Is it safe to extend memory like following [duplicate] - c++

This question already has answers here:
How do you 'realloc' in C++?
(4 answers)
Closed 2 years ago.
I have made a code in which i am creating array of objects using new.I am extending the array by another new keyword and last index of previous array like following.Its working fine(The constructor is printing "a" number of times the net index). But i dont know is it safe or not? My main motive is to make a dynamic array but i cant use malloc because it dows not call constructors.So i am using new. But idont know how to reallocate memory after using new. If i use realloc then the program is not giving any error but realloc is not calling the constructor.
Summary:->Just want to call constructor while reallocating memory.
I have given the image of my code
class xy
{
unsigned x[10],y[10],counter;
public:
xy()
{counter=0;}
void setxy(unsigned a,unsigned b)
{x[counter]=a;y[counter]=b;counter++;}
void printxy()
{for(unsigned i=0;i<counter;i++)cout<<"="<<x[i]<<"^3+"<<y[i]<<"^3";}
};
class unitcell
{
unsigned long long value_cube,hasharr_len;
xy* hasharr;
unsigned long long* r_numberindexes;
unsigned rarraylen;
public:
unitcell()
{cout<<"a";}
unsigned long long gethasharraylen()
{return hasharr_len;}
};
int main()
{
unitcell *a=new unitcell[3];
unitcell *b=a+3;
b=new unitcell[3];
}

No.
First you're initializing b to the value of a+3 and then you're assigning the result of new to it, which will be a completely different value. You have no control over where your allocated memory will end up. You should assume each new invocation gives you a completely random address, whose value you cannot predict.
If you want to "extend" your array you have to allocate a bigger one, copy all the elements you already had and then delete the old one
unitcell *b = new unitcell[6];
std::copy(a, a+3, b);
delete a;
a = b;
STL class std::vector works in this way internally.

Related

XCode: Stack Size Limit on Multidimensional Array

i have some complex classes in my xcode project (below a generic example)
and it seems I have hit some sort of data size limit.
the array sizes I need do not work, if I reduze the array sizes the code works (so no programming errors), but it is too small for what I planned.
reading through the internet I figured out it must be a problem with stack size and most of the solutions say "convert your static arrays to dynamic arrays".
but (1) that is not that easy with multidimensional arrays (some up to 5 to 10 dimensions as they monitor multiple independent variables and each combination is possible)
and (2) are most of the arrays nested in several classes, making it even worse.
I thought already of reducing the data
int instead of long with some intelligent transposition...
change resolution of c (0-100%) into steps of 10% (so [100] reduces to [10])
but on one hand this might jeopardize the overall results and on the other is the project still at the start so it will grow in the next month... this array size problem will come back sooner or later...
here I generalized the code showing a 4 dimensional array (2x 2D).
I guess most professional programs use arrays that are even bigger.
so there must be a way to make this works...
//.h
class StatisticTable
{
public:
long Array1 [100][50];
long Array2 [100][50];
long Array3 [100][140];
};
class Statistic
{
public:
void WriteStatistic(short Parameter_a, short Parameter_b,
short Parameter_c, short Parameter_d);
short ReadStatistic(short Parameter_a, short Parameter_b,
short Parameter_c, short Parameter_d);
private:
StatisticTable Table[16][8];
};
//.cpp
void WriteStatistic(short a, short b, short c, short d)
{
for (int i=0; i<d, i++) {Table[a][b].Array1[c][i]++;}
for (int i=d; i<50, i++) {Table[a][b].Array2[c][i]++;}
//write some more stuff
return;
}
Can you use heap allocation instead of stack allocation?
As suggested, using std::unique_ptr:
auto const ptr = std::unique_ptr<StatisticTable>(new StatisticTable()).get(); // heap allocated and deleted automatically when obj goes out of scope
I.e.
auto obj = new StatisticTable(); // heap allocation, allocate reference to new StatisticTable object on heap
// code
delete obj; // release heap allocated object
vs.
auto x = StatisticTable() // stack allocation

Is it valid to access a multi dimensional C++ array as one contiguous block (on heap) [duplicate]

This question already has answers here:
May I treat a 2D array as a contiguous 1D array?
(6 answers)
Closed 8 years ago.
Related thread here: Does C99 guarantee that arrays are contiguous?
Apparently answer() isn't valid below, but could be re-written to use char * or cast to int[nElements] (possibly). I'll admit I don't understand the standard references and why a contiguous block of int couldn't be accessed via int* if properly aligned.
First is the following code block valid on most C++ platforms?
void answer(int *pData, size_t nElements)
{
for( size_t i=0; i<nElements; ++i )
pData[i] = 42;
}
void random_code()
{
int arr1[1][2][3][4]; // local allocation
answer(arr1, sizeof(arr1) / sizeof(int));
int arr2[20][15];
answer(arr2, sizeof(arr2) / sizeof(int));
}
Second does answer() remain valid for all allocation types (global, local, heap(hopefully correct!))?
int g_arr[20][15]; // global
void foo() {
int (*pData)[10] = new int[50][10]; // heap allocation, at least partially
answer(&pData[0][0], 50*10);
// not even sure if delete[] will free pData correctly, but...
}
Yes, most platforms will indeed pack the elements of an N-dimensional array in such a way that linear addressing on a pointer to the first element will find all of the elements.
It is actually hard (as in, I cannot figure it out) to come up with a standards compliant implementation that does not do this, as an array of arrays must pack said arrays, and the size of the array of arrays is the size of each sub array times the number of arrays of arrays. There does not seem to be room for it not to work. Even the ordering of each element seems to be well defined.
Despite this, no clause in the standard I am aware of lets you actually reinterpret the pointer to the first element of a multi dimensional array as a pointer to an array of the product. Many clauses talk about how you can only access the elements of the array, or one-past-the-end.
The code in answer() is fine. The code in random_code() is misusing answer() (or not calling the overload of answer() shown in the question). It should be:
void random_code()
{
int arr1[1][2][3][4];
answer(&arr1[0][0][0][0], sizeof(arr1) / sizeof(int));
int arr2[20][15];
answer(&arr2[0][0], sizeof(arr2) / sizeof(int));
}
The code in answer() expects an int *; you were passing an int (*)[2][3][4] and an int (*)[15], neither of which looks like int *.
This remains valid for other allocation mechanisms that allocate a single contiguous block of data, such as the ones shown.
As the previous person said, there's a type error in your code. You're trying to use an int ()[X] type actual argument for an int formal argument. So to make your code work, you should use type casting.
C++/C uses the same memory layout for data types not depending on what section of memory is used for allocating an object so that the same code can be used for values where they are. So the answer to your second question, is if your code is working on stack-allocated values, it is going to work with a heap-allocated value too.

sizeof works unusual at c++ after array creation [duplicate]

This question already has answers here:
Closed 10 years ago.
Possible Duplicate:
How to find the sizeof(a pointer pointing to an array)
I am creating an array by using following code
float *A;
A = (float *) malloc(100*sizeof(float));
float *B;
B = (float *) malloc(100*sizeof(float));
but after these when I type an print the size of the A and B by the following, I get 2 as a result as I expect to see 100.
sizeof(A)/sizeof(float)
Your expectation is wrong. A is a float*, so its size will be sizeof(float*), regardless of how you actually allocate it.
If you had a static array - i.e. float A[100], then this would work.
Since this is C++, use std::array or std::vector.
Worst case, use new[]. Definitely don't use malloc.
This works only for static arrays, defined in the current scope.
All you get in your example is the size of a pointer to float divided by the size of float.

array size and const [duplicate]

This question already has answers here:
Closed 10 years ago.
Possible Duplicate:
initialize array size from another array value
in C++
const int a[]={1,2,3,4,5};
int b[a[2]];
int main()
{
return 0;
}
The code is giving error in line 2;
However, if it is something like below it gives no error after compilation:
const int a=3;
int b[a];
int main()
{
return 0;
}
Why is that? however if i define array b inside main it is alright in both the cases...
Because in C++ array sizes must be constant expressions, not just constant data. Array data, even though const, is not a constant expression.
Second version IS a constant expression.
It looks like you want to make a variable-sized array. To do this, one must use pointers.
POINTERS
Normally, you would declare an array like this:
char a[4];
An array must be a constant size. It cannot change. How can we make the size variable? Like this.
char* a = new char[length];
What does this do? Normally, when you declare an array of a specific size, it is declared on the stack. What this code does, however, is instead allocate memory on the heap.
char a[4]; // This is created at compile time
char* a = new char[length]; // This is created at run time
You create a pointer to an address where you can declare and assign values to your array, all in a safe memory space.

Dynamic Function Memory? C++

I've been reading through some books, and when it comes to Class/Functions using Pointers/Dynamic Memory (or heap or w/e they call it) I start to get confused.
Does anyone have a simple....like easy example they can show, because the books im using are using overly complex examples (large classes or multiple functions) and it makes it hard to follow. Pointers have always been my weak point anyways but I understand BASIC pointers, just classes/functions using them is a little bit confusing.
Also.....when would you use them is another question.
Stack allocation:
char buffer[1000];
Here the 1000 must be a constant. Memory is automatically freed when buffer goes out of scope.
Heap Allocation:
int bufsz = 1000;
char* buffer = new char[bufsz];
//...
delete [] buffer;
Here bufsz can be a variable. Memory must be freed explicitly.
When to use heap:
You don't know how much space you will need at compile time.
You want the memory/object to persist beyond the current scope.
You need a large chunk of memory (stack space is more limited than heap space)
Your computer's RAM is a big pile of bytes ordered one after another, and each one of those bytes can be accesed independently by it's address: an integer number startig from zero, upwards. A pointer is just a variable to hold that address of a single place in memory.
Since the RAM is a big chunk of bytes, the CPU ussually divides that big pile of bytes on several chunks. The most important ones are:
Code
Heap
Stack
The Code chunk is where the Assembly code lies. The Heap is a big pool of bytes used to allocate:
Global variables
Dynamic data, via the new operation on C++, or malloc() on C.
The stack is the chunk of memory that gets used to store:
Local variables
Function parameters
Return values (return statement on C/C++).
The main difference between the Stack and Heap is the way it is used. While the Heap is a big pool of bytes, the Stack "grows" like a stack of dishes: you can't remove the dish on the bottom unless there are no more dishes on it's top.
That's how recursion is implemented: every time you call a function recursively, memory grows on the stack, allocating parameters, local variables and storing return values of the returning functions, one on top of the others just like the stack of dishes.
Data living on the Stack have different "Life Span" than the data living on the Heap. Once a function exits, the data on the local variables get lost.
But if you allocate data on the Heap, that data won't get lost util you explicitly free that data with the delete or free() operations.
A pointer is basically a variable that contains the memory address of another variable (or in other cases to a function, but lets focus on the first).
That means that if I declare int[] x = {5,32,82,45,-7,0,123,8}; that variable will be allocated to memory at a certain address, lets say it got allocated on address 0x00000100 through 0x0000011F however we could have a variable which indicates a certain memory address and we can use that to access it.
So, our array looks like this
Address Contents
0x00000100 1
0x00000104 32
0x00000108 82
0x0000010B 45
0x00000110 -7
0x00000114 0
0x00000118 123
0x0000011B 8
If, for example, we were to create a pointer to the start of the array we could do this: int* p = &x; imagine this pointer variable got created a memory address 0x00000120 that way the memory at that address would contain the memory location for the start of array x.
Address Contents
0x00000120 0x00000100
You could then access the contents at that address through your pointer by dereferencing the pointer so that int y = *p would result in y = 1. We can also move the pointer, if we were to do p += 3; the pointer would be moved 3 addresses forward (note, however, that it moves 3 times the size of the type of object it is pointing to, here I am making examples with a 32 bit system in which an int is 32 bits or 4 bytes long, therefore the address would move by 4 bytes for each increment or 12 bytes in total so the pointer would end up pointing to 0x0000010B), if we were to dereference p again by doing y = *p; then we'd end up having y = 45. This is just the beginning, you can do a lot of things with pointers.
One of the other major uses is to pass a pointer as a parameter to a function so that it can do operations on certain values in memory without having to copy all of them over or make changes that will persist outside of the function's scope.
Warning: Don't do this. This is why we have vectors.
If you wanted to create an array of data, and return if from a function, how would you do it?
Obviously, this does not work:
int [10] makeArray(int val)
{
int arr[10];
for(int i=0; i<10; ++i)
arr[i] = val;
return arr;
}
You cannot return an array from a function. We can use pointers to refer to the first element of an array, like this:
int * makeArray(int val)
{
int arr[10];
for(int i=0; i<10; ++i)
arr[i] = val;
return &(arr[0]); // Return the address of the first element.
// Not strictly necessary, but I don't want to confuse.
}
This, however, also fails. arr is a local variable, it goes on the stack. When the function returns, the data is no longer valid, and now you have a pointer pointing to invalid data.
What we need to do is declare an array that will survive even after the function exits. For that, we use keyword new which creates that array, and returns the address to us, which needs to be stored in a pointer.
int * makeArray(int val)
{
int * arr = new int[10];
for(int i=0; i<10; ++i)
arr[i] = val;
return arr;
}
Then you can call that function and use that array like this:
int * a = makeArray(7);
for(int i=0; i<10; ++i)
std::cout << a[i] << std::endl;
delete [] a; // never forget this. Obviously you wouldn't do it right
// away like this, but you need to do it sometime.
Using pointers with new also gives you the advantage that you can determine the size of the array at runtime, something you can't do with local static arrays(though you can in C):
int * makeArray(int size, int val)
{
int * arr = new int[size];
for(int i=0; i<size; ++i)
arr[i] = val;
return arr;
}
That used to be one of the primary purposes for pointers. But like I said at the top, we don't do that anymore. We use vector.
One of the last vestiges of pointers is not for dynamic arrays. The only time I ever use them, is in classes where I want one object to have access to another object, without giving it ownership of that object. So, Object A needs to know about Object B, but even when Object A is gone, that doesn't affect Object B. You can also use references for this, but not if you need to give Object A the option to change which object it has access to.
(not tested, just writing down. and keeping things intentionally primitive, as requested.)
int* oneInt = new int; // allocate
*oneInt = 10; // use: assign a value
cout << *oneInt << endl; // use: retrieve (and print) the value
delete oneInt; // free the memory
now an array of ints:
int* tenInts = new int[10]; // allocate (consecutive) memory for 10 ints
tenInts[0] = 4353; // use: assign a value to the first entry in the array.
tenInts[1] = 5756; // ditto for second entry
//... do more stuff with the ints
delete [] tenInts; // free the memory
now with classes/objects:
MyClass* object = new MyClass(); // allocate memory and call class constructor
object->memberFunction("test"); // call a member function of the object
delete object; // free the object, calling the destructor
Is that what you wanted? I hope it helps.
I think this is what you're asking about:
Basically C++ doesn't allow variable-sized arrays. Any array in C++ has to be given a very specific size. But you can use pointers to work around that. Consider the following code:
int *arry = new int[10];
That just created an array of ints with 10 elements, and is pretty much the same exact thing as this:
int arry[] = int[10];
The only difference is that each one will use a different set of syntax. However imagine trying to do this:
Class class:
{
public:
void initArry(int size);
private:
int arry[];
};
void class::initArry(int size)
{
arry = int[size]; // bad code
}
For whatever reason C++ was designed to not allow regular arrays to be assigned sizes that are determined at runtime. Instead they have to be assigned sizes upon being coded. However the other way to make an array in C++ - using pointers - does not have this problem:
Class class:
{
public:
~class();
void initArry(int size);
private:
int *arry;
};
class::~class()
{
delete []arry;
}
void class::initArry(int size)
{
arry = new int[size]; // good code
}
You have to do some memory cleanup in the second example, hence why I included the destructor, but by using pointers that way you can size the array at runtime (with a variable size). This is called a dynamic array, and it is said that memory here is allocated dynamically. The other kind is a static array.
As far as 2-dimensional arrays go, you can handle it kind of like this:
Class class:
{
public:
~class();
void initArrays(int size1, int size2);
private:
int **arry;
};
class::~class()
{
delete [] arry[0];
delete [] arry[1];
delete [] arry;
}
void class::initArrays(int size1, int size2)
{
arry = new int*[2];
arry[0] = new int[size1];
arry[1] = new int[size2];
}
Disclaimer though: I haven't done much with this language in a while, so I may be slightly incorrect on some of the syntax.