C-指向结构的指针-分段错误

Question

I learn C pointers, therefore I tried to create array of structs using pointer notation. I allocate array of pointers to struct User , I set names and identifiers, then I try to print it and then it crashes.

Dockerfile:

FROM    ubuntu:xenial

RUN     apt-get update \
            && apt-get install -y \
                software-properties-common \
                wget \
            && add-apt-repository -y ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test \
            && apt-get update \
            && apt-get install -y \
                make \
                git \
                curl \
                vim \
                vim-gnome \
            && apt-get install -y cmake=3.5.1-1ubuntu3 \
            && apt-get install -y \
                gcc-4.9 g++-4.9 gcc-4.9-base \
                gcc-4.8 g++-4.8 gcc-4.8-base \
                gcc-4.7 g++-4.7 gcc-4.7-base \
                gcc-4.6 g++-4.6 gcc-4.6-base \
            && update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/gcc gcc /usr/bin/gcc-4.9 100 \
            && update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/g++ g++ /usr/bin/g++-4.9 100


COPY ./*.c /tmp/

WORKDIR /tmp/
RUN gcc -Wall main.c -o main

ENTRYPOINT ./main

I run my program in docker container because I want to have unused memory.

My program:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>

#define MAX_USERS_NUMBER 10

void set_users();
void print_users();

typedef struct User
{
    int id;
    char* username;
} User;

User **users;

int main(int argc, const char* argv[])
{
    set_users();
    print_users();
    return 0;
}

void set_users()
{
    users = (User **) malloc(MAX_USERS_NUMBER * sizeof(User *));
    int i;
    for (i = 0; i < MAX_USERS_NUMBER; i++)
    {
        *(users + i) = (User *) malloc(sizeof(User));
        (*users + i)->id = i;
        (*users + i)->username = (char *) malloc(strlen("username") + 1);
        strcpy((*users + i)->username, "username");
        printf("%d. id: %d, username: %s\n", i, (*users + i)->id, (*users + i)->username);
    }
}

void print_users()
{
    printf("\nUsers\n");
    int i;
    for (i = 0; i < MAX_USERS_NUMBER; i++) 
    {
        printf("%d. id: %d: ,username: %s\n", i, (*users + i)->id, (*users + i)->username);
    }
}

I build image by command:

docker build -t gcc-poc .

And I run it by command:

docker run -it gcc-poc /bin/bash

I always get result:

0. id: 0, username: username
1. id: 1, username: username
2. id: 2, username: username
3. id: 3, username: username
4. id: 4, username: username
5. id: 5, username: username
6. id: 6, username: username
7. id: 7, username: username
8. id: 8, username: username
9. id: 9, username: username

Users
0. id: 0: ,username: 
1. id: 1: ,username: username
2. id: 2: ,username: username
3. id: 3: ,username: username
Segmentation fault

I have read book "Understanding and using C pointers" by O'Reilly but I cannot diagnose the cause.

Answer 1

Since users is a pointer to pointer to User , *(users + i) is a pointer to User and is proper pointer arithmetic. But (*users + i) is not the pointer arithmetic that will produce the result you are looking for.
When a pointer is incremented, the increment will be the size of the type it is pointing to. For example here:
users + 1 will increment users with sizeof(User *); This would be the size of a pointer on your system.

But *users + 1 will increment *users with sizeof(User) ; This is the size of the User structure you have defined.

So you have to change (*users + i) to (*(users + i)) in the code. The extra pair of parenthesis is needed because the -> operator has higher precedence than * operator.

Change your set_users and print_users functions like this and it will work as intended:

void set_users()
{
    users = (User **) malloc(MAX_USERS_NUMBER * sizeof(User *));
    int i;
    for (i = 0; i < MAX_USERS_NUMBER; i++)
    {
        *(users + i) = (User *) malloc(sizeof(User));
        (*(users + i))->id = i;
        (*(users + i))->username = (char *) malloc(strlen("username") + 1);
        strcpy((*(users + i))->username, "username");
        printf("%d. id: %d, username: %s\n", i, (*(users + i))->id, (*(users + i))->username);
    }
}

void print_users()
{
    printf("\nUsers\n");
    int i;
    for (i = 0; i < MAX_USERS_NUMBER; i++) 
    {
        printf("%d. id: %d: ,username: %s\n", i, (*(users + i))->id, (*(users + i))->username);
    }
}

Answer 2

Just try this:

#define MAX_CHARS_USERNAME 40

void set_users()
{
    static/*added*/ User* pUser;
    pUser = (User *) malloc(MAX_USERS_NUMBER * sizeof(User));
    users = &pUser;
    int i;
    for (i = 0; i < MAX_USERS_NUMBER; i++)
    {
        (*users + i)->id = i;
        (*users + i)->username = (char *) malloc(MAX_CHARS_USERNAME);
        snprintf((*users + i)->username, MAX_CHARS_USERNAME, "username%d",i);
        printf("%d. id: %d, username: %s\n", i, (*users + i)->id, (*users + i)->username);
    }
}

For a pointer to pointer (if needed at all) you might want to use something like ppUser . And do not forget to free the memory (in the reverse order) after usage!