Considering that two bitsets are provided in the form of strings, char a[] and char b[], as in the code below. And the task of add that bitsets is given. I take it and wrote the following to sum the two bitsets:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>

int carry = 0;
char result(char r, int c) {
char R = '0';
if (carry) {
if (c) {
R = '0';
carry = 1;
} else {
R = r == '0' ? '1' : '0';
carry = R == '0' ? 1 : 0;
}
} else {
if (c) {
R = '0';
carry = 1;
} else {
R = r;
carry = 0;
}
}
return R;
}

char sum(int x, int y) {
char r = '0';
if (x ^ y)
r = result('1', 0);
else if (x & y)
r = result('0', 1);
else
r = result('0', 0);
return r;
}

int main() {
char a[] = "01";
char b[] = "01";
char c[] = "00";
for (int i = strlen(c)-1; i > -1; i--)
c[i] = sum(a[i] == '0' ? 0 : 1, b[i] == '0' ? 0 : 1);
printf("%s\n", c);
}


Is it possible to make it simpler?

• Are a and b guaranteed to be the same length? What about if the top bit carries? Should c be extended by 1 character? – JS1 Dec 28 '16 at 21:33
• An answer even without that level of sophistication will be appreciated. – KcFnMi Dec 28 '16 at 21:58
• I find the code very difficult to follow, mainly because of the poor (nondescript) naming choices, but also because of the lack of a clear explanation of what problem it is supposed to be solving (either in comments or in the body of the question). That's kind of my pseudo-review; I don't have the time or desire to think much harder about what it's supposed to be doing. In other words—I'd hand this back for a revision straight-away, but I don't think that makes a suitable answer here. – Cody Gray Dec 30 '16 at 9:54

OP's approach is very tangled.

No provisions are made for a final carry-out of the sum.

char result(char r, int c) { should at least been used description names: char add_digit_carry(char digit, int carry) {

for (int i = strlen(c)-1; i > -1; i--) --> Little things like i >= 0; are certainly easier to follow.

strlen() returns type size_t. Array indexing and sizing is best done with that type.

The basic way to add strings is just like grade-school math: add the 1 places, form the sum and carry. Then add the next most significant column along with the carry. Repeat for all digits and consider a carry out.

Assuming memory issues are not a big concern ....

#include <assert.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>

// c = a + b
char *KFM_add(char *c, size_t c_size, const char *a, const char *b, int base) {
assert(base >= 2 && base <= 10 && c_size > 0);
size_t a_end = strlen(a);
size_t b_end = strlen(b);
size_t c_end = c_size - 1;

c[c_end] = '\0';
int carry = 0;

while (a_end > 0 || b_end > 0 || carry > 0) {
int sum = carry;
if (a_end > 0) {
sum += a[--a_end] - '0';
}
if (b_end > 0) {
sum += b[--b_end] - '0';
}
assert(c_end > 0);
c[--c_end] = sum % base + '0';
carry = sum / base;
}

// return memmove(&c[0], &c[c_end], c_end); // Corrected code @JS1
return memmove(&c[0], &c[c_end], c_size - c_end);
}

#include <stdio.h>

int main(void) {
char a[] = "111";
char b[] = "01";
char c[80];

puts(KFM_add(c, sizeof c, a, b, 2));  // Output 1000
}


Should one want to explore binary addition closer:

#include <stdbool.h>
...
bool carry = 0;
while (a_end > 0 || b_end > 0 || carry > 0) {
bool a_bit = (a_end > 0) ? (a[--a_end] - '0') : false;
bool b_bit = (b_end > 0) ? (b[--b_end] - '0') : false;
assert(c_end > 0);
c[--c_end] = (a_bit ^ b_bit ^ carry) + '0';
carry = (a_bit & b_bit) | (b_bit & carry) | (carry & a_bit);
}
...

• What's the meaning of F, K and M in FKM_add? – KcFnMi Dec 29 '16 at 11:06
• @KcFnMi FKM is a shorted form of KcFnMi, that was inadvertently re-ordered.. – chux - Reinstate Monica Dec 29 '16 at 15:07