Programming Example
C Program to Sort Elements in Lexicographical Order (Dictionary Order)
This program sorts the 10 strings (entered by the user) in lexicographical order (dictionary order).
#include<stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
int main()
{
int i, j;
char str[10][50], temp[50];
printf("Enter 10 words:\n");
for(i=0; i<10; ++i)
scanf("%s[^\n]",str[i]);
for(i=0; i<9; ++i)
for(j=i+1; j<10 ; ++j)
{
if(strcmp(str[i], str[j])>0)
{
strcpy(temp, str[i]);
strcpy(str[i], str[j]);
strcpy(str[j], temp);
}
}
printf("\nIn lexicographical order: \n");
for(i=0; i<10; ++i)
{
puts(str[i]);
}
return 0;
}Enter 10 words:
C
C++
Java
PHP
Python
Perl
Ruby
R
JavaScript
PHP
In lexicographical order:
C
C++
Java
JavaScript
PHP
PHP
Perl
Python
R
Ruby
To solve this program, a two-dimensional string str is created.
This string can hold maximum of 10 strings and each string can have maximum of 50 characters (including null character).
To compare two strings, strcmp() function is used. Also, we used strcpy() function to copy string to a temporary string temp.
First read the algorithm, then study the program code line by line. After that, compare the code with the output and finally go through the explanation. This approach helps learners understand both the logic and the implementation properly.
After understanding this example, try to rewrite the same program without looking at the code. Then change some values or logic and run it again. This helps improve confidence and keeps learners engaged on the page for longer.