If condition and logical comparision not working

    struct data_struct* search_in_list(char *val, struct data_struct **prev)
    {

    char *dat=NULL;
    char *dat2=NULL;
    struct data_struct *ptr = head;
    struct data_struct *tmp = NULL;
    bool found = false;




    printf("\n Searching the list for value [%s] ...found is.%d\n",val,found);

    while(ptr != NULL)
    {
printf("\n ptr !=null .....Searching the list for value ");
    dat = ptr->val;
    dat2 = val;

    printf("hello world %s.......%s",dat,dat2);

    **if (dat == dat2)
    printf("Hello !!!");**

    found = ( val == ptr->val);


printf("the data is%d",found);

        if (found)
        {

printf("\n ptr val if......Searching the list for value [%s] ",ptr->val);
            found = true;
            break;
        }
        else
        {

printf("\n else found....Searching the list for value [%s] ",ptr->val);
            tmp = ptr;
            ptr = ptr->next;
        }
    }

    if(true == found)
    {

    ptr = ptr->next;
printf("\n truefound...Searching the list for value [%s] ",ptr->val);
        if(prev)
            *prev = tmp;

        return ptr;
    }
    else
    {
printf("\n Searching the list for value [%s] ",ptr->val);

        return NULL;
    }
}

strong text................................................................................

``In above code condition : if (dat == dat2)

printf("Hello !!!");

Above condition is not working. Any idea why. If I compare ("serverip" == "serverip") this works ok..

but if i say ( ptr->val == val) ..... this doesnot work... dunno why. am i doing something wrong... any guesss....