c - request for member in something not a structure or union, but its a struct -

this code binary search tree i'm doing school assignment.

#include "binary_tree.h" #include <stdio.h> #include <stdlib.h> #include <string.h> #define maxlen 10   node* create_tree() {  return null;  }  void insert_tree(node** root, char* nname, char* number) {       if (*root==null){         node* node = (node *)malloc(sizeof(node));          strncpy(node->name , nname, maxlen);         strncpy(node->number , number, maxlen);          node->left = node->right = null;         *root = node;         return;      }       if (strncmp(*root->name, nname, maxlen)) {          insert_tree(&(*root)->left, nname, number);      } else {          insert_tree(&(*root)->right, nname, number);     } }  void preorder(node* node, int level){     int i;     if (node==null){         //printf("null\n");         return;      }     (i = 0; i<level; i++) {         printf("  ");     }     printf("%s %d\n", node->name, level);      preorder(node->left, level + 1);     preorder(node->right, level + 1);  } 

this full code. deleted not necessary bits of codes, thats need right know..

typedef struct t_node {     char name[maxlen + 1];     char number[maxlen + 1];     struct t_node *left;     struct t_node *right;  } node; 

and node type i'm using.

at insert_tree, inserting 1 node ok.

but when use strncmp, errors. "request member in not structure or union"

isn't root node struct?

i dont why errors..

can me out?

i've wasted 4 hours solve problem..

sorry poor english due nationality

see operator precedence, -> having precedence on *. should use (*root)->name argument strncmp() call.