A URL filter isn’t that difficult to code, once you know the rules. I’m sure you can concoct something clever or obfuscated in the C language, but I chose to use a clutch of if/else if/else statements to process input and generate output.
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The C language string-input function was once gets(). That function has become Chernobyl in that it exists but you go there only when you don’t care about your health.
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URL encoding is a method of translating ASCII codes (not just text or URLs) into what’s often referred to as percent encoding. You’ve probably seen this format on your web browser’s address bar or in a search engine’s text. The encoding format is necessary to preserve the original content as plain text.
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In last week’s Lesson, I covered the goto keyword the way most instructors do: I explained that it’s not needed and admonished you not to use it lest you be labeled an complete and utter dork. Still, why would such a superfluous method of program control be included if it’s awkward and unnecessary?
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The only reason anyone learns about the C language keyword goto is because it’s one of the original 32 keywords. The next thing a programmer learns is to avoid it. Peril, pestilence, and pain awaits the fool who uses goto. Yea verily, if a programming Hell exists, goto is the command you use to get there.
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String input is a weird thing when it comes to wide characters, mostly because how the heck do you type wide characters in a terminal window beyond copy-and-paste?
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Programming is a fun hobby because once you unlock and open a door, you immediately find another locked door. Normal humans would experience frustration, but a good programmer enjoys a challenge and even sees the humor in the situation. A case in point is learning how to program wide characters in C: Once you think you’ve cleared a huge hurdle, you find another, taller one right behind it.
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I confess, the solution to this month’s Exercise was frustrating. Several times, I thought to abandon the premise and focus on the main problem, which is how to create a random price, such as $5.32, without that floating-point value really being 5.3187321.
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Consider the penny. It’s one cent, which was once a worthy sum before the government devalued the currency to the point where trays of pennies linger unwanted on convenience store checkout counters across the land. Why not do away with the penny?
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After you set the necessary locale for your program, you’re free to use the wide character functions defined in the wchar.h header file. For some reason, this process is poorly-documented on the Internet, which is probably why you’re here.
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