Partial Initialization of Character Array in C

What happens to the uninitialized elements of a partially initialized character array in C?

a) They are set to null.
b) They remain unchanged.
c) They are assigned default values.
d) They generate an error.

Answer:

The uninitialized elements of a partially initialized character array in C are assigned default values, which corresponds to option (c).

When working with character arrays in C, it is essential to understand how partial initialization affects the elements of the array. In C, the default value for a character is the null character ('\0').

So, if you partially initialize a character array, the uninitialized elements will be set to the null character. For example, if you create a character array with 10 elements but only initialize the first five, the remaining five elements will automatically be assigned '\0'.

To illustrate this concept further, you can explicitly initialize the uninitialized elements by assigning them a specific value. This ensures that the entire array contains meaningful data and prevents unexpected behavior caused by garbage data in uninitialized elements.

It's crucial to always initialize all elements of a character array, even if you only intend to use a subset of them. Failure to do so can result in unpredictable outcomes and errors in your program.

Remember, proper initialization and handling of character arrays are essential practices in C programming to ensure the accuracy and reliability of your code.