c - Char array will not print as string to console -

i have relatively simple bit of c code - takes in file dict.txt of words (one word per line, alphabetic letters , lower case).

the goal "load" each word array called word, print word, , repeat until eof.

currently, printf("%s\n", ptr) prints blank line console, rather string - intended. why , how can fix?

#include <stdbool.h> #include <stdio.h> #include <stdlib.h> #include <ctype.h> #include <string.h>  #include "dictionary.h"  int main(void) {  // open given dictionary file* dict; dict = fopen("dict.txt", "r");  char word[46]; int index = 0; // navigate word array char *ptr = word;  // start loading words (int c = fgetc(dict); c != eof; c = fgetc(dict)) {     // allow alphabetical characters , apostrophes     if (isalpha(c) || (c == '\'' && index > 0))     {         // append character word         word[index] = c-97;          index++;      } // must have found whole word     else if (index > 0)     {         // terminate current word         word[index] = '\0';          printf("%s\n", ptr);          // prepare next word         index = 0;     }  }  // check whether there error if (ferror(dict)) {     fclose(dict);     printf("error reading.\n");     return 1; }    // close text fclose(dict);  return 0; } 

edit: moved ferror() call after loop avoid null error.

you meant,

word[index] = c; 

you don't need perform calculations, specially because isalpha() ensures c ascii character.

and fix this

• if fopen() fails returns null pointer, ferror() called null pointer parameter , undefined behavior, instead check dict != null.