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sprintf

Hello!

I am trying to use sprintf, but get no result (C51, version 5.20).

char xdata command [80], i=100;
strcpy (command, "Hello!"); // now command contains "Hello!"
sprintf (command, "Test %d", i); // command has not changed
Why would sprintf not work?
Thank you for any help!
Holger

Parents
  • Tried that, but it still doesn't do it.
    I can even do it simpler:

    sprintf (command, "Test");
    
    There is no change done to the variable "command" by sprintf, no
    matter what kind of format I use.
    I know it should work, I use the same commands on a unix system with
    gcc, that's just the first time I use it with C51.
    Please help!
    Holger

Reply
  • Tried that, but it still doesn't do it.
    I can even do it simpler:

    sprintf (command, "Test");
    
    There is no change done to the variable "command" by sprintf, no
    matter what kind of format I use.
    I know it should work, I use the same commands on a unix system with
    gcc, that's just the first time I use it with C51.
    Please help!
    Holger

Children
  • char i=100;
    sprintf (command, "Test %c", i); // command has changed

    It does it, but not in the way you want to show it ( 100 in string format ), in your situation typecast is really the correct choice.

    - Alex

  • How do you "know" it doesn't work? What are you using to test it?

    Jon

  • Hi Alex,

    Thank you for your help. It is a bit hard to explain without listing a
    large amount of source code here.
    What I initialy did is I took a function I wrote using C166 that uses
    a bunch of sprintf commands, and copied it into my C51 source code.
    Now, my sprintf commands that work fine with C166 don't work with
    C51.
    Is there a major difference? I would have thought that's an ANSI
    command and it should work the same way in every C compiler version.

    After executing the line:

      sprintf (command, "Just a text");
    
    using C166, the value of command is: "Just a text".
    using C51, the value of command is still the same as before, and didn't
    get changed by sprintf.
    Same result with any possible format string in sprintf.
    Can there be something wrong with my C51 version?
    Thanks again for your time!
    Holger

  • Jon,

    I display the content of my variable before and after the sprintf
    command. We have 2 similar devices, one using an 8bit C51 program,
    the newer one using a 16bit C166 program.

    C166 works fine, but the same sprintf commands in C51 don't seem
    to affect the variable that sprintf is supposed to change (I can do
    a bunch of sprintf commands without changing the initial value of my
    variable).
    Holger

  • I would have thought that's an ANSI
    command and it should work the same way in every C compiler version.


    This command is ANSI C patern. It's really strange the fact that you can't see it working.

    What is the simulator that you're attempting to watch it?

    - Alex

  • I am not using a simulator, I test the software directly with our
    custom hardware (works since a few years, no problem on that side),
    and show the variable on an attached display.
    Holger

  • Sorry but, in this case, if the code works out of the hardware ( simulation only ) I think an Emulator may help you catch what is going on with your hardware.

  • Can you write a very small example of sprintf failing?

    I use sprintf a lot. I mean a whole lot and never have problems.

    Jon

  • Jon,

    What I initialy did is I took a function I wrote using C166 that uses
    a bunch of sprintf commands, and copied it into my C51 source code.
    Now, my sprintf commands that work fine with C166 don't work with
    C51.
    Is there a major difference?

    After executing the lines:

    char xdata command [80];
    strcpy (command, "Hello");
    sprintf (command, "Just a text");
    
    using C166, the value of command is: "Just a text".
    using C51, the value of command is still "Hello", and didn't get changed
    by sprintf.
    Same result with any possible format string in sprintf.
    Can there be something wrong with my C51 version?
    Holger

  • "I display the content of my variable before and after the sprintf
    command."


    Are you sure that it's the sprintf not working; could it be a problem with your display routine?

    Have you tried it on the simulator, so that you can watch exactly what's going on?

    Do you use optimisation?
    If so, have you tried disabling it?

  • OK, I got it to work just fine. Here's what I did.

    1. Create a new project.

    2. Select the Intel 8052 from the device database.

    3. Add the following file to the project:

    #include <stdio.h>
    #include <string.h>
    
    char xdata command [80];
    
    void main (void)
    {
    strcpy (command, "Hello");
    sprintf (command, "Just a text");
    
    while (1)
      {
      }
    }
    

    4. Compile and link. Note that I set no compiler or linker options.

    5. Start the debugger and set a watchpoint on command (type ws command in the command window).

    6. Single-step thru the program. I see command get set to "hello" and then set to "Just a text".

    If you repeat these steps do you still have trouble?

    Jon

  • Just a note Jon, while (1); may cause compilers to emit a diagnostic. Using for(;;); will not. I've been caught replacing while's with for's in projects where no warnings were permitted at the highest warning level.

    A boring point, I admit.

    Regards.

    - Mark

  • Yeah,

    Back in the old days,

    while (1);

    actually generated code with many compilers while

    for(;;);

    did not.

    I mainly use while(1) because it's immediately obvious what it does.

    I interview about 2 people a week who claim to be C programmers who cannot tell me what for(;;) does!!! So, I try not to give an answer that generates even MORE questions. :-)

    Jon