Locating a Segmentation Fault - c++

Question

I have the fallowing code. I read the guide for what a segmentation fault is, but I'm not 100% sure where its actually happening within my code. It works until I start working with the dynamic array (histogram), more specifically at the //set all initial values to be zero. Within that mess after I'm not sure. Thanks!
The instructor asked to "Use a dynamic array to store the histogram.", Which I think is my issue here.
-Solved-
thanks for the help, the error was in how I initialized the array pointer
rather than
const int hSize = 10;
IntArrayPtr histogram;
histogram = new int[hSize];
I used
const int hSize = 10;
int hValues[hSize] = { 0 };
IntArrayPtr histogram;
histogram = hValues;
Which worked as the instructor wanted.
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
typedef int* IntArrayPtr;
int main() {
vector<int>grades;
int newGrade;
cout << "Input grades between 0 and 100. Input -1 to calculate histogram: " << endl;
cin >> newGrade;
grades.push_back(newGrade);
while (newGrade > 0) {
cin >> newGrade;
while (newGrade > 100) {
cout << "less than 100 plz: ";
cin >> newGrade;
}
grades.push_back(newGrade);
}
grades.pop_back();
int size = grades.size();
cout << "Calculating histogram with " << size << " grades." << endl;
//Create dynamic array for the histogram of 10 sections.
const int hSize = 10;
IntArrayPtr histogram;
histogram = new int[hSize];
}
//Make the historgram
int stackValue = 0;
for (int j = 0; j < hSize; j++) {
//Loop through the grade vector slots
for (int i = 0; i < size; i++) {
int testValue = grades[i];
//If the grade at the index is between the stack values of the histogram add one to the value of the slot
if (testValue > stackValue && testValue < stackValue + 10) {
histogram[j]++;
}
}
//After looping through the vector jump up to the next histogram slot and corresponding stack value.
stackValue += 10;
}
//Histogram output. Only output the stacks with values
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
if (histogram[i] != 0) {
cout << "Number of " << (i + 1) * 10 << "'s: " << histogram[i];
}
}
return 0;
}
Working Code:
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
typedef int* IntArrayPtr;
int main() {
vector<int>grades;
int newGrade;
cout << "Input grades between 0 and 100. Input -1 to calculate histogram: " << endl;
cin >> newGrade;
grades.push_back(newGrade);
while (newGrade > 0) {
cin >> newGrade;
while (newGrade > 100) {
cout << "less than 100 plz: ";
cin >> newGrade;
}
grades.push_back(newGrade);
}
grades.pop_back();
int size = grades.size();
cout << "Calculating histogram with " << size << " grades." << endl;
//Create dynamic array for the histogram of 10 sections.
const int hSize = 10;
int hValues[hSize] = { 0 };
IntArrayPtr histogram;
histogram = hValues;
//Make the historgram
int stackValue = 0;
for (int j = 0; j < hSize; j++) {
//Loop through the grade vector slots
for (int i = 0; i < size; i++) {
int testValue = grades[i];
//If the grade at the index is between the stack values of the histogram add one to the value of the slot
if (testValue > stackValue && testValue < stackValue + 10) {
histogram[j]++;
}
}
//After looping through the vector jump up to the next histogram slot and corresponding stack value.
stackValue += 10;
}
//Histogram output. Only output the stacks with values
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
if (histogram[i] != 0) {
cout << "Number of " << (i + 1) * 10 << "'s: " << histogram[i] << endl;
}
}
return 0;
}

Answer 1

histogram is a pointer, not an array.
While
int histogram[hSize] = {0};
would create a zero-initialised array, your
histogram = { 0 };
does not set any elements to zero (it couldn't, because histogram points to one int, not many).
The braces are ignored – a pretty confusing behaviour inherited from C – and it is equivalent to
histogram = 0;
that is,
histogram = nullptr;
You want
int* histogram = new int[hSize]();
The parentheses value-initialises the array, and in turn its elements.
Value-initialising integers sets them to zero.
(By the way: the habit of typedeffing away asterisks causes more problems than it solves. Don't do it.)

Answer 2

Seg faults are problems with accessing regions of memory you don't have access to, so you need to look at your use of pointers. It often means you have a pointer with a bad value that you just dereferenced.
In this case, the problem is this line:
histogram = { 0 };
This is not setting the histogram values to zero as you think: it's resetting the historgram pointer to zero. Then you later dereference that pointer causing your SegFault (note that this line doesn't even compile with clang, so your compiler isn't helping you any on this one).
Changing that line to:
memset(histogram, 0, hSize);
Will sort the problem in this case.
More generally, to diagnose a segfault there are two tricks I use regularly (though avoidance is better than cure):
Run the program under a debugger: the debugger will likely stop the program at the point of the fault and you can see exactly where it failed
Run the program under Valgrind or similar - that will also tell you where the error surfaced but in more complex failures can also tell you where it was caused (often not the same place).