Returning a string from a function in C

Question

I have a c function that I want to return a string.

If I print the string before it is returned then I see croc_data_0186.idx

If I try and print the string

Answer 1

It is because you return invalid pointers.

    char* fileNameString;

is just a pointer.

    char line[lineLength];

lives on the stack and is filled with a fgets() call.

    char *lineElements[3];
    lineElements[0] = strtok(line, ":");
    lineElements[1] = strtok(NULL, ":");
    lineElements[2] = strtok(NULL, ":");

Here you store pointers into that array. One of them is

    fileNameString = lineElements[2];

which you

    return fileNameString;

afterwards.

The solution would be to

• either malloc enough space inside the function and copy your string to the new memory block or

• have the caller provide a buffer you write the data into.