String to const char* using "string.c_str();"

In the code I attached what I am trying to do is to save the "String password = "1234567890"; to EEPROM and than reading it from EEPROM.And after reading it from EEPROM I am converting it into "const char* pass2". It shows no error when I compile and burn it but it shows blank on serial monitor in the password section and it don't even set password.

I am using NODEMCU.

code #1

#include <ESP8266WiFi.h>
#include <ESP8266WebServer.h>
#include <ESP8266WiFiGeneric.h>
#include <EEPROM.h>


int led = 13;
String state;
String password = "1234567890";
String pass1;
const char* pass2;
//const char* pass3;



String read_StringEE(int Addr, int length);

IPAddress local_IP(192,168,4,2);
IPAddress gateway(192,168,4,1);
IPAddress subnet(255,255,255,0);

ESP8266WebServer server(80);


void setup()
{
  
  write_StringEE(0,password);
  pass1 = read_StringEE(0,10);
  pass2 = pass1.c_str();
  
  pinMode(led, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(led, HIGH);
  
  String mac;
  String ssid = "NODEMCU_";
  String finalString;
  const char* ssid_1;
  
  
  mac = WiFi.softAPmacAddress().c_str();
  finalString = ssid + mac;
  ssid_1 = finalString.c_str();
  
  Serial.begin(9600);
  Serial.println();
  
  Serial.print("configuring soft-AP configuration ...");
  Serial.println(WiFi.softAPConfig(local_IP, gateway, subnet)? "Ready" : "Failed!");

  Serial.print("setting soft-ap ...");
  Serial.println(WiFi.softAP(ssid_1, pass2, 9) ? "Ready" : "Failed!");

  Serial.println();
  Serial.print("ssid:- ");
  Serial.print(ssid_1);
  Serial.println();
  Serial.print("password:- ");
  Serial.print(pass1);
  Serial.println();

  Serial.print("MAC address:-");
  Serial.println(mac);

 // Serial.println();
  
  Serial.print("Soft-AP IP address = ");
  Serial.println(WiFi.softAPIP());

  server.on("/led", [](){String state=server.arg("state");
              if(state == "on")
                digitalWrite(13, LOW);
                //delay(300);
                else if(state == "off")
                digitalWrite(13, HIGH);
                server.send(200, "text/plain", "state");});
  server.begin();
  Serial.println("HTTP server started");
  }

void loop()
{
  server.handleClient();
  //Serial.printf("Station connected to the AP = %d\n", WiFi.softAPgetStationNum());
  delay(1000);
}

code #2

#include <EEPROM.h>
// Absolute min and max eeprom addresses. Actual values are hardware-dependent.
// These values can be changed e.g. to protect eeprom cells outside this range.
const int EEPROM_MIN_ADDR = 0;
const int EEPROM_MAX_ADDR = 1023;

// Returns true if the address is between the
// minimum and maximum allowed values, false otherwise.
//
// This function is used by the other, higher-level functions
// to prevent bugs and runtime errors due to invalid addresses.
boolean eeprom_is_addr_ok(int addr) {
  return ((addr >= EEPROM_MIN_ADDR) && (addr <= EEPROM_MAX_ADDR));
}


// Writes a sequence of bytes to eeprom starting at the specified address.
// Returns true if the whole array is successfully written.
// Returns false if the start or end addresses aren't between
// the minimum and maximum allowed values.
// When returning false, nothing gets written to eeprom.
boolean eeprom_write_bytes(int startAddr, const byte* array, int numBytes) {
  // counter
  int i;

  // both first byte and last byte addresses must fall within
  // the allowed range
  if (!eeprom_is_addr_ok(startAddr) || !eeprom_is_addr_ok(startAddr + numBytes)) {
    return false;
  }

  for (i = 0; i < numBytes; i++) {
    EEPROM.write(startAddr + i, array[i]);
  }

  return true;
}


// Writes a string starting at the specified address.
// Returns true if the whole string is successfully written.
// Returns false if the address of one or more bytes fall outside the allowed range.
// If false is returned, nothing gets written to the eeprom.
boolean eeprom_write_string(int addr, const char* string) {

  int numBytes; // actual number of bytes to be written

  //write the string contents plus the string terminator byte (0x00)
  numBytes = strlen(string) + 1;

  return eeprom_write_bytes(addr, (const byte*)string, numBytes);
}


// Reads a string starting from the specified address.
// Returns true if at least one byte (even only the string terminator one) is read.
// Returns false if the start address falls outside the allowed range or declare buffer size is zero.
//
// The reading might stop for several reasons:
// - no more space in the provided buffer
// - last eeprom address reached
// - string terminator byte (0x00) encountered.
boolean eeprom_read_string(int addr, char* buffer, int bufSize) {
  byte ch; // byte read from eeprom
  int bytesRead; // number of bytes read so far

  if (!eeprom_is_addr_ok(addr)) { // check start address
    return false;
  }

  if (bufSize == 0) { // how can we store bytes in an empty buffer ?
    return false;
  }

  // is there is room for the string terminator only, no reason to go further
  if (bufSize == 1) {
    buffer[0] = 0;
    return true;
  }

  bytesRead = 0; // initialize byte counter
  ch = EEPROM.read(addr + bytesRead); // read next byte from eeprom
  buffer[bytesRead] = ch; // store it into the user buffer
  bytesRead++; // increment byte counter

  // stop conditions:
  // - the character just read is the string terminator one (0x00)
  // - we have filled the user buffer
  // - we have reached the last eeprom address
  while ( (ch != 0x00) && (bytesRead < bufSize) && ((addr + bytesRead) <= EEPROM_MAX_ADDR) ) {
    // if no stop condition is met, read the next byte from eeprom
    ch = EEPROM.read(addr + bytesRead);
    buffer[bytesRead] = ch; // store it into the user buffer
    bytesRead++; // increment byte counter
  }

  // make sure the user buffer has a string terminator, (0x00) as its last byte
  if ((ch != 0x00) && (bytesRead >= 1)) {
    buffer[bytesRead - 1] = 0;
  }

  return true;
}

String read_StringEE(int Addr, int length)
{
  
  char cbuff[length+1];
  eeprom_read_string(Addr, cbuff, length+1);
  
  String stemp(cbuff);
  return stemp;
  
}

bool write_StringEE(int Addr, String input)
{
    char cbuff[input.length()+1];//Finds length of string to make a buffer
    input.toCharArray(cbuff,input.length()+1);//Converts String into character array
    return eeprom_write_string(Addr,cbuff);//Saves String
}

The output on the Serial monitor shows this:-

configuring soft-AP configuration ...Ready
setting soft-ap ...Ready
ssid:- NODEMCU_5E:CF:7F:F0:56:12
password:-
MAC address:-5E:CF:7F:F0:56:12
Soft-AP IP address = 192.168.4.2
HTTP server started

I have attached the code in zip.

Please tell me if I am wrong somewhere.

softAP_new.zip (2.66 KB)

I have attached the code in rar and output image of Serial monitor.

Well, you seem to have forgotten to actually post the code.

NEVER post a picture of text again. Post the damned TEXT as text.

1 Like

Please read the "How to use this forum - please read." stickies to see how to format and post code. Attaching a rar or zip makes it a pain in the ass to help you, so many who could help just skip your thread.

I am sorry for the above mistakes.
The code contains two tabs that's why I have to upload a zip. Next time I will keep it in mind.

gauravntpl:
I am sorry for the above mistakes.
The code contains two tabs that's why I have to upload a zip. Next time I will keep it in mind.

You can post multiple code sections in one post, you just have to put code tags around each separately, like

code #1

and

code #2
    input.toCharArray(cbuff,input.length()+1);//Converts String into character array

The second argument to the toCharArray() method is the amount of data that can be written to the array. The length of the String data plus one is NOT that amount. You MUST allow room for the terminating NULL.

Copying the data to another array is NOT necessary.

 char cbuff[length+1];
  eeprom_read_string(Addr, cbuff, length+1);

You can NOT write length+1 bytes and a terminating NULL to an array that can hold length plus one characters.

 Serial.println(WiFi.softAP(ssid_1, pass2, 9) ? "Ready" : "Failed!");

What is the 9 there for? Magic numbers suck.

PaulS:

    input.toCharArray(cbuff,input.length()+1);//Converts String into character array

The second argument to the toCharArray() method is the amount of data that can be written to the array. The length of the String data plus one is NOT that amount. You MUST allow room for the terminating NULL.

Copying the data to another array is NOT necessary.

 char cbuff[length+1];

eeprom_read_string(Addr, cbuff, length+1);



You can NOT write length+1 bytes and a terminating NULL to an array that can hold length plus one characters.



Serial.println(WiFi.softAP(ssid_1, pass2, 9) ? "Ready" : "Failed!");



What is the 9 there for? Magic numbers suck.

Number 9 is to select the channel of the WiFi.

gauravntpl:
Number 9 is to select the channel of the WiFi.

Then do:

const int wifiChannelNumber = 9;
...code...
Serial.println(WiFi.softAP(ssid_1, pass2, wifiChannelNumber) ? "Ready" : "Failed!");