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

Essential properties of operating system, Essential Properties of Operating...

Essential Properties of Operating System 1. Batch: Jobs with similar needs are batched together and run through the computer as a group by an operator or automatic job sequen

Requirements to satisfied by the critical section problem, What are the req...

What are the requirements to be satisfied by the critical section problem? Following are the necessities to be satisfied by the critical section problem: a)      Mutual exc

Is there any way to execute truly stable storage, Q. Is there any way to ex...

Q. Is there any way to execute truly stable storage? Describe your answer. Answer: Truly steady storage would never lose data. The fundamental technique for steady storage is

Explain single level directory structure, Single level directory: This ...

Single level directory: This is the easiest directory structure. All the files are controlled in the same directory, which is simple to support and understand. Few of the li

Explain lru enhanced second chance algorithm, Enhanced Second chance algori...

Enhanced Second chance algorithm In this a modify bit is as well used. Now if the ordered pair of reference and modify is (0,0) neither recently used nor modified - the best

Explain inverted page table, Inverted page table In page table the page...

Inverted page table In page table the page table has one entry for every page that the process is using. The operating system must translate this reference into a physical memo

Define i/o and cpu bursts, Define I/O and CPU Bursts   Applications typ...

Define I/O and CPU Bursts   Applications typically to through cycle of CPU bursts and Input/output bursts. Since the CPU sits idle during I/O operations, efficiency is improved

Explain the proper distribution of functionality and code, Explain the Prop...

Explain the Proper Distribution of Functionality and Code It is important to note that the bandwidth of the server operating system and server processor availability is fixed.

Why is rotational latency is not taken in disk scheduling, Why is rotationa...

Why is rotational latency usually not considered in disk scheduling? How would you modify SSTF, SCAN, and C-SCAN to include latency optimization? Most disks do not export their

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