Parent - Child timing problem

[edek]

I have (in main()) something like:

int toChild[2], fromChild[2];
pid_t pid;

//Creating pipes:
if(pipe(toChild) != 0){
	return 1;
}
if(pipe(fromChild) != 0){
	return 1;
} 

//Forking:
if((pid = fork()) == -1)
        return 1;

if(pid == 0)
{/* CHILD */
	close(toChild[1]);
	close(fromChild[0]);

        //create streams: (they are not used in this example)
        FILE *toChildStream;
        FILE *fromChildStream;
        if ((toChildStream = fdopen(toChild[0], "r")) == NULL)
           return 1; //error: could not create stream
        if ((fromChildStream = fdopen(fromChild[1], "w")) == NULL)
           return 1; //error: could not create stream                 
        
        puts(">In Child");
	return 0;
 }
else
{/* PARENT */
	close(toChild[0]);
	close(fromChild[1]);
        
        //create streams:
        FILE *toChildStream;
        FILE *fromChildStream;
        if ((toChildStream = fdopen(toChild[1], "w")) == NULL)
           return 1; //error: could not create stream
        if ((fromChildStream = fdopen(fromChild[0], "r")) == NULL)
           return 1; //error: could not create stream
        
        puts(">Parent1");

	fputs(">Some text", toChildStream); //parent writes to child
        
        puts(">Parent2");
}

char* i;
printf(">End");
scanf(i);
return 0;

But here is a problem: when executed this code outputs:
>Parent1 >In Child >Parent2
>End

or

>Parent1
>Parent2
>End >In Child Sometimes " >In Child " is even in different places.

This is just an example, but you should get the idea.
I would like to create two pipes (from and to child process) and be able to communicate between them. Is there anything I can do to determine if the child process is now active or waits for data from parent etc.; What is the cause of above weird results and how to avoid it?

Thanks in adv.

[Salem]

> scanf(i);
Have you any idea how dangerous this is?

> What is the cause of above weird results and how to avoid it?
I see nothing weird about it at all, and it implements what you wanted to implement.

Your mis-conception is that every write by the parent immediately causes a context switch to the child. It would be simply inefficient if this happened on a per character basis.

The parent will wait if the pipe becomes full, the child will wait if the pipe becomes empty.
The parent MAY run if there is still room in the pipe.
The child MAY run if there is data in the pipe.

[edek]

> scanf(i);
Have you any idea how dangerous this is?

> What is the cause of above weird results and how to avoid it?
I see nothing weird about it at all, and it implements what you wanted to implement.

Your mis-conception is that every write by the parent immediately causes a context switch to the child. It would be simply inefficient if this happened on a per character basis.

The parent will wait if the pipe becomes full, the child will wait if the pipe becomes empty.
The parent MAY run if there is still room in the pipe.
The child MAY run if there is data in the pipe.

I am a beginner in this stuff. I think I now understand how it works, but I have no idea what scanf(i) may cause :)...

Thanks for reply!