, break;
in fclose(), use p_datafile. It expects the file pointer, not the filename.

Answer 3

One answer was just before me but I'll post anyway. Bear in mind that fgets() reads the newline too, so I have tested for/ removed it. Also, your indexing: as far as possible use 0-based indexing, and make any adjustments between 0.. and 1.. for the human at the point of input and output.
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
int main()
{
int x, len;
char inputfile[512] = "lines.txt";
char menu_number[100];
char menu_choices[100][100];
FILE *p_datafile;
printf ("\nopening:%s\n",inputfile);
p_datafile=fopen (inputfile,"rt"); // it's a text file
if (p_datafile == NULL) {
printf ("Can't open file %s\n", inputfile);
exit (1);
}
x = 0; // get the array indexing right
while (x<100 && fgets(menu_choices[x], 100, p_datafile)) {
if (menu_choices[x][0] != '\n' && menu_choices[x][0] != '#') {
len = strlen (menu_choices[x]);
if (menu_choices[x][len-1] == '\n') // remove newline
menu_choices[x][len-1] = 0;
printf ("%s\n", menu_choices[x]);
// sleep (1);
x++;
}
}
fclose(p_datafile); // corrected mistake (don't use filename)
return 0;
}
Input file:
Line 1
Line 02
#not line 3
line three
Program output:
opening:lines.txt
Line 1
Line 02
line three