Error: Char 34: runtime error: addition of unsigned offset to 0x603000000070 overflowed to 0x60300000006c (stl_vector.h) (C++) - c++

Question

I have been trying to solve the sorted Squares leetcode problem (https://leetcode.com/explore/learn/card/fun-with-arrays/521/introduction/3240/), and I am mostly through it. However, I get the above error. Following is my code
class Solution {
public:
vector<int> sortedSquares(vector<int>& nums) {
int start = 0;
int end = nums.size()-1;
vector<int> final(nums.size());
int finalIdx = final.size()-1;
int sqr = 0;
while(start<=end){
if (abs(nums[start])<abs(nums[end])){
sqr = nums[end]*nums[end];
final[finalIdx] = sqr;
finalIdx--;
end--;
}
if (abs(nums[start])>abs(nums[end])){
sqr = nums[start]*nums[start];
final[finalIdx] = sqr;
finalIdx--;
start++;
}
else if(abs(nums[start])==abs(nums[end])){
sqr = nums[end]*nums[end];
final[finalIdx] = sqr;
finalIdx--;
final[finalIdx] = sqr;
finalIdx--;
start++;
end--;
}
return final;
}
}
};
The issue lies in my loop condition I believe. When I change the condition to start<end, I have no compile error, but the first element of the output array (final) is always 0, which I assume is by default. However, when I try to do start<=end in order to add a condition that handles the start==end case, I get the above error. I would like to understand why this is happening so I can rectify the issue. Thanks!

Answer 1

First, that's not a "compile error" ; it's a runtime error (and the error message reported says as much.
That said, the issue stems from the condition of start <= end landing on the = part of that condition. Eventually that is guaranteed to happen, save for one very specific set of circumstances:
start = (end-1)
abs(num[start]) == abs(num[end])
When that happens, your code will dump two values to the output vector, and both increment start and decrement end. The start and end indexes effectively swap values, the while condition is no longer true, and the loop will now cleanly exit.
In all other circumstances start and end will eventually land on the same index. When that happens your dual-push logic will dump the same value twice into the target vector, and that is where the issue manifests. There is only one value left to push (and start and end both reference it by index). Therefore you're going to push one more value into your target vector than you have space for, and the runtime exception ensues.
The fix is simple. Stop trying to be smart about short circuiting in three different conditions when in reality you only need one and a master-else. The computational requirements are the same no matter what, and in the end all you need is this:
class Solution
{
public:
std::vector<int> sortedSquares(std::vector<int> const &nums)
{
std::vector<int> final(nums.size());
int start = 0;
int end = nums.size()-1;
int finalIdx = final.size()-1;
while(start<=end)
{
if (abs(nums[end]) < abs(nums[start]))
{
final[finalIdx--] = nums[start]*nums[start];
++start;
}
else
{
final[finalIdx--] = nums[end]*nums[end];
--end;
}
}
return final;
}
};
If you really want all three conditions in your code, it is possible, but not warranted, and the special case circumstances don't justify doing it. Regardless, see below:
class Solution
{
public:
std::vector<int> sortedSquares(std::vector<int> const &nums)
{
std::vector<int> final(nums.size());
int start = 0;
int end = nums.size() - 1;
int finalIdx = final.size() - 1;
while (start <= end)
{
if (abs(nums[start]) < abs(nums[end]))
{
final[finalIdx--] = nums[end] * nums[end];
end--;
}
else if (abs(nums[end]) < abs(nums[start]))
{
final[finalIdx--] = nums[start] * nums[start];
start++;
}
else // !(a<b || b<0) implies (a == b)
{
int sqr = final[finalIdx--] = nums[end] * nums[end];
if (end != start)
{
final[finalIdx--] = sqr;
}
--end;
++start;
}
}
return final;
}
};