Sketch stops printing after writing a few times

Using Arduino Programming Questions
1

I am trying to build a random horoscope printer. I have a series of strings in an array which I am storing in program memory. I then pick a random number and print that index concatenated with a title. But it often (but not always) only runs 4 or 5 times.

#include <avr/pgmspace.h>

const char string_0[] PROGMEM = "You have a great need for other people to like and admire you. ";
const char string_1[] PROGMEM = "You have a tendency to be critical of yourself. ";
const char string_2[] PROGMEM = "You have a great deal of unused capacity which you have not turned to your advantage. ";
const char string_3[] PROGMEM = "While you have some personality weaknesses, you are generally able to compensate for them. ";
const char string_4[] PROGMEM = "Your sexual adjustment has presented problems for you. ";
const char string_5[] PROGMEM = "Disciplined and self-controlled outside, you tend to be worrisome and insecure inside. ";
const char string_6[] PROGMEM = "At times you have serious doubts as to whether you have made the right decision or done the right thing. ";
const char string_7[] PROGMEM = "You prefer a certain amount of change and variety and become dissatisfied when hemmed in by restrictions and limitations. ";
const char string_8[] PROGMEM =  "You pride yourself as an independent thinker and do not accept others' statements without satisfactory proof. ";
const char string_9[] PROGMEM = "You have found it unwise to be too frank in revealing yourself to others. ";
const char string_10[] PROGMEM = "At times you are extroverted, affable, sociable, while at other times you are introverted, wary, reserved. ";
const char string_11[] PROGMEM = "Some of your aspirations tend to be pretty unrealistic. ";
const char string_12[] PROGMEM = "Security is one of your major goals in life. ";

const char* const string_table[] PROGMEM = {string_0, string_1, string_2, string_3, string_4, string_5, string_6, string_7, string_8, string_9, string_10, string_11, string_12};

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600); 
  randomSeed(analogRead(2));   
}

void loop() {
    Serial.println("WE GOING TO LOOP NOW");
    char buffer[50];
    int rand = random(0,12);
    Serial.println(rand);
    strcpy_P(buffer, (char*)pgm_read_word(&(string_table[rand]))); // Necessary casts and dereferencing, just copy.
    char text[15] = "Your horoscope";
    String output;
    output = strcat(text, buffer);
    Serial.println(output);
    delay(1000);
}

I also sometimes don't seem to get very clean results, but I'm not sure why. I.e. printing WWWW... and missing the first part of the string in the serial monitor.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWE GWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWE GOING TO LOOP NOW
1
Your horoscopeYou have a tendency to be critical of yourself. 
WE GOING TO LOOP NOW
3
or them. While you have some personality weaknesses, you are generally able to compensate for them. 
WE GOING TO LOOP NOW
4
Your horoscopeYour sexual adjustment has presented problems for you. 
WE GOING TO LOOP NOW
2
ge. You have a great deal of unused capacity which you have not turned to your advantage.
2 
randomSeed(analogRead(2));

...is useless. If you want the sequence to vary there are ways that actually work.

3 
int rand = random(0,12);

...is not inclusive on the high end. Carefully read the documentation...

http://arduino.cc/en/Reference/Random

4 
char text[15] = "Your horoscope";

...is way too small. And probably not necessary (see below).

5 
String output;

You use arrays of characters (C-strings) (yeah!) and then use String (boo!). Stick with arrays of characters.

6 
Serial.println("WE GOING TO LOOP NOW");

You put large quantities of text in Flash (PROGMEM) and then don't use the F-macro? Tsk. Tsk.

7 
    char buffer[50];

...

You prefer a certain amount of change and variety and become dissatisfied when hemmed in by restrictions and limitations.

Seriously?

You like to cram 120+ characters into a 50 character buffer. You then wonder why your program crashes. Your future in programming is limited.

8

I suspect you can print directly from Flash (PROGMEM) with a typecast. Give this a try...

#include <avr/pgmspace.h>

const char string_0[] PROGMEM = "You have a great need for other people to like and admire you. ";
const char string_1[] PROGMEM = "You have a tendency to be critical of yourself. ";
const char string_2[] PROGMEM = "You have a great deal of unused capacity which you have not turned to your advantage. ";
const char string_3[] PROGMEM = "While you have some personality weaknesses, you are generally able to compensate for them. ";
const char string_4[] PROGMEM = "Your sexual adjustment has presented problems for you. ";
const char string_5[] PROGMEM = "Disciplined and self-controlled outside, you tend to be worrisome and insecure inside. ";
const char string_6[] PROGMEM = "At times you have serious doubts as to whether you have made the right decision or done the right thing. ";
const char string_7[] PROGMEM = "You prefer a certain amount of change and variety and become dissatisfied when hemmed in by restrictions and limitations. ";
const char string_8[] PROGMEM =  "You pride yourself as an independent thinker and do not accept others' statements without satisfactory proof. ";
const char string_9[] PROGMEM = "You have found it unwise to be too frank in revealing yourself to others. ";
const char string_10[] PROGMEM = "At times you are extroverted, affable, sociable, while at other times you are introverted, wary, reserved. ";
const char string_11[] PROGMEM = "Some of your aspirations tend to be pretty unrealistic. ";
const char string_12[] PROGMEM = "Security is one of your major goals in life. ";

const char* const string_table[] PROGMEM = {string_0, string_1, string_2, string_3, string_4, string_5, string_6, string_7, string_8, string_9, string_10, string_11, string_12};

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600); 
}

void loop() {
    Serial.println("WE GOING TO LOOP NOW");

    int rand = random(0,12);

    Serial.println(rand);
    
    Serial.print( F( "Your horoscope... " ) );

    const __FlashStringHelper * fsh = reinterpret_cast<const __FlashStringHelper *>(pgm_read_word(&(string_table[rand])));
    Serial.print( fsh );
   
    Serial.println(); 

    delay(1000);
}
9

tomchambers:
I am trying to build a random horoscope printer.

Glad to see there is no pretence at meaning.

...R

10