Why doesn't push_back keep working in a loop? - c++

Question

Completely new to C++. Programmed selection sort on 1D array of arbitrary length. Want to allow user to keep inputting integers into console to make an array of desired length, to be subsequently sorted.
Can only seem to make arrays of length 2 using a while loop for adding elements. Code and example of erroneous result when inputting 6, 2, 3, and 9 shown below.
Script:
// Preprocessor directives and namespace declaration
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
// Function
void SelectionSort(int *arr, int len)
{
// Loop through index j in arr
for (int j = 0; j < len; j++) {
// Assume element j is minimum, and initialise minIndex
int min = arr[j];
int minIndex = j;
// Loop through comparisons to determine actual minimum
// (of elements after and including j)
for (int i = j; i < len; i++)
{
if (min > arr[i])
{
min = arr[i];
minIndex = i;
}
}
// Swap minimum with element j
int temp = arr[j];
arr[j] = min;
arr[minIndex] = temp;
}
// Display resulting array
for (int i = 0; i + 1 < len; i++)
{
cout << arr[i] << ", ";
}
cout << arr[len - 1] << endl;
}
// Main
int main()
{
// Explain program to user
cout << "Sort 1D array of user-inputted length/contents" << endl;
cout << "To finish array, enter -999" << endl;
// Initialise dynamic array
vector<int> vDyn (1);
vDyn[0] = 0;
cout << "Enter first element of array: ";
int firstElement = 0;
cin >> firstElement;
vDyn[0] = firstElement;
// Loop to define elements until desired length reached
bool keepGoing = true;
while (keepGoing == true)
{
cout << "Enter another element: ";
int newElement = 0;
cin >> newElement;
if (newElement != -999)
{
vDyn.push_back(newElement);
} else
{
keepGoing = false;
}
}
// Convert vector to array (dynamic to static)
int* v = &vDyn[0];
// Get array length
int len = sizeof(v) / sizeof(v[0]);
// Run SelectionSort function
SelectionSort(v, len);
return 0;
}
Terminal:
Sort 1D array of user-inputted length/contents
To finish array, enter -999
Enter first element of array: 6
Enter another element: 2
Enter another element: 3
Enter another element: 9
Enter another element: -999
2, 6

Answer 1

This declaration
int len = sizeof(v) / sizeof(v[0]);
is equivalent to the declaration
int len = sizeof( int * ) / sizeof( int );
because the variable v is declared like
int* v = &vDyn[0];
The size of a pointer is equal usually to 4 or 8 bytes. So the variable length will have the value either 1 or 2 and does not depend on the number of elements stored in the vector..
Instead you should use for example
size_t len = vDyn.size();
You could declare the function like
void SelectionSort(int *arr, size_t len);
and call it like
SelectionSort( vDyn.data(), vDyn.size() );
Also as in C++ there is standard function std::swap declared in the header <utility> then instead of this code snippet
// Swap minimum with element j
int temp = arr[j];
arr[j] = min;
arr[minIndex] = temp;
you could just write
if ( j != minIndex ) std::swap( arr[j], arr[minIndex] );
And the inner for loop could look like
for ( size_t i = j + 1; i < len; i++)
^^^^^
In fact your function SelectionSort is a C function. A C++ function should be more general and use iterators. In this case it could sort arrays along with other containers.
Here is a demonstration program that shows a more general function called for an array based on a vector.
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
#include <iterator>
#include <algorithm>
template <typename ForwardIterator>
void SelectionSort( ForwardIterator first, ForwardIterator last )
{
for ( ; first != last; ++first )
{
auto current_min = first;
for ( auto next = std::next( first ); next != last; ++next )
{
if ( *next < *current_min ) current_min = next;
}
if ( current_min != first )
{
std::iter_swap( current_min, first );
}
}
}
int main()
{
std::vector<int> v = { 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0 };
for ( const auto &item : v )
{
std::cout << item << ' ';
}
std::cout << '\n';
SelectionSort( v.data(), v.data() + v.size() );
for ( const auto &item : v )
{
std::cout << item << ' ';
}
std::cout << '\n';
}
The program output is
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
In general you need also to write an overloaded function that accepts also a comparison function.

Answer 2

// Convert vector to array (dynamic to static)
int* v = &vDyn[0];
This line doesn't convert the array to anything. You merely take address of the first element in the vector.
If you want to take an underlying c-array from std::vector you are supposed to use data property of it.
Also, since the array is decayed into a pointer, it no longer contains data of its size. You should rely on std::vector properties (i.e. std::vector::size) to pass this information forward