Assigning character in array of strings segmentation fault in C

Very confused on why I'm getting a "Segmentation Fault (core dumped)".

const int bufSize = 32;
char* splitStrings[bufSize];
splitStrings[0][0] = 'a';
splitStrings[0][1] = '\0';
printf("testchar: %c",splitStrings[0][0]);
printf("teststr: %s",splitStrings[0]);

Thanks for any help

I think you want to define a 2-D array with char elements.

To do this make these steps:

First

Define a char** array of pointers.

char **splitStrings[bufSize];

Second

Allocate memory for row:

splitStrings = malloc(bufSize*sizeof(char*));

Third

For each row allocate memory for its columns.

for (int i=0;i<bufSize;i++){
   splitStrings[i]=malloc(bufSize*sizeof(char*));
}

---

Code

#include <stdio.h>///for printf()
#include <stdlib.h>///for malloc()

int main(void){

    const int bufSize = 32;
    char **splitStrings;

    splitStrings = malloc(bufSize*sizeof(char*));

    for (int i=0;i<bufSize;i++){
        splitStrings[i]=malloc(bufSize*sizeof(char*));
    }

    splitStrings[0][0] = 'a';
    splitStrings[0][1] = '\0';

    printf("testchar: %c\n", splitStrings[0][0]);
    printf("teststr: %s\n", splitStrings[0]);
    
    free(splitStrings);

    return 0;
}

---

Further Notes

• For more information about 2-D dynamic array see

• Using malloc() function in C to obtain heap memory, never cast the result see

• After allocating dynamic memory in Heap never forget to release it by using free().

• I suggest you read more about how to allocate dynamic memory in C with malloc() function.

• Also check result of malloc() to ensure true return value(a pointer to allocated memory).

malloc manpage error section

ERRORS calloc(), malloc(), realloc(), and reallocarray() can fail with the following error:

   ENOMEM Out of memory.  Possibly, the application hit  the  RLIMIT_AS
          or RLIMIT_DATA limit described in getrlimit(2).

Last Edition on code

Change malloc(bufSize*sizeof(char)); to malloc(bufSize*sizeof(char*)); this is true way of allocating memory

Because in first case calling free() on splitStrings pointer cause memory error. Why?