For most C programs, store each Morse letter as a null-terminated char string: ".-" represents A, for example. Use a lookup table of string literals for a fixed alphabet, and keep transmission timing separate from the dot-and-dash symbols. If memory or binary-safe streaming is a concern, use a packed representation or a byte buffer with an explicit length instead.
Why a C string is the best default
A Morse letter is a short sequence of two symbols, so a string makes the representation easy to read, print, compare, and debug. In C, a string is a sequence of char elements terminated by the null character, ' '; a mutable string needs space for that terminator as well as its visible symbols. See the GNU C Language Manual and Microchip’s C programming documentation.
A fixed lookup table can point to string literals, which should be treated as read-only:
static const char *morse[26] = {
".-", "-...", "-.-.", "-..", ".", "..-.", "--.", "....",
"..", ".---", "-.-", ".-..", "--", "-.", "---", ".--.",
"--.-", ".-.", "...", "-", "..-", "...-", ".--", "-..-",
"-.--", "--.."
};
const char *morse_for_letter(char c) {
if (c >= 'a' && c <= 'z') {
c = (char)(c - 'a' + 'A');
}
if (c < 'A' || c > 'Z') {
return NULL;
}
return morse[(unsigned)(c - 'A')];
}The function returns a pointer to a read-only string literal, or NULL for input outside A–Z. If the caller needs to modify the result, copy it into its own buffer and check that the buffer has enough capacity, including the terminating null character.
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How to store a complete encoded message safely
For a message assembled as ordinary text, use a caller-owned character buffer and track its capacity. Before appending a letter’s code, ensure that the destination has room for the symbols and final ' '. Avoid copying a code into a buffer based only on the source’s length; the destination’s remaining capacity is what determines whether the append is safe.
If the data may contain arbitrary bytes, be processed in chunks, or represent a slice rather than a complete string, carry an explicit length alongside the buffer. C arrays do not store their own size, and a null terminator is not a reliable boundary when arbitrary byte values are allowed. For incremental encoding, update the length as symbols are appended and validate it against capacity.
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When packed bits are worth using
For a fixed alphabet in an embedded system or another memory-constrained application, each dot or dash can be represented by one bit. For example, choose and document a convention such as zero for dot and one for dash, then store the number of valid symbols with the packed value:
#include <stdint.h>
typedef struct {
uint8_t bits; /* low len bits hold the symbols; document their order */
uint8_t len; /* valid symbol count: 1 to 8 in this example */
} morse_code;The length is essential. A packed value alone cannot distinguish leading zero bits from unused space, so it cannot reliably preserve a code’s full symbol sequence. Bit order also needs a defined convention so that encoding, decoding, and any stored data agree. Packing can reduce the symbol storage, but it adds masks and bit-manipulation logic; the sources do not establish a universal memory or performance advantage for a particular implementation.
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How the common representations compare
| Representation | Best fit | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
const char * table of string literals |
Readable alphabet lookup, ordinary encoding and decoding, easy debugging | One byte per symbol plus a null terminator, with pointer-table overhead |
char table[26][N] |
A single contiguous, owned table with straightforward indexing | Each entry occupies N bytes, including padding; entries remain strings |
{bits, len} packed structure |
Compact fixed lookup tables or embedded systems | Requires explicit length, a documented bit order, and bit manipulation |
| Byte buffer plus explicit length | Streaming, partial messages, or binary-safe processing | The caller must maintain and validate the length |
Choose based on readability, storage constraints, ownership and mutability, and whether the program needs to preserve message boundaries. A fixed-width character table can be convenient when one contiguous table matters; a string-pointer table is usually simpler when clarity matters more.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep Morse timing separate from the symbols
The string ".-" describes the symbols in a letter, not how long to transmit them or how long to pause. Microchip’s Morse Code Basics specifies a dot as one time unit, a dash as three, a gap between symbols within a letter as one, a gap between letters as three, and a gap between words as seven. These are timing rules from Microchip’s documentation, not character values that need to be embedded in the symbol string.
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Keep the symbol sequence in its own representation, then let the transmitter convert each dot or dash into a duration and choose the gap based on whether it is between symbols, letters, or words. This separation lets the same lookup data serve display, decoding, and transmission without mixing symbol content with timing behavior.
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Practical choice
- Use null-terminated strings for a straightforward Morse alphabet and ordinary text encoding.
- Include room for
' 'in every mutable string buffer, and check capacity before appending. - Use an explicit length for packed data, streaming, slices, or buffers that may contain arbitrary bytes.
- Choose packed bits only when the storage savings justify the added length and bit-order handling.
- Represent timing and inter-symbol, inter-letter, and inter-word gaps in the transmission layer rather than in the dot-and-dash string.
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