quiz questions from txt file into array in c - c

I am trying to get the line below into an array in c. this is for a quiz program that asks 10 questions (out of possible 15) in a random order and tracks the score and tells the user at the end how they did.
here is an example of the format for one line in my text file:
what is not an official language in Canada;English;French;Spanish;3
in other words format is string;string;string;string;int
or
question;choice-a;choice-b;choice-c;correct answer
I know how to read a file line by line in C but I do not know how to utilize these ; to divide up one line into multiple lines. Also, not sure how to keep score for this quiz after user selects their choice as an int and presses enter.
Apparently, I am supposed to define a struct to present these questions...
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Yes, this is for a final project but lectures now are over and our teacher will not provide anymore help to students outside of class hours.
Here is what I have done so far:
http://i.stack.imgur.com/E8LtH.png

Since this is for a class, I don't know if your instructor wants you to use low-tech methods or not, but I would use something like sscanf for a problem like this. You can do something like this:
int number;
char fruit[16];
char line[]="I ate 3 bananas.";
sscanf(line, "I ate %d %s.", &number, fruit);
And it updates the variables that you point to within the sscanf function accordingly.

As this is for a class project, I will provide only general guidance. I would suggest you review the strtok function, using the line from your text file as the string and a ";" as the token. Examples and documentation are available here. Repeated calls to this function will allow you to divide your line up into segments.
As for the struct requirement, a sensible way would be to create a struct with these members:
A string (char*) containing the question.
An array of strings containing the choices.
An int defining the number of choices (i.e. the length of the array in 2). You might be able to hard-code this to 3 in your example.
An int defining the correct answer.
You would create an instance of the struct for each line in your text file.

What you need is probably a tokenizer.
You may want to have a look at the discussion here Using strtok in c. A few snippet of code are listed which in my opinion, is very helpful in your case.

Related

How to change a specific string in a character Array?

This is my very first question so it might look a bit ugly.
Problem: I have to be able to read and replace names.
My solution:
*char NamesArray[] {"name1", "name2"};
so I could just enter in names and read them through pointers.
Although reading full names requires me to make a loop now.
This does bring another problem and that is, not being able to change names when program is running.
How do I change names and how do I print the new list of names after one or more names changed?
Its not a must to have names already in the array.
If its possible with a different array or/and library, that's fine.
Name inputs are given through terminal but that's probably not a surprise.
Thank you in advance!

Get datas from TXT to a matrix

I have a homework to make a file like this, License plate, date, time, speed
like: AAA-111, 2019.01.01, 12:12, 50
I have to read these into the program and check if how many cars went there at the same date, and how much % went over a speed which given by the user, then to make a file "speeding" which contain the punishment, like 50-60 100 dollar, and to check if how many cars got punished, and to write it to a file by license plate, date, and the amount to pay.
I'm new to C, and I dont know what can I do when there is strings and integers in a file.
(Actually I'm a vehicle engineer, but it's just a stuffing course which we have to do, the teached teached nothing, we have to give in this homework to get a rating)
I have tried a method which stores the file char by char ( I think) but because then I have to see it by rows and columns, a matrix would be better. But if it is possible without it, that is good too.
first you should use strucs to store each fields of a line from your file as char * attribues.
then when you have your structs, you can go on with a function that takes a line and returns a pointer to your struct:
struct ticket_t *get_ticket(char *line);
Then you should figure how to read a file line by line with getline(3) you should have a bit of code here for this.
I suggest you find the number of line the file has and then create an array of struct ticket_t* of the correct length to ease the code (memory management).
As for the other parts of you assigment you should be ok with what I told you here.
Some documentation: fopen(3), getline(3), fwrite(3), malloc(3), strcmp(3)

Difficulty in reading in a DNA sequence file using C code

I am currently taking Coursera Bioinformatics course, and doing the programming assignments. Being, a first year undergraduate just learning C, while I am aware that python is the language that's becoming much more popular for bioinformatics, I am challenging myself to implement every single algorithm in the course in the C language to master it, as it will also benefit me in all my CS courses here, which use C/C++ a lot.
In working on one of the assignments, our goal is to write a program that can take in a shorter DNA pattern and compare it with a long complete DNA strand, and the output the count, which is the number of times the shorter DNA pattern appears in the long complete DNA strand. We are given a file consisting of all the inputs we need, and the gold output, but I am having great trouble in parsing the file properly, even though I've consulted my textbook and numerous documentation. I actually have no problem implementing the algorithm itself; I tested it using smaller hardcoded character arrays in the program itself.
The input file is as follows:
Input
TAACAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTCCGCATCGAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTCGTAGCCTTTCGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTAGTCGATGTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGCAGCCTTTAGTAGGCAAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTCGAGCCTTTCTCGCTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGGTGAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTCGCAGCCTTTTGAGCCTTTCTTGTTTGAATGGCAAGAGCCTTTTCGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAAAAGCCTTTCGTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTATCGAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTTATGCAAAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTCATTGACAAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCTCAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTGTCGAGCCTTTTTTCAGAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTACGAGCCTTTGCAAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTCCAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGCTTTAGCCTTTCATGGGATAGCCTTTAGCCTTTATTAAGCCTTTTTTATCAAGCCTTTGTAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTCCAGCCTTTAGGAGCCTTTGTATAGCCTTTTGAGCCTTTCTACAGTAAAGCCTTTTTTGGTCAGCCTTTCTAGCCTTTGATAGCCTTTCTGAAGCCTTTGGCGGAGCCTTTCTGTTAACAGCCCAGCCTTTCTCATAGCCTTTGCGGTATCAGCCTTTGCAGCCTTTCTGGAGCGATAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTCCGAGCCTTTTTCAGAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCCGAGCCTTTTCAGCCTTTACAGCCTTTTTAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTCACAGCCTTTGAGCTAGCCTTTAAGTTAAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTACATTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTTCAGCCTTTAGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGCTGAAGCCTTTAGTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGCGAAGCCTTTCTGGTGCAACAAGTGAAGCCTTTGCCCTAGCCTTTGCTAGCCTTTCCGAGCCTTTGTCGATATAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGAAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGCTAGCCTTTATAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCCCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTATCCTAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTCCAGAAGCAGCCTTTTGATCAGAGCCTTTCTTCGGACTGCTCCCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTCTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGTGTAGCCTTTCTAGCCTTTACGAGCCTTTGCCCAGCCTTTCCCAGCCTTTGAGAGCCTTTACCATATAGCCTTTACATAAGCCTTTGATGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCGAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTACTCCAGCCTTTATAGCCTTTATATAGCCTTTCCTGTTAGGCCGTCGGTGCAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTGCTAGCCTTTCCAGCCTTTACAGCCTTTTACCGAGCCTTTCCATCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTATATCTCTGATCGGGTAGCCTTTCGGCTAGCCTTTGGTAGCCTTTTTCAGCCTTTATGTAAAGCCTTTGTAGCCTTTGATGTGAGCCTTTAGAAGCCTTTGTCAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTTAAGCCTTTTACAAGCCTTTACTCAGAGCCTTTACGAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTGCAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTTGATGAGCCTTTGCGGAGCCTTTTCTTTCAGCCTTTTGGCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGTACAGCCTTTTTGAGCACAGCCTTTCGCGAAAGAGCCTTTATCAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTGCTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGTATCTGTCTATCATCGAGCCTTTCTAAGCCTTTGCGGAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGTCAGCCTTTCAAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTATTCAAGCCTTTGAACCATAGCCTTTGGCAGCCTTTCAAGCCTTTGACGACAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCATTAGCCTTTTAGGAGGCTCATCCGTCTAGCCTTTAAATAGCCTTTAGCCTTTATAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAAGCCTTTGAGAGCCTTTAAAGCCTTTAAACCAAGCCTTTGCGAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCGCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCGAGCCTTTTGTAGCCTTTTGGAGAGCCTTTGGGCAAGCCTTTAGTATAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTCAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTGGCACAGCCTTTTGAGCCTTTCAGGAGCCTTTATTGGTGAGCCTTTAGTATAGCCTTTTCAGCCTTTGGCAGCCTTTAATGAAAGCCTTTGCTCAGCCTTTTTCAGCCTTTACAGCCTTTCAAGCCTTTAGCCACAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTGCGAGCCTTTGTAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTTCAAGCCTTTTCAGCCTTTCAAAGCCTTTCAAGCCTTTGAAGCCTTTCTAAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGTTCCTAGCCTTTATAGCCTTTTAGGCAGCCTTTCAGAGCCTTTTAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCAGAAAGAGCCTTTAGCCCAGCCTTTTGATTAGCCTTTAGGGAACAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAAGCCTTTGGTATACAATCAACGCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTTGGAGCCTTTCAGACTGATCCCAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTCTCAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTCTCCAAGCCTTTTGAGCCTTTTCGAGCCTTTAGTGAGCCTTTTGAAGCCTTTGTTTAGCCTTTTGTATAGGGTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCCGGAAGCCTTTTGTAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTTGTCCGGGAAAGCCTTTGTAAGCCTTTAATGCAGCCTTTCCTATAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTTGGAGCCTTTTCTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCGCCAGCCTTTCTCCCGAGCAGCCTTTTAGAAAAAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTTACCGTGGACAGCCTTTCACGAGCCTTTACAGGCTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGCTAGCCTTTTCCCAGCCTTTTGAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTCTAAGTTCTACGCTTGGGCTAAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTTGCAGCCTTTATATAACTTGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTATAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTTATATCCCTTAAGCCTTTGTAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTACGAGGAAAGCCTTTCATGCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTCCAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTATGAGCCTTTATAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTCACCAGCCTTTCCAGATGCACAAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCGAGCCTTTGGCTTATAGCCTTTCATCAGCCTTTCTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTCTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTCGAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTTAGCCTTTAGCTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTATCTAACAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAAAGCCTTTATGTCCAATTCTAACAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAAAGCCTTTGCAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTGAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGTCAGCCTTTCCAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTAGCAGCCTTTAGTACGCCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGTATAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCCACTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGAGGAGCGATAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGAAAGCCTTTGTTGCTGCTAGCCTTTGGGTTCTCAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTGTAGCCTTTTACATAGGATTGATTCAAAAGCCTTTTTGAGCCTTTCTGCATTAGCCTTTTCCTCTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCGCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAGAGCCTTTAGATAGCCTTTCGCGACAGCCTTTTGTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGTTAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTCCTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTCCAAAGCCTTTGACAGGGTGTAGCCTTTCTAGCCTTTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAAACTTAAGCCTTTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCAACCCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTTAGAAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGGAGCCTTTCAGATCTCAGCCTTTTCGAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTTCAGAAAAGTAGCCTTTTTAGCAGCCTTTTAAAGCCTTTGGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGTAGCCTTTTCCCAAAAGCCTTTACAGCCTTTGTGAGCCTTTTAGTTCGTTTGAGCCTTTCCAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTATAGCCTTTTGCGAGAAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTGACGTTCTAGAGCCTTTGGAGCCTTTCACGCGAGCCTTTCAAGCCTTTGACTCCGCAGCCTTTTCGCGACCAGCCTTTGCCGTGCCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCAACACAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGGGCCGCAGAGCCTTTGAGTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGACAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCTAGCCTTTGCAGCCTTTGTCTAGGTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTGAGCCTTTTGGAAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCGCGAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTACCCAGCCTTTACGGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCCCATAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTCAAATCTAAGCCTTTCGCATATATGGTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTATGGTCCTTCAGTTTGAGCCTTTTAGAGCCTTTAAAGGAGCCTTTGTAAGACGAAGGTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGCCAGCCTTTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAAAAAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTCTCCTAGCCTTTCATAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGGAGGTCAGCCTTTATGTTAAAGCCTTTAGTTCCCAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTGAAGCCTTTTGTAGCCTTTGCCCGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCCCAACCCTGATCCGTAGCCTTTGGGCTGATCCTGAGCCTTTTCAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGAGAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAACAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTATAGCCTTTAGCCAGCCTTTGCAGCCTTTCAGTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCTAGCCTTTCTTGGAGCCTTTCCCAGCCTTTAAGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTCGTAGCCTTTGACCATTGTCAGCCTTTCTACTGAGCCTTTCATAGCCTTTTTTAGCCTTTCTAGCAGCCTTTGGAGCCTTTAGAAGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTAACACAAGCCTTTATCTGGGCCGCGAGCCTTTTCAACCTAACTACAGCCTTTCTAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTACCGAGCCTTTGCGGGAAGCCTTTAAAGAGCCTTTAGAAAAAGCCTTTGGGATAGCCTTTCCAGCCTTTCCAGCCTTTTTAGCCTTTTCCTCAAGATTTAGCCTTTGATGAAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCATTGAGCCTTTTAAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTTCTCATCAGCCTTTCACAGCCTTTCTACAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGGAGCCTTTTCGCCCCGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTGTAGCCTTTAGAGCCTTTGCTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGTAGCCTTTAGATAGCCTTTTCTGGGAGCCTTTACAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAAAGCCTTTCCCCAAAGCCTTTGTTGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTACAGTCTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCAAGCCTTTACCTTAGCCTTTGGCAGCCTTTCTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTCGAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTATAAAAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTACCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTTATCGGAAAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGGCAAAGCCTTTTTGCAGCCTTTGGAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTTCAAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGCACGTATTAGGAAGCCTTTTACTCTAAGCCTTTATCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTACGGTCAGCCTTTGGTAGCCTTTTCAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTAAGAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTTTTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTCCTAGCCTTTCAAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTCGAAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTATGGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCGGAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTACAGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAAGCCTTTTGCAGCCTTTCAAAGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTACGGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTCTCACTAGCCTTTTTAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTATGACGAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTGTCGTGACCTGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTACAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCTTAAAAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTTTGAGCCTTTACAGCCTTTCGAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTCCCAGCCTTTGAAGCCTTTTGGACAGAGCCTTTGCTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTACTTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTATGGATAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGAGAGCCTTTGCCTAGCCTTTGAAGCCTTTTTAGCCTTTAACGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCGAGCCTTTCTCAGCCTTTGTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGAGCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTGCCCCGAGCACGTAGCCTTTACAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTACAGCCTTTTGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGAAAGCCTTTTGAAGAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTCTTACTAGCCTTTGCAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTCCGAGCCTTTGATAGCCTTTGTCGGTAAGCCTTTGTAGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTGGTAAAGAGCCTTTTCAACAGCCTTTCGGAGCCTTTCGCTACAAGCCTTTTGGCCTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTCAAGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCGCAGCCTTTATAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTCGTTATCTAAGCCTTTACTCCATAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGTCAGTCGAGCCTTTGTTCTTGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTGTTTGTGGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGAATACAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCTAGCCTTTCAGCAGCCTTTGTAGCCTTTGAACCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTTCCTTAGCCTTTCCAGCCTTTTAGTGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGCACCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCGAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTGAACAGCCTTTTGAGCCTTTGACGATATGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTGTAGCCTTTTTTAGCCTTTGAACAGCCTTTGGAGTCAAGCCTTTACGCAGCCTTTCCAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGGTCAGCCTTTTCAGAGCCTTTGCGGTTAGCCTTTGAATAGCCTTTAAAGCCTTTCTCAGCCTTTGTAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTGTGAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTCCGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGCCTACGGAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGCTATCAGCTTGAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTAGTAGCAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTCTCTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTATCCGAGCCTTTACCAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTATAGCCTTTATACGTAGCTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGAGCCTTTACCCTGTACCAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTCTCGTGAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTCGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTTTGTGTGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGGGGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTTCAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTGAGCCTTTAAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGGTAGCAAGCCTTTCGTTATAGCCTTTTATAAGCCTTTTTTAATGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGAGCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGTAGCCTTTTGATATTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCCCCGAGCCTTTGTTAGAGCCTTTGCAGCCTTTGGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTCGGAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGGGACAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGAAGCCTTTTGCAGCCTTTAAGATAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTTCAGCCTTTACAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTTGAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTGTTGCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTTGGACAGCCTTTCTGAGCCTTTCGTAGCCTTTACCGCAAGCCTTTATAGCCTTTGAAGAGGAGCCTTTATAGCCTTTCAGAAGCCTTTTAAGCCTTTTCGCAGCCTTTTATCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAGCCTTTACAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTATCAAGCCTTTCTAGCCTTTGAGCCTTTGTGAGCCTTTGTGTCAGCCTTTCAAGCCTTTTTAAGTACAGCCTTTACTCAGCCTTTATAGCCTTTGTCGTAAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTGAAAAGCCTTTACGCACAGACAAGTAGCCTTTCAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTGAGTATGTCCTTGAGCCTTTAAAAGAGCCTTTGGTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTAGCCTTTTATAGCCTTTAAGCCTTTAAGCCTTT
AGCCTTTAG
Output
294
First line is the string "Input"
Second line is entire DNA sequence (which as the label "Input" implies, is my input DNA sequence, and which I will refer to it throughout as text)
Third line the shorter DNA sequence, which I will refer to as pattern.
Fourth line is string "Output"
Fifth line is the gold output, the number of counts which my program should be returning.
I tried parsing the file with the following code:
int main(int argc, char **argv)
{
if(argc>1)
{
FILE * dataset = fopen(argv[1], "r");
if(dataset==NULL)
{
printf("File count not be opened or found!\n");
return 1;
}
char in_label[1000], dna_text[10000], dna_pattern[1000], out_label[1000];
int count=0;
fscanf(dataset, "%s, %s, %s, %s, %d", in_label, dna_text,dna_pattern, out_label,&count);
... and other code below that calls the counting algorithm which I won't show here ...
While my call to fscanf does return me in_label correctly, it does not work for the remaining arguments. Basically when I printf out each of my in_label, dna_text, dna_pattern, out_label and count, only in_label correctly gives me the string Input, but the rest all are garbage. I'm really confused, because I thought that the fscanf function automatically skips linefeeds or spaces when reading in from the stream. So why did Input get correctly read into in_label, but not the others???
Also a second question I have is about one shortcoming that I'm aware of in my program, which are the hardcoded array sizes. I know about malloc function, and just learnt about it this week in class, but I just can't figure out how to use it here. Because in order to use malloc, we need to be able to at least "soft code" the size of our array in advance, and here, I just can't imagine how I would be able to tell the compiler, in any "soft coded" manner, what my array sizes will be especially for the dna_text array, which varies greatly from dataset to dataset.
C is really challenging, a world away from python whose convenience I've been so spoilt by. I would greatly appreciate any help to overcome this issue, so that I can move on with my learning of bioinformatics. Thank you very much!
You can use fstat() to get the file size and malloc() for allocating proper buffers
Use fgets() for reading text files line by line. Do not use fscanf() at all.
Never read a file at once as you should never know what exactly went wrong if your reading API returned an error. My experience tells me that reading line-by-line is the best strategy when working with text files. Just be sure you have a buffer large enough for storing the longest possible line.

How to read a text based data file into an array in C?

I have to read a text based data file, with an unknown number of data points, into an array in C, but I can't work out how to do this. I can't even manage to get my program to successfully open the text file, let alone put it into an array etc
The file contains numerical values, so it is not a string it needs to be read into. Ideally this should be done by the user inputting the file name.
I basically need the program to:
Ask user to input file name (I understand this is just a simple printf job)
When the user inputs the file name, the program opens the text file, stores the data from it into an array of an appropriate size.
Print entire array to show that this has been done.
If anyone could give a step to step explanation of how this can be done I would really appreciate it.
Anything asked to be described step by step without asking your input would be copy of others work.
Best advice is to learn things step by step on your own.
File I/O in C: http://www.tutorialspoint.com/cprogramming/c_file_io.htm
If you want to add additional features like user input:How to read a string from user input in C, put in array and print
Do some research on file content and how it's being handled from program. (Seems that you are referring to ASCII format file).
You should have done some searching before asking this complexity level questions.
If you want same advice in future for this task, I suggest to add code here.

Print a structure in a String format in C

I one of my assignment, I have a task to print the below whole structure in a string format.
Struct test
{
int a,
char char1,char2;
}
output should be: Structure is a=10,char1=b,char2=c;
I know it is very simple by using
printf("Structure is a=%d,char1=%c, char2= %c", s.a,s.char1,s.char2);
But in real-time, I have a lot of big structures and I cannot write printf statements with access specifiers for each element of structure. Is there any other way to print the whole structure with just specifying the structure variable or some other?
There's no way to do this in pure C. Some languages support this via a concept called reflection, but it's not available in C.
Code-that-writes-code is your best bet. Write a script that finds all your structs and builds functions to printf them.
One possible solution I can think of is that you can take the help of the fread funtion using which you can save the whole content of the structure at once into a, say temporary file. Using:
fread(&STRUCTURE_OBJECT, sizeof(YOUR_STRUCTURE), 1, FILE_POINTER);
Where STRUCTURE_OBJECT is the name of a data element of your strucure.
And then use linux based commands like "cat" and "piping" etc for the quick glance of the output.

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