char[]

I am using a low level c compiler for PIC. There are no string libs. I don't know how to handle char[]. For example, I wrote a function, PrintChar(char iChar); that prints a single char to an LCD. How can I pass a char[] and print the whole string instead of a single char without str functions? I am not quit sure how to loop through the char[]. If someone could post examples or links that would be great. thx

Code:

---

void PrintChar(const char* szText)
{
        // as long as szText is not pointing to a null char
        while ( szText != '\0' )
        {
                // print the current character
                // and move the pointer to the next one
                PrintChar( (*szText++) );
        }
}

---

or you could pass in the length of the string:

Code:

---

void PrintChar(const char* szText, int length)
{
        for(int i = 0; i < length; ++i)
                PrintChar(szText[i]);
}

---

How low is this C complier? If you are able to do assembler, there is a quick way to machine-gun a string to display (sorry, 80x86 assembler):

http://burks.brighton.ac.uk/burks/la...smtut/asm8.htm

You could include chunks like this if you use the asm keyword.

Hey thanks. Here is what it ended up being. The compiler is picky so I had to put ++ operator in a different place. It works though.

Code:

---

const char *hello="hello";

PrintStr(hello);

void PrintStr(const char *iChar)
{
        uns8 x=0;
        while(iChar[x]!='\0')
        {
                PrintChar(iChar[x++]);
        }
}:w

---

Thx anyways Darkwraith. The compiler does allow for inline asm commands, but I wanted to stick to c. BTW, the proc is a PIC 18F877 (The asm code is quit different from 8086.)

Thanks for the quick help guys :)

One more question. Why is it necessary for the char[] to be const? I first tried writing it with a var, but the compiler does not allow for it, and all example I have seen also use const. It would save me some memory by using a var. I only have 8k of program memory, so every little bit helps.

Will it let allow you write it as:

char hello[] = "hello";

?

I tried:
char test[]="test";
the compiler says "array size required"

then I tried:
char test[20]="test";
the compiler says "static const is needed"

then I tried
char *test="test";
the comiler says "const * type modifier is required

It appears like it won't let me use a variable, just constants. This can't be the only solution can it?

My solution works with g++. I don't know what the compiler will allow you to use, though.

If you could give me a link to the compiler that you are using, I could take a look and see if there are any alternative syntaxes.

Here is a link to the compiler.
http://www.bknd.com/cc8e/index.shtml

The only examples I saw all used const. I am going to send him an email. He is usually good about answering questions.

Any string in double quotes in your source file will be produced as a constant when compiled. In some cases they may end up in read-only memory.

A good reason for the above is that if in several different places in your code, you use a string literal the compiler doesn't have to place it in your executable N times; it can just place it there once and then all instances of that string literal will point to the same place in memory.

parksie was correct. I contacted the author. This compiler ends up placing the stings in ROM, and this compiler's pointers can only point to ROM (can't point to RAM).