charArray and string comparison

[Pshycoone]

Hey everyone!
Just started programming in C (I use visualstudio 2010 pro.) and have previously programmed in C#.

I have this(ese) really, really basic question(s) about chars and strings;

I want to have compare and set strings.
I already know how to compare, by using the "strcmp", now however I have trouble how to figure out how to initiate string/chararray variables with a string I choose. (C# made me spoiled)

I.E.
I have a function that receives a string from the prompt (don't think about that, just explaining this so you can understand better);

choice = GetLine();

//Here's the tricky part I can't figure out;
if(choice = "exit"){
  do this;
}

[johny10151981]

if you search on google with the key words string compare c, first link you will get is strcmp read about strcmp as well as other string related function

[Maraj]

I think you are using assingment operator = instead of eqaulity operator ==

choice = GetLine(); 
  
//Here's the tricky part I can't figure out; 
if(choice == "exit"){ 
  do this;

[weaknessforcats]

You should not be using strcmp in C++. Use the string data type instead.

[johny10151981]

OP is using C, thats why c function is suggested

[Pshycoone]

@Maraj;
Haha yeah, I noticed that now, just a quick type error.

@Weaknesssforca ts;
Read my post again, this is C, not C++. :)

@Johny10151981;
I have read about those, I am however confused about wether it will allow me to send in a pure string, i.e. "exit". I had trouble assigning a string to a charArray directly.

I thank everyone for their help, I haven't tried the solutions yet since I had trouble with the manifest/side-by-side configuration (error 14001 <3), but will however try again.

[weaknessforcats]

If this is C you have to code:

if (!strcmp(choice, "exit"))
{
    do this ...
}

[Pshycoone]

It doesn't work completely, this is how it looks now;

int main(void){
	char choice[20];
	printf("Initialized - write help to view a list of commands. \n");
	scanf_s("%s", &choice);
	printf("%d", strcmp(choice, "help"));
	while(RUN_LOOP == 1){
		if(!strcmp(choice, "help") && EXECUTE_CMD > 0){
			printf("Command help executed. \n");
			printf("Help - shows a list of commands. \n Exit - shuts down the program. \n");
			scanf_s("%s", &choice);
		}else if(strcmp(choice, "exit") > 0){
			break;
		}
		printf("%s",choice);
	}
	printf("Exiting software");
	printf("%s", choice);
	system("pause");
	

	return 0;
}

The problem here is;

if(!strcmp(choice, "help") && EXECUTE_CMD > 0){
			printf("Command help executed. \n");
			printf("Help - shows a list of commands. \n Exit - shuts down the program. \n");
			scanf_s("%s", &choice);
		}else if(strcmp(choice, "exit") > 0){
			break;
		}

The strcmp returns -1 when printed out and when I've typed in "help" at the scanf_s()

[weaknessforcats]

You are using scanf_s which is a more secure version of scanf. scanf_s requires that you specify the size of the destination buffer.

Your code:

scanf_s("%s", &choice);

does not do this.

Try:

scanf_s("%19s", &choice, 20);

and let me know what happened.