Programming Forums > Application Development > C

bankster · Feb 19th, 2008, 3:58 PM

im just a student in high school
my father introduce me to computer programming
and I think I interested in develop a simple
text file based dictionary

I select C in implementation
but I don't know any way to start
any knowledge that I must know before
writing it .?

now I can deal with string , file ,
but I don't know much about data structure

furthermore , if I can search the word through
the CSV file (word,meaning) then
I need to sort word in file
in a format of dictionary.

could anyone give me any suggession
to get through my problem ?

wolfpack · Feb 21st, 2008, 9:38 AM

How you go about programming this will depend on the structure of the dictionary file.
Can you post a sample of the dictionary?

bankster · Feb 21st, 2008, 9:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfpack

How you go about programming this will depend on the structure of the dictionary file.
Can you post a sample of the dictionary?

yes, I decided to use CSV as a dictionary file structure.

like this

word,notation
word2,notation2

thanks for your rep
I keep waiting

Ancient Dragon · Feb 21st, 2008, 10:44 AM

Just read the CSV file line by line in a loop. You said you know about files so I assume you already know how to do that. After reading a line you need to separate the two words then compare the first word with the word you want to find. There are a couple of standard string functions you could use to do that.

1) use strchr() to locate the comma, then replace it with a 0 string null terminator.

(Toggle Plain Text)

char line[255] = "word,notation";
// search for the comma
char* firstWord = NULL;
char* secondWord = NULL;
int spot = strchr(line,',');
if( spot > 0)
{ 
    line[spot] = 0; // null terminate
    firstWord = line;
    secondWord = line + spot + 1;
}

Anter way (and simpler) is to use strtok

(Toggle Plain Text)

char line[255] = "word,notation";
// search for the comma
char* firstWord = strtok( line, ",");
char* secondWord = strtok( NULL, ",");

bankster · Feb 24th, 2008, 7:56 AM

Hi, now I can search through csv file line by line
thanks so much for your suggestion above.

so code is like this

 c Syntax (Toggle Plain Text) 
#include<stdio.h> 
#include<string.h>
 
int main(int argc,char *argv[])
{
        FILE *fp;
        char line[1000];
 
        char *word;
        char *mean;
        int found=0;
 
 
        fp=fopen("dict.dat","r");
 
        while(fp!=NULL && (!feof(fp)))
        {
                while(fgets(line,1000,fp))
                {
                        word=strtok(line,",");
                        mean=strtok(NULL,",");
                        if((strcmp(word,argv[1]))==0)
                        {
                                printf("%s",mean);
                                found=1;
                                break;
                        }
 
 
                }
        }
        if(found==0)
        printf("can't find word in database file\n");
 
 
        return 0;
}
#include<stdio.h> 
#include<string.h>

int main(int argc,char *argv[])
{
        FILE *fp;
        char line[1000];
       
        char *word;
        char *mean;
        int found=0;


        fp=fopen("dict.dat","r");

        while(fp!=NULL && (!feof(fp)))
        {
                while(fgets(line,1000,fp))
                {
                        word=strtok(line,",");
                        mean=strtok(NULL,",");
                        if((strcmp(word,argv[1]))==0)
                        {
                                printf("%s",mean);
                                found=1;
                                break;
                        }


                }
        }
        if(found==0)
        printf("can't find word in database file\n");


        return 0;
}

but in this case , my dict is show the meaning
if only input word = word in database every each characters.

but in the real world , dictionary give me more
dictionary can give a word that also like an input word
such as

CSV - example
bankster,a student in one highschool of the world
programming_forums_org,the land of programmng

I try to give input like this
./dictionary bank

my current dictionary search through the line
and string compare with the word that I separated from the line
the result !=0 so it's can't find this word in database .

actually , thing that I need this program to work for me
is to listing the word that LIKE or possible word in database
for user.

could you give me any suggestion like before?

and finally I hope that anyone wouldn't think
this just a school homework .
I don't study computer programming at school
but I love it , my father introduce it to me.

something that I will do for my dictionary
- sort every word in csv file alphabetically A-Z
- add word into file
- append external csv file to current file and sort them
- dictionary web application

thank you
p.s. sorry for my bad English , I am Thai .

WaltP · Feb 24th, 2008, 3:22 PM

Instead of using strcmp() you need to use strncmp(). Get the length of the word you are looking for using strlen() and use that value for the length. That way bank will match with
bank
banker
banking
bankster
etc

Feb 19th, 2008, 3:58 PM	#1
bankster Oskilliet Warlord Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Bkk,Thailand Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	help me please : text file based dictionary with c im just a student in high school my father introduce me to computer programming and I think I interested in develop a simple text file based dictionary I select C in implementation but I don't know any way to start any knowledge that I must know before writing it .? now I can deal with string , file , but I don't know much about data structure furthermore , if I can search the word through the CSV file (word,meaning) then I need to sort word in file in a format of dictionary. could anyone give me any suggession to get through my problem ?

Feb 21st, 2008, 9:38 AM	#2
wolfpack Mentally Challenged Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Japan Posts: 6 Rep Power: 0	Re: help me please : text file based dictionary with c How you go about programming this will depend on the structure of the dictionary file. Can you post a sample of the dictionary? __________________ I don't need no signature.

Feb 21st, 2008, 10:44 AM	#4
Ancient Dragon PFO God In Training Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: near St Louis, MO. (USA) Posts: 598 Rep Power: 4	Re: help me please : text file based dictionary with c Just read the CSV file line by line in a loop. You said you know about files so I assume you already know how to do that. After reading a line you need to separate the two words then compare the first word with the word you want to find. There are a couple of standard string functions you could use to do that. 1) use strchr() to locate the comma, then replace it with a 0 string null terminator. (Toggle Plain Text) char line[255] = "word,notation"; // search for the comma char* firstWord = NULL; char* secondWord = NULL; int spot = strchr(line,','); if( spot > 0) { line[spot] = 0; // null terminate firstWord = line; secondWord = line + spot + 1; } char line[255] = "word,notation"; // search for the comma char* firstWord = NULL; char* secondWord = NULL; int spot = strchr(line,','); if( spot > 0) { line[spot] = 0; // null terminate firstWord = line; secondWord = line + spot + 1; } Anter way (and simpler) is to use strtok (Toggle Plain Text) char line[255] = "word,notation"; // search for the comma char* firstWord = strtok( line, ","); char* secondWord = strtok( NULL, ","); char line[255] = "word,notation"; // search for the comma char* firstWord = strtok( line, ","); char* secondWord = strtok( NULL, ",");

Feb 24th, 2008, 7:56 AM	#5
bankster Oskilliet Warlord Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Bkk,Thailand Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	Re: help me please : text file based dictionary with c Hi, now I can search through csv file line by line thanks so much for your suggestion above. so code is like this c Syntax (Toggle Plain Text) #include<stdio.h> #include<string.h> int main(int argc,char argv[]) { FILE fp; char line[1000]; char word; char mean; int found=0; fp=fopen("dict.dat","r"); while(fp!=NULL && (!feof(fp))) { while(fgets(line,1000,fp)) { word=strtok(line,","); mean=strtok(NULL,","); if((strcmp(word,argv[1]))==0) { printf("%s",mean); found=1; break; } } } if(found==0) printf("can't find word in database file\n"); return 0; } #include<stdio.h> #include<string.h> int main(int argc,char argv[]) { FILE fp; char line[1000]; char word; char mean; int found=0; fp=fopen("dict.dat","r"); while(fp!=NULL && (!feof(fp))) { while(fgets(line,1000,fp)) { word=strtok(line,","); mean=strtok(NULL,","); if((strcmp(word,argv[1]))==0) { printf("%s",mean); found=1; break; } } } if(found==0) printf("can't find word in database file\n"); return 0; } but in this case , my dict is show the meaning if only input word = word in database every each characters. but in the real world , dictionary give me more dictionary can give a word that also like an input word such as CSV - example bankster,a student in one highschool of the world programming_forums_org,the land of programmng I try to give input like this ./dictionary bank my current dictionary search through the line and string compare with the word that I separated from the line the result !=0 so it's can't find this word in database . actually , thing that I need this program to work for me is to listing the word that LIKE or possible word in database for user. could you give me any suggestion like before? and finally I hope that anyone wouldn't think this just a school homework . I don't study computer programming at school but I love it , my father introduce it to me. something that I will do for my dictionary - sort every word in csv file alphabetically A-Z - add word into file - append external csv file to current file and sort them - dictionary web application thank you p.s. sorry for my bad English , I am Thai .

Feb 24th, 2008, 3:22 PM	#6
WaltP Programmer Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 39 Rep Power: 0	Re: help me please : text file based dictionary with c Instead of using `strcmp()` you need to use `strncmp()`. Get the length of the word you are looking for using `strlen()` and use that value for the length. That way bank will match with bank banker banking bankster etc __________________ Testing 001 010 011 100....

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Programming Forums > Application Development > C

help me please : text file based dictionary with c