Writing to file using fwrite?

[fallenshadow]

Hey all,

I can write simple variables out to a file but the problem is I have more complex things to write out. (such as structs and 2D arrays)

For writing out a struct I tried this:

FILE * WRITE = fopen(fileName, "w+b");

fwrite(&charData, sizeof(struct charData),1, WRITE);
 
fclose(WRITE);

However, I get a weird error about "missing lvalues". What does it mean?

[r-senior]

Is charData the name of a struct or the name of a variable?

[spjackson]

Hey all,

I can write simple variables out to a file but the problem is I have more complex things to write out. (such as structs and 2D arrays)

For writing out a struct I tried this:

FILE * WRITE = fopen(fileName, "w+b");

fwrite(&charData, sizeof(struct charData),1, WRITE);
 
fclose(WRITE);

However, I get a weird error about "missing lvalues". What does it mean?

With a minimal wrapping to turn your code fragment into a complete program, your code compiles and executes correctly. e.g.

#include <stdio.h>

struct charData { char buffer[8] ; } charData;

int main()
{
  const char * fileName = "fubar.dat";
  FILE * WRITE = fopen(fileName, "w+b");

  fwrite(&charData, sizeof(struct charData),1, WRITE);
 
  fclose(WRITE);

  return 0;
}

This suggests that your problem lies elsewhere. Your code fragment could be invalid if WRITE is a macro, or if charData isn't declared appropriately. Of course, in real code, you'd want to test the return values of fopen, fread, fwrite.

In simple terms, an lvalue is an expression that can appear on the left-hand side of the assignment operator '=', but there are other contexts where an lvalue is required.

There are arguments advising against writing a struct as a whole rather than its members. However, there are contexts where writing a whole struct can "work".

[fallenshadow]

Is charData the name of a struct or the name of a variable?

CharData is a struct. Here is my full code for this:

#include <stdio.h>

int saves[3];
int party[3];
int equipment[27];

struct charData {
    int class, attack, defense, crit, clan, level, xp, maxXp, hp, maxHp, aura, maxAura, mysticAtk,
    mysticDef, hpBonus, atkBonus, defBonus, vit, aur, range, str, luck, rangeBonus, mAtkBonus,
    mdefBonus, upgradePoints, a1, a2, a3, a4, a5, a6, a7, a8, a9, a10, s1, s2, s3, s4, s5, s6, s7,
    s8,s9,s10, weight, maxWeight;

    char*name;
    char*portrait;
    char*portraitLG;
    char*type;
    char*cond;
    char*loc;
};

struct charData CharDataArray[10];


void setCharData()
{
 CharDataArray[1].name="Jarrett";
 CharDataArray[1].class=1;
 CharDataArray[1].type="Knight";
 CharDataArray[1].portrait="jarrett";
 CharDataArray[1].portraitLG="jarrettLG";
 CharDataArray[1].level=1;
 CharDataArray[1].xp=0;
 CharDataArray[1].maxXp=60;
 CharDataArray[1].hp=30;
 CharDataArray[1].maxHp=30;
 CharDataArray[1].aura=10;
 CharDataArray[1].maxAura=10;
 CharDataArray[1].cond="Healthy";
 CharDataArray[1].attack=4;
 CharDataArray[1].defense=3;
 CharDataArray[1].crit=1;
 CharDataArray[1].mysticAtk=1;
 CharDataArray[1].mysticDef=1;
 CharDataArray[1].vit=1;
 CharDataArray[1].aur=1;
 CharDataArray[1].range=1;
 CharDataArray[1].str=1;
 CharDataArray[1].luck=1;
 CharDataArray[1].clan=0;
 CharDataArray[1].hpBonus=0;
 CharDataArray[1].atkBonus=0;
 CharDataArray[1].upgradePoints=8;
 CharDataArray[1].a1=1;
 CharDataArray[1].a2=2;
 CharDataArray[1].a3=3;
 CharDataArray[1].a4=4;
 CharDataArray[1].a5=5;
 CharDataArray[1].a6=6;
 CharDataArray[1].a7=7;
 CharDataArray[1].a8=8;
 CharDataArray[1].a9=9;
 CharDataArray[1].a10=10;
 CharDataArray[1].s1=1;
 CharDataArray[1].s2=4;
 //CharDataArray[1].s3=3;
 //CharDataArray[1].s4=4;
 //CharDataArray[1].s5=5;
 CharDataArray[1].weight=22;
 CharDataArray[1].maxWeight=100;
 CharDataArray[1].loc="Konia village";

 CharDataArray[2].name="Lorne";
 CharDataArray[2].class=2;
 CharDataArray[2].type="Rogue";
 CharDataArray[2].portrait="lorne";
 CharDataArray[2].portraitLG="lorneLG";
 CharDataArray[2].level=1;
 CharDataArray[2].xp=0;
 CharDataArray[2].maxXp=40;
 CharDataArray[2].hp=20;
 CharDataArray[2].maxHp=20;
 CharDataArray[2].aura=20;
 CharDataArray[2].maxAura=20;
 CharDataArray[2].cond="Healthy";
 CharDataArray[2].attack=2;
 CharDataArray[2].defense=1;
 CharDataArray[2].crit=2;
 CharDataArray[2].mysticAtk=3;
 CharDataArray[2].mysticDef=2;
 CharDataArray[2].vit=1;
 CharDataArray[2].aur=1;
 CharDataArray[2].range=1;
 CharDataArray[2].str=1;
 CharDataArray[2].luck=1;
 CharDataArray[2].clan=0;
 CharDataArray[2].hpBonus=0;
 CharDataArray[2].atkBonus=0;
 CharDataArray[2].upgradePoints=5;
 CharDataArray[2].a1=11;
 CharDataArray[2].a2=12;
 CharDataArray[2].a3=13;
 CharDataArray[2].a4=14;
 CharDataArray[2].a5=15;
 CharDataArray[2].a6=16;
 CharDataArray[2].a7=17;
 CharDataArray[2].a8=18;
 CharDataArray[2].a9=19;
 CharDataArray[2].a10=20;
 
 CharDataArray[3].name="Aissa";
 CharDataArray[3].class=3;
 CharDataArray[3].type="Mage";
 CharDataArray[3].portrait="aissa";
 CharDataArray[3].portraitLG="aissaLG";
 CharDataArray[3].level=1;
 CharDataArray[3].xp=0;
 CharDataArray[3].maxXp=80;
 CharDataArray[3].hp=40;
 CharDataArray[3].maxHp=40;
 CharDataArray[3].aura=30;
 CharDataArray[3].maxAura=30;
 CharDataArray[3].cond="Healthy";
 CharDataArray[3].attack=1;
 CharDataArray[3].defense=1;
 CharDataArray[3].crit=1;
 CharDataArray[3].mysticAtk=5;
 CharDataArray[3].mysticDef=2;
 CharDataArray[3].vit=1;
 CharDataArray[3].aur=1;
 CharDataArray[3].range=1;
 CharDataArray[3].str=1;
 CharDataArray[3].luck=1;
 CharDataArray[3].clan=0;
 CharDataArray[3].hpBonus=0;
 CharDataArray[3].atkBonus=0;
 CharDataArray[3].upgradePoints=3;
 CharDataArray[3].a1=21;
 CharDataArray[3].a2=22;
 CharDataArray[3].a3=23;
 CharDataArray[3].a4=24;
 CharDataArray[3].a5=25;
 CharDataArray[3].a6=26;
 CharDataArray[3].a7=27;
 CharDataArray[3].a8=28;
 CharDataArray[3].a9=29;
 CharDataArray[3].a10=30;
}

int main()
{
  setCharData();
	
  const char * fileName = "fubar.dat";
  FILE * WRITE = fopen(fileName, "w+b");

  fwrite(&charData, sizeof(struct charData),1, WRITE);
 
  fclose(WRITE);

  return 0;
}

@spjackson: You are right the code does compile for an empty struct so the problem must be my data setup.

[spjackson]

The difference between my code and yours is that I have a variable called charData but you don't. Here are a few things you might mean:

  fwrite(&CharDataArray, sizeof(CharDataArray),1, WRITE); // write whole array
  fwrite(&CharDataArray, sizeof(struct charData),1, WRITE); //write just CharDataArray[0], which is all 0s
  fwrite(&CharDataArray, sizeof(struct charData),4, WRITE); //write array elements 0, 1, 2, 3
  fwrite(&CharDataArray, sizeof(struct charData),10, WRITE); // another way to write the whole array

But your use case is an excellent example of why NOT to write a struct. For all those char pointers, you will write out the addresses they point to. What use will that be?

[fallenshadow]

This one seems to work for the ints but the Char* items are all messed up. However, I am attempting to write out the full struct array, so im on the right track at least.

fwrite(&CharDataArray, sizeof(struct charData),10, WRITE); // another way to write the whole array

For all those char pointers, you will write out the addresses they point to. What use will that be?

Ah, so for the Char* to not be corrupted I have to do what? Im not sure I understand you.

[r-senior]

When you write out the struct, the char pointers become useless because they point to a memory location that has no meaning next time the program runs.

+----------+
| char *s1 | --> "abc\0"
+----------+
| char *s2 | --> "def\0"
+----------+
| char *s3 | --> "ghi\0"
+----------+

You are only saving the memory inside the boxes, i.e. the pointers, not the memory pointed to by the pointers, i.e. the characters of the strings.

[fallenshadow]

Ahh, now I get it. So I have to record the addresses somewhere and then... ugh this is a mess. T_T

[ofnuts]

Ahh, now I get it. So I have to record the addresses somewhere and then... ugh this is a mess. T_T

No, you have to write your strings in full... you can't really have you file mapping the structure directly. I would strongly recommend doing something more robust like writing each structure item as a formatted string on its own line (or even better saving the whole in some ini-like format). Yes, that means some function to write/read the struct, handle errors, etc... but in the long run it will make lots of thing easier.

[fallenshadow]

I have a bit of a problem though, this code is used within GameEditor and it seems I can't use strings. :/

This is why I am using Char*.