Compiler error when trying to print from struct - c

Question

My assignment is to, using structs, get input of info on employees, and output their pay.
It appears to run properly until I get to the end and try to printf() the calculated results. The compiler tells me [Error] request for member '*' in something not a structure or union. (Replace * with ID, name, grossPay, netPay.)
Sorry if it's been asked; I'm still new to structs/pointers/etc, so I suspect it's a simple mistake. It's just not jumping out at me. I looked through some of the previous questions but many are situation-specific.
// Matt Posey - PP #20
#include <stdio.h>
struct employee
{
char ID[6];
char name[20];
float hours;
float payRate;
float grossPay;
float netPay;
};
int main()
{
int j, i = 0;
int employees;
printf("This program computes pay.\n");
printf("\nNumber of employees: ");
scanf("%d", &employees);
fseek(stdin,0,SEEK_END);
// Get data
for (i = 0; i < employees; i++)
{
j = i;
struct employee j;
printf("\nFor employee %d:", i+1);
printf("\nID: ");
gets(j.ID);
fseek(stdin,0,SEEK_END);
printf("Name: ");
gets(j.name);
fseek(stdin,0,SEEK_END);
printf("Pay rate: ");
scanf("%f", &j.payRate);
fseek(stdin,0,SEEK_END);
printf("Hours worked: ");
scanf("%f", &j.hours);
fseek(stdin,0,SEEK_END);
j.grossPay = j.hours * j.payRate;
if (j.hours > 40)
{
printf("Overtime!");
float OT = (j.hours - 40) * (j.payRate * 0.5);
j.grossPay += OT;
}
j.netPay = j.grossPay * 0.75;
}
// Output data
printf("\n\nID | Name | Gross Pay | Net Pay");
printf("\n------ | -------------------- | --------- | -------");
for (i = 0; i < employees; i++)
{
j = i;
printf("\n%c | %c | $%7.2f | $%7.2f", j.ID, j.name, j.grossPay, j.netPay);
}
return 0;
}

Answer 1

Several issues with the question code...
1)
// Get data
for (i = 0; i < employees; i++)
{
j = i;
struct employee j;
The variable j is only visible inside the scope (ie braces) where it is declared. Fix this by moving it to `main()''s scope:
int main()
{
int j, i = 0;
int employees;
struct employee j;
Of course, this causes another problem it that there is already an `int j' defined. Get rid of that:
int main()
{
int i = 0;
int employees;
struct employee j;
2) Next, you need j to be an array that can hold all the employees. Unfortunately, you don't know (at compile time) how many employees the user will require. So, just make a pointer to allocate some memory to later:
int main()
{
int i = 0;
int employees;
struct employee *j=NULL;
Let the user indicate how many employees, then allocate sufficient memory for the array:
printf("\nNumber of employees: ");
scanf("%d", &employees);
fseek(stdin,0,SEEK_END);
j = malloc(employees * sizeof(*j));
if(NULL == j)
{
fprintf(stdout, "malloc() failed.\n");
goto CLEANUP;
}
Then, put a 'goto label' just before the return statement:
CLEANUP:
return 0;
}
In order to use the malloc() function, you will have to include another header:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h> /* Added for 'malloc()' */
3) Now get rid of the j=i; thing:
// Get data
for (i = 0; i < employees; i++)
{
printf("\nFor employee %d:", i+1);
4) Now, everywhere j is referenced, reference it like an array:
printf("\nID: ");
gets(j[i].ID);
fseek(stdin,0,SEEK_END);
printf("Name: ");
gets(j[i].name);
fseek(stdin,0,SEEK_END);
printf("Pay rate: ");
scanf("%f", &j[i].payRate);
fseek(stdin,0,SEEK_END);
printf("Hours worked: ");
scanf("%f", &j[i].hours);
fseek(stdin,0,SEEK_END);
j[i].grossPay = j[i].hours * j[i].payRate;
if (j[i].hours > 40)
{
printf("Overtime!");
float OT = (j[i].hours - 40) * (j[i].payRate * 0.5);
j[i].grossPay += OT;
}
j[i].netPay = j[i].grossPay * 0.75;
And here too:
printf("\n%c | %c | $%7.2f | $%7.2f", j[i].ID, j[i].name, j[i].grossPay, j[i].netPay);
5) Get rid of the j = i; in main():
for (i = 0; i < employees; i++)
{
printf("\n%c | %c | $%7.2f | $%7.2f", j[i].ID, j[i].name, j[i].grossPay, j[i].netPay);
}
6) Fix the printf() format string. It should be printing strings, not characters:
printf("\n%s | %s | $%7.2f | $%7.2f", j[i].ID, j[i].name, j[i].grossPay, j[i].netPay);
Now the code is functional.
However, there is still some of the code that is risky. For example, fgets() should be used (instead of gets()) [as indicated by chris & McLovin], etc.
printf("\nID: ");
fgets(j[i].ID, sizeof(j[i].ID), stdin);
fseek(stdin,0,SEEK_END);
printf("Name: ");
fgets(j[i].name, sizeof(j[i].name), stdin);
And the report would be cleaner if there was an ending newline:
printf("\n");
CLEANUP:
return 0;
}
And as indicated by Ed Heal, this line is not needed:
fseek(stdin,0,SEEK_END);
SPOILER

Answer 2

You have used a name "name of a variable" twice.
First you say there's an int called j, then you stay there is a struct employee called j. Rename one or the other.
int j, i = 0;
(and much later)
j = i;
struct employee j;