# tolower (static pointer + malloc + realloc) **URL:** \ **Category:** Programming\ **Created:** [January 21, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/tolower-static-pointer-malloc-realloc/258016 "2010-01-21T19:46:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![limmer](https://community.unix.com/letter_avatar/limmer/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@limmer](https://community.unix.com/u/limmer)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/tolower-static-pointer-malloc-realloc/258016/1 "2010-01-21T19:46:01Z")
N00B here. This function would be easier using a char pointer along with free. But I wish to learn how to use char static pointers (they do not require free, right ?). How do I erase the content of a static pointer ? Terminating the string works but the static pointer's content is not being erased, right ? Why is realloc not working like I want it to ? ```php char *STRINGtoLOWERCASE(const char *IN) // converts all chars in string to lower case (will not work on non-ASCII chars) { static char *OUTPUT = NULL; if(OUTPUT == NULL) { OUTPUT = (char *)malloc(sizeof(IN)); }else{ OUTPUT[0] = '\0'; // Why will this not erase the string ??? OUTPUT = (char *)realloc(OUTPUT, sizeof(IN)); } int COUNT = 0; while(IN[COUNT]) { OUTPUT[COUNT] = (char)(tolower(IN[COUNT])); // need to cast to (char) or it will return the ASCII value no the char value COUNT++; } // OUTPUT[COUNT] = '\0'; // Commenting this shows that OUTPUT is not being erased ! return OUTPUT; } int main(void) { // OUTPUT is not being erased... puts(STRINGtoLOWERCASE("HeLlO WoRlD")); // hello world puts(STRINGtoLOWERCASE("HeLlO")); // hello world puts(STRINGtoLOWERCASE("HeLlO WoRlD"));// hello world return 0; } ``` ---
**Author:** ![Loic\_Domaigne](https://community.unix.com/letter_avatar/loic_domaigne/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@Loic\_Domaigne](https://community.unix.com/u/Loic_Domaigne)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 11:23pm UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/tolower-static-pointer-malloc-realloc/258016/2 "2010-01-21T23:23:47Z")
```plaintext if(OUTPUT == NULL) { OUTPUT = (char *)malloc(sizeof(IN)); }else{ OUTPUT[0] = '\0'; // Why will this not erase the string ??? OUTPUT = (char *)realloc(OUTPUT, sizeof(IN)); } ``` The malloc/realloc size is wrong. Note that sizeof(IN) is the size of a pointer to char (i.e. 4 or 8 bytes depending on your processor architecture), and not the size of the string. You need to use strlen(). OUTPUT[0]='\0' is not needed. Note that realloc() doesn't set newly area to 0: > [@](#): > > realloc() changes the size of the memory block pointed to by ptr to size bytes. The contents will be unchanged to the minimum of the old and new sizes; newly allocated memory will be uninitialized. So you need to properly terminate the string with '\0'. ```plaintext int COUNT = 0; while(IN[COUNT]) { OUTPUT[COUNT] = (char)(tolower(IN[COUNT])); // need to cast to (char) or it will return the ASCII value no the char value COUNT++; } // OUTPUT[COUNT] = '\0'; // Commenting this shows that OUTPUT is not being erased ! ``` uncomment OUTPUT[COUNT]='\0'. string needs to be zero terminated in C. Finally, it's unusual to write function or variable names in C USING UPPER CASE. Cheers, Lo�c. ---
**Author:** ![limmer](https://community.unix.com/letter_avatar/limmer/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@limmer](https://community.unix.com/u/limmer)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 5:32am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/tolower-static-pointer-malloc-realloc/258016/3 "2010-01-22T05:32:26Z")
POST UPDATE: Thanks for the heads up on the strlen vs sizeof. It also needs to add 1 to include the string terminator. here is the final version: ```php char *STRINGtoLOWERCASE(const char *IN) // converts all chars in string to lower case (will not work on non-ASCII chars) { static char *OUTPUT = NULL; if(OUTPUT == NULL) { OUTPUT = (char *)malloc(strlen(IN) + 1); }else{ OUTPUT = (char *)realloc(OUTPUT, strlen(IN) + 1); // I am still not sure if this actually is reallocating. Can you realloc a static pointer ? (In C, there is no standard function to find out the size of allocated memory.) } int COUNT = 0; while(IN[COUNT]) { OUTPUT[COUNT] = (char)(tolower(IN[COUNT])); // need to cast to (char) or it will return the ASCII value no the char value COUNT++; } OUTPUT[COUNT] = '\0'; return OUTPUT; } ``` ---
**Author:** ![Corona688](https://community.unix.com/letter_avatar/corona688/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@Corona688](https://community.unix.com/u/Corona688)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 9:37am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/tolower-static-pointer-malloc-realloc/258016/4 "2010-01-22T09:37:28Z")
What do you mean by static pointer? Whether the pointer is static, const, or plaid green monkey has no effect on the memory it points to. And I don't think your static variable there is doing what you think it does. You have the rough idea, it acts like a global, but I don't understand why you're using one here. Why preserve a pointer between function calls when each realloc() would almost certainly invalidate every pointer given before by STRINGtoLOWERCASE anyway? Never call realloc() or free() on memory that didn't ultimately come from a calloc(), malloc(), or strdup(). This is true no matter what kind of pointer you store it in -- the realloc() call really has no way to tell the difference. If it's failing it's failing for other reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Loic\_Domaigne](https://community.unix.com/letter_avatar/loic_domaigne/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@Loic\_Domaigne](https://community.unix.com/u/Loic_Domaigne)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 1:49pm UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/tolower-static-pointer-malloc-realloc/258016/5 "2010-01-22T13:49:47Z")
> [@limmer](#): > > POST UPDATE: Thanks for the heads up on the strlen vs sizeof. It also needs to add 1 to include the string terminator. here is the final version: In your code, char\* OUTPUT should be declared static. Otherwise, you shall run into serious troubles. > [@corona688](#): > > And I don't think your static variable there is doing what you think it does. You have the rough idea, it acts like a global, but I don't understand why you're using one here. Why preserve a pointer between function calls when each realloc() would almost certainly invalidate every pointer given before by STRINGtoLOWERCASE anyway? > > Never call realloc() or free() on memory that didn't ultimately come from a calloc(), malloc(), or strdup(). This is true no matter what kind of pointer you store it in -- the realloc() call really has no way to tell the difference. If it's failing it's failing for other reasons. Your second paragraph just explain why it has to be static if you go for a realloc! It is true that realloc invalidates the pointer, but to do so it needs first a valid pointer that comes from a realloc() or malloc()... Cheers, Lo�c.