Malloc and calloc function, Operating System

Assignment Help:

Note that the parameter for scanf doesn't need the address operators & because name is an address. However the variable name has no defined space. This can cause problems within C and we really should define the space .Within C we can allocate space by means of character array or system functions namely malloc, free and calloc.If we declare a character array, it also reserves the space required for that string (After all a string is a collection i.e. array of characters). Therefore the program becomes

    #include stdio.h
    void main()
    {
    char prompt;
    /*Author : Mr James Mc Carren  
    Company: Staffordshire University  
     Date: 26th August 2012  
    Version 1.0  
    Function : String storing using static storage       
     Modifications:   none*/
    char name[20];
    scanf("%s",name);
    printf("your name is %s \n\r",name);  
    printf("Press and key to exit \n\r");
    scanf("\n%c",&prompt);
    }
This allocates 20 spaces to the string name, however if we wish to input a 50 character  string , we would need to re-compile the program , an alternative is to use Malloc/Free .Malloc checks during run time whether there is enough  space left and if there is it allocated it while Free  releases the space allocated to a variable .The syntax for malloc/Free is  
 
     variable = ( char *)malloc(char size);
     free(variable);
 
Therefore the program becomes
 
    #include stdio.h
    #include stdlib.h
    void main()
    {
    char prompt;
   
     Date: 26th August 2012 
    Version 1.0 
    Function : String storing using dynamic allocation       
     Modifications:   none*/
      char *name;
      name = (char *)malloc(20);
      if (name == NULL) 
      {
      printf("Cannot allocate memory\n\r");
      exit(1);
      }
      scanf("%s",name);
      printf("your name is %s \n\r",name); 

      free(name);  
    printf("Press and key to exit \n\r");
    scanf("\n%c",&prompt);
    }

  Because Malloc allocates memory dynamically, we must place a trap routine to detect when the microprocessor cannot allocate memory (i.e. memory full), in this case malloc returns a NULL character back as the address of the variable i.e. This routine would detect the NULL character and exit the program .Note that malloced space is similar to a variable in that its life span is automatically terminated when a free command is used or the function where it was allocated ends no matter what you make read - this is not the case in C++  
 
      if (name == NULL) 
      {
      printf("Cannot allocate memory\n\r");
      exit(1);
      }
 
Therefore we could allocate a scratch pad of memory using malloc and we can poke around in that
area e.g.
 
  #include
    #include
    void main()
    { 
    char prompt;  
  
     Date: 26th August 2012
    Version 1.0 
Function : Dynamic allocation  of windows pointr area i.e segmented memory     
     Modifications:   none*/
 
      char *name;
      unsigned long int address;
      unsigned char *add;
      unsigned char data;
      name = (char *)malloc(0x4000);
      if (name == NULL) 
      {
      printf("Cannot allocate memory\n\r");
      exit(1);
      }
printf("Your segment area is %08lx to %08lx\n\r",name,name+(unsigned long int)0x4000);
printf("Please enter in the address  you want to read in the segment area\n\r");
scanf("%lx",&address);
add = (unsigned char *)address;
data = *add;
printf("The data at the address %08lx is %02x\n\r",address,data); 
printf("Press and key to exit \n\r");
scanf("\n%c",&prompt);
}


Related Discussions:- Malloc and calloc function

List antivirus techniques used for protection purposes, Question: a) Th...

Question: a) There are main goals of data security. List them and elaborate on how they provide protection. b) Describe threats associated with data security. c) Describe

What do you mean by first fit, What do you mean by first fit? First fit...

What do you mean by first fit? First fit allocates the first hole that is big sufficient .Searching can either start at the starting of the set of holes or where the previous f

Programable clock modes in computer systems, Ask question #Minimuexplain th...

Ask question #Minimuexplain the programable clock modes in a computer system m 100 words accepted#

Bag of tasks, The producer-consumermodel above has a standard human analogy...

The producer-consumermodel above has a standard human analogy of an assembly line. Humans have specialized skills, however, whereas threads running the same program do not need to

What are the three main activities of an operating system, What are the thr...

What are the three main activities of an operating system in regard to memory management? Keep track of which parts of memory are now being used and by whom. Decide which pr

What are the different thread levels?, What are the different thread levels...

What are the different thread levels? There are two broad type of thread implementation: User-Level Threads -- Thread Libraries. Kernel-level Threads -- System Calls.

Is disk scheduling except fcfs scheduling, Q. Is disk scheduling except FC...

Q. Is disk scheduling except FCFS scheduling useful in a single-user environment? describe your answer. Answer: In a single-user environment the I/O queue typically is empty.

Management Information Systems, Select any business process within this fir...

Select any business process within this firm, describe it as a set of steps then fill the following table (flow, information, sender and receivern #Minimum 100 words accepted#

Define an imperative statement, Determine an imperative statement Imper...

Determine an imperative statement Imperative statement points out an action to be carried out during execution of assembled program

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd