This was an interview question:
Say there is a class having only an int member. You do not know how many bytes the int will occupy. And you cannot view the class implementation (say it's an API). But you can create an object of it. How would you find the size needed for int without using sizeof.
He wouldn't accept using bitset, either.
Can you please suggest the most efficient way to find this out?
The following program demonstrates a valid technique to compute the size of an object.
#include <iostream>
struct Foo
{
int f;
};
int main()
{
// Create an object of the class.
Foo foo;
// Create a pointer to it.
Foo* p1 = &foo;
// Create another pointer, offset by 1 object from p1
// It is legal to compute (p1+1) but it is not legal
// to dereference (p1+1)
Foo* p2 = p1+1;
// Cast both pointers to char*.
char* cp1 = reinterpret_cast<char*>(p1);
char* cp2 = reinterpret_cast<char*>(p2);
// Compute the size of the object.
size_t size = (cp2-cp1);
std::cout << "Size of Foo: " << size << std::endl;
}
Using pointer algebra:
#include <iostream>
class A
{
int a;
};
int main() {
A a1;
A * n1 = &a1;
A * n2 = n1+1;
std::cout << int((char *)n2 - (char *)n1) << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Yet another alternative without using pointers. You can use it if in the next interview they also forbid pointers. Your comment "The interviewer was leading me to think on lines of overflow and underflow" might also be pointing at this method or similar.
#include <iostream>
int main() {
unsigned int x = 0, numOfBits = 0;
for(x--; x; x /= 2) numOfBits++;
std::cout << "number of bits in an int is: " << numOfBits;
return 0;
}
It gets the maximum value of an unsigned int (decrementing zero in unsigned mode) then subsequently divides by 2 until it reaches zero. To get the number of bytes, divide by CHAR_BIT.
Pointer arithmetic can be used without actually creating any objects:
class c {
int member;
};
c *ptr = 0;
++ptr;
int size = reinterpret_cast<int>(ptr);
Alternatively:
int size = reinterpret_cast<int>( static_cast<c*>(0) + 1 );
As far as I know, const int * implies that I can change the pointer but not the data, int * const says that I can't change the pointer address but I can change the data, and const int * const states that I can't change any of them.
However, I can't change a address of a pointer defined with the type const int *. Here is my example code:
void Func(const int * pInt)
{
static int Int = 0;
pInt = ∬
Int++;
}
int wmain(int argc, wchar_t *argv[])
{
int Dummy = 0;
const int * pInt = &Dummy;
//const int * pInt = nullptr; // Gives error when I try to pass it to Func().
std::cout << pInt << '\t' << *pInt << std::endl;
std::cout << "-------------------" << std::endl;
for (int i=0; i<5; i++)
{
Func(pInt); // Set the pointer to the internal variable. (But, it doesn't set it!)
std::cout << pInt << '\t' << *pInt << std::endl;
}
return 0;
}
Code output:
00D2F9C4 0
-------------------
00D2F9C4 0
00D2F9C4 0
00D2F9C4 0
00D2F9C4 0
00D2F9C4 0
I would expect the address of pInt to change to point to the internal variable inside the Func() function after calling Func() for at least once. But it doesn't. I keeps pointing at the Dummy variable.
What is happening here? Why don't I get the result I expect?
(IDE: Visual Studio 2015 Community Version)
You don't see the change at the call site because you are passing the pointer by value. Modifying it inside Func will just change the local copy, not the pointer passed in.
If you want to modify the pointer and have the changes visible outside, pass it by reference:
void Func(const int *& pInt)
// ^
I want to modify values of some variables of a particular class by accessing address of these variables from another different class through a function. So, to access this address I try to pass pointers-to-variables as arguments to a function, where these pointers-to-variables will be set with the address of the variables. To learn how to do it, I'm trying to mimic in a simple program.
Here is my code:
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int numberA = 100;
int numberB = 200;
void referenceSetter(int *a, int *b)
{
*a = numberA;
*b = numberB;
}
void numberOutput()
{
cout << "A = " << numberA << endl;
cout << "B = " << numberB << endl;
}
int main() {
int *testA = 0;
int *testB = 0;
referenceSetter(testA, testB);
*testA = 30;
*testB = 40;
numberOutput();
return 0;
}
As you could see I declare numberA and numberB as global variables and set their values. The I try to get the address of these two variables through the function referenceSetter function and then after that I try to modify the values in those variables using the references. Apparently, I'm doing something wrong which leads to to have Unhandled Exception error exactly when I try to modify the values and try to set them as 30 and 40 resepectively.
Alternatively I tried the following approach:
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int numberA = 100;
int numberB = 200;
void referenceSetter(int *a, int *b)
{
a = &numberA;
b = &numberB;
}
void numberOutput()
{
cout << "A = " << numberA << endl;
cout << "B = " << numberB << endl;
}
int main() {
int *testA;
int *testB;
referenceSetter(testA, testB);
*testA = 30;
*testB = 40;
numberOutput();
return 0;
}
But this approach throws up the error uninitialized local variables testA and testB. Do I have to initialize pointers too?
Please help me find my mistake. Thanks.
The thing you're not understanding is that pointers are passed by value, just like any other variable. If you want the passed pointer to be changed, you need to pass a pointer to a pointer (or a reference to a pointer, but I'll leave that alone, as explaining references at this point will confuse you further).
Your main() is passing NULL pointers to referenceSetter(). The assignment *a = numberA copies the value of numberA (i.e. 100) into the memory pointed to by a. Since a is a NULL pointer, that has the effect of overwriting memory that doesn't exist as far as your program is concerned. The result of that is undefined behaviour which means - according to the standard - that anything is allowed to happen. With your implementation, that is triggering an unhandled exception, probably because your host operating system is detecting that your program is writing to memory that it is not permitted to write to.
If, after the call of referenceSetter() you want testA and testB to contain the addresses of numberA and numberB respectively, you need to change referenceSetter() to something like;
void referenceSetter(int **a, int **b)
{
*a = &numberA;
*b = &numberB;
}
This allows the values passed to be addresses of pointers. *a then becomes a reference to the pointer passed. &numberA compute the address of numberA, rather than accessing its value 100. Similarly for numberB.
The second change is to change main() so it calls the function correctly;
referenceSetter(&testA, &testB);
which passes the address of testA (and testB) to the function, so those pointers can be changed
You are trying to set the contents of address 0 to be equal to the other numbers, so when you're doing *a = numberA you're assigning a value of numberA to memory address 0.
Not sure, but I think what you're trying to achieve is this:
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int numberA = 100;
int numberB = 200;
void referenceSetter(int **a, int **b)
{
*a = &numberA;
*b = &numberB;
}
void numberOutput()
{
cout << "A = " << numberA << endl;
cout << "B = " << numberB << endl;
}
int main() {
int *testA = 0;
int *testB = 0;
referenceSetter(&testA, &testB);
*testA = 30;
*testB = 40;
numberOutput();
return 0;
}
This way, using pointers to pointers as arguments for referenceSetter(), you are actually modifying the address that your passed pointers are pointing to.
You are close, but the key is you need to pass the address of the value you want to set. You declare the values as int in main and pass the address by using the & operator:
int *testA = 0;
int *testB = 0;
referenceSetter(&testA, &testB);
*testA = 30;
*testB = 40;
numberOutput();
If you declare testA and testB as pointers in main and pass the pointer, the function gets a copy of the pointer instead of the address of the value you want to set.
I've got an argument with my co-workers.
Once I did try to modify constant reference.
Sample of code is below:
#include <cstdio>
#include <cstdlib>
using namespace std;
int main(int argc, char const *argv[])
{
const int* A = NULL;
printf("A = %p\n", A);
int** pA = const_cast<int**>(&A);
*pA = new int(5);
if (pA != NULL)
printf("pA = %p, value = %d\n", pA, *pA);
else
printf("pA null pointer\n");
if (A != NULL)
printf("A = %p, value = %d\n", A, *A);
else
printf("A null pointer\n");
return 0;
}
Everything works fine and the log is
A = 00000000
pA = 0028FED8, value = 4068760
A = 003E1598, value = 5
I think it works that way:
I create a const pointer variable A with '0' (zero) value is stack. It is local variable wich occupies 4 bytes of memory in stack.
then I create a pointer to pointer variable, I cast away constant modification and take address of the variable
I think this code works fine and will not lead to a bug. But I need some kind of explanations. Am I right?
const int *a and int * const a are different.
Case 1
[const is used on *a]
Here the value of a is constant. The address pointed by a can be changed.
const int *a = malloc(sizeof (int));
if (a)
{
//*a = 10; //not allowed
a = malloc(sizeof (int));; //allowed
}
Case 2
[const is used on a]
Here the address of a is constant. The value of a can be changed.
int * const a = malloc(sizeof (int));
if (a)
{
*a = 10; //allowed
//a = malloc(sizeof (int));; //not allowed
}
EDIT:
As suggested by #lifeOfPI, read about using const_cast .
I had an article, but I lost it. It showed and described a couple of C/C++ tricks that people should be careful. One of them interested me but now that I am trying to replicate it I'm not being able to put it to compile.
The concept was that it is possible to change by accident the value of a const in C/C++
It was something like this:
const int a = 3; // I promise I won't change a
const int *ptr_to_a = &a; // I still promise I won't change a
int *ptr;
ptr = ptr_to_a;
(*ptr) = 5; // I'm a liar; a is now 5
I wanted to show this to a friend but now I'm missing a step. Does anyone know what's missing for it to start compiling and working?
ATM I'm getting invalid conversion from 'const int*' to 'int*' but when I read the article I tried and it worked great.
you need to cast away the constness:
linux ~ $ cat constTest.c
#include <stdio.h>
void modA( int *x )
{
*x = 7;
}
int main( void )
{
const int a = 3; // I promisse i won't change a
int *ptr;
ptr = (int*)( &a );
printf( "A=%d\n", a );
*ptr = 5; // I'm a liar, a is now 5
printf( "A=%d\n", a );
*((int*)(&a)) = 6;
printf( "A=%d\n", a );
modA( (int*)( &a ));
printf( "A=%d\n", a );
return 0;
}
linux ~ $ gcc constTest.c -o constTest
linux ~ $ ./constTest
A=3
A=5
A=6
A=7
linux ~ $ g++ constTest.c -o constTest
linux ~ $ ./constTest
A=3
A=3
A=3
A=3
also the common answer doesn't work in g++ 4.1.2
linux ~ $ cat constTest2.cpp
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main( void )
{
const int a = 3; // I promisse i won't change a
int *ptr;
ptr = const_cast<int*>( &a );
cout << "A=" << a << endl;
*ptr = 5; // I'm a liar, a is now 5
cout << "A=" << a << endl;
return 0;
}
linux ~ $ g++ constTest2.cpp -o constTest2
linux ~ $ ./constTest2
A=3
A=3
linux ~ $
btw.. this is never recommended... I found that g++ doesn't allow this to happen.. so that may be the issue you are experiencing.
Note any attempt to cast away constness is undefined by the standard. From 7.1.5.1 of the standard:
Except that any class member declared
mutable can be modified, any
attempt to modify a const object
during its lifetime
results in undefined behavior.
And right after this example is used:
const int* ciq = new const int (3); // initialized as required
int* iq = const_cast<int*>(ciq); // cast required
*iq = 4; // undefined: modifies a const object
So in short what you want to do isn't possible using standard C++.
Further when the compiler encounters a declaration like
const int a = 3; // I promisse i won't change a
it is free to replace any occurance of 'a' with 3 (effectively doing the same thing as #define a 3)
Just a guess, but a common question is why one can't convert an int** to a const int**, which at first appears to be reasonable (after all, you're just adding a const, which is normally ok). The reason is that if you could do this, you could accidentally modify a const object:
const int x = 3;
int *px;
const int **ppx = &px; // ERROR: conversion from 'int**' to 'const int**'
*ppx = &x; // ok, assigning 'const int*' to 'const int*'
*px = 4; // oops, just modified a const object
It's a very non-intuitive result, but the only way to make sure that you can't modify a const object in this case (note how there are no typecasts) is to make line 3 an error.
You're only allowed to add const without a cast at the FIRST level of indirection:
int * const *ppx = &px; // this is ok
*ppx = &x; // but now this is an error because *ppx is 'const'
In C++, it is impossible to modify a const object without using a typecast of some sort. You'll have to use either a C-style cast or a C++-style const_cast to remove the const-ness. Any other attempt to do so will result in a compiler error somewhere.
Back in the mists of time, we paleo-programmers used FORTRAN. FORTRAN passed all its parameters by reference, and didn't do any typechecking. This meant it was quite easy to accidentally change the value of even a literal constant. You could pass "3" to a SUBROUTINE, and it would come back changed, and so every time from then on where your code had a "3", it would actually act like a different value. Let me tell you, those were hard bugs to find and fix.
Did you try this?
ptr = const_cast<int *>(ptr_to_a);
That should help it compile but it's not really by accident due to the cast.
In C++, Using Microsoft Visual Studio-2008
const int a = 3; /* I promisse i won't change a */
int * ptr1 = const_cast<int*> (&a);
*ptr1 = 5; /* I'm a liar, a is now 5 . It's not okay. */
cout << "a = " << a << "\n"; /* prints 3 */
int arr1[a]; /* arr1 is an array of 3 ints */
int temp = 2;
/* or, const volatile int temp = 2; */
const int b = temp + 1; /* I promisse i won't change b */
int * ptr2 = const_cast<int*> (&b);
*ptr2 = 5; /* I'm a liar, b is now 5 . It's okay. */
cout << "b = " << b << "\n"; /* prints 5 */
//int arr2[b]; /* Compilation error */
In C, a const variable can be modified through its pointer; however it is undefined behavior. A const variable can be never used as length in an array declaration.
In C++, if a const variable is initialized with a pure constant expression, then its value cannot be modified through its pointer even after try to modify, otherwise a const variable can be modified through its pointer.
A pure integral const variable can be used as length in an array declaration, if its value is greater than 0.
A pure constant expression consists of the following operands.
A numeric literal (constant ) e.g. 2, 10.53
A symbolic constant defined by #define directive
An Enumeration constant
A pure const variable i.e. a const variable which is itself initialized with a pure constant expression.
Non-const variables or volatile variables are not allowed.
Some of these answers point out that the compiler can optimize away the variable 'a' since it is declared const. If you really want to be able to change the value of a then you need to mark it as volatile
const volatile int a = 3; // I promise i won't change a
int *ptr = (int *)&a;
(*ptr) = 5; // I'm a liar, a is now 5
Of course, declaring something as const volatile should really illustrate just how silly this is.
this will create a runtime fault. Because the int is static. Unhandled exception. Access violation writing location 0x00035834.
void main(void)
{
static const int x = 5;
int *p = (int *)x;
*p = 99; //here it will trigger the fault at run time
}
You probably want to use const_cast:
int *ptr = const_cast<int*>(ptr_to_a);
I'm not 100% certain this will work though, I'm a bit rusty at C/C++ :-)
Some readup for const_cast: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bz6at95h(VS.80).aspx
const int foo = 42;
const int *pfoo = &foo;
const void *t = pfoo;
void *s = &t; // pointer to pointer to int
int **z = (int **)s; // pointer to int
**z = 0;
The article you were looking at might have been talking about the difference between
const int *pciCantChangeTarget;
const int ci = 37;
pciCantChangeTarget = &ci; // works fine
*pciCantChangeTarget = 3; // compile error
and
int nFirst = 1;
int const *cpiCantChangePointerValue = &nFirst;
int nSecond = 968;
*pciCantChangePointerValue = 402; // works
cpiCantChangePointerValue = &ci; // compile error
Or so I recall-- I don't have anything but Java tools here, so can't test :)
#include<iostream>
int main( void )
{
int i = 3;
const int *pi = &i;
int *pj = (int*)&i;
*pj = 4;
getchar();
return 0;
}
I was looking on how to convert between consts and I found this one http://www.possibility.com/Cpp/const.html maybe it can be useful to someone. :)
I have tested the code below and it successfully changes the constant member variables.
#include <iostream>
class A
{
private:
int * pc1; // These must stay on the top of the constant member variables.
int * pc2; // Because, they must be initialized first
int * pc3; // in the constructor initialization list.
public:
A() : c1(0), c2(0), c3(0), v1(0), v2(0), v3(0) {}
A(const A & other)
: pc1 (const_cast<int*>(&other.c1)),
pc2 (const_cast<int*>(&other.c2)),
pc3 (const_cast<int*>(&other.c3)),
c1 (*pc1),
c2 (*pc2),
c3 (*pc3),
v1 (other.v1),
v2 (other.v2),
v3 (other.v3)
{
}
A(int c11, int c22, int c33, int v11, int v22, int v33) : c1(c11), c2(c22), c3(c33), v1(v11), v2(v22), v3(v33)
{
}
const A & operator=(const A & Rhs)
{
pc1 = const_cast<int*>(&c1);
pc2 = const_cast<int*>(&c2),
pc3 = const_cast<int*>(&c3),
*pc1 = *const_cast<int*>(&Rhs.c1);
*pc2 = *const_cast<int*>(&Rhs.c2);
*pc3 = *const_cast<int*>(&Rhs.c3);
v1 = Rhs.v1;
v2 = Rhs.v2;
v3 = Rhs.v3;
return *this;
}
const int c1;
const int c2;
const int c3;
int v1;
int v2;
int v3;
};
std::wostream & operator<<(std::wostream & os, const A & a)
{
os << a.c1 << '\t' << a.c2 << '\t' << a.c3 << '\t' << a.v1 << '\t' << a.v2 << '\t' << a.v3 << std::endl;
return os;
}
int wmain(int argc, wchar_t *argv[], wchar_t *envp[])
{
A ObjA(10, 20, 30, 11, 22, 33);
A ObjB(40, 50, 60, 44, 55, 66);
A ObjC(70, 80, 90, 77, 88, 99);
A ObjD(ObjA);
ObjB = ObjC;
std::wcout << ObjA << ObjB << ObjC << ObjD;
system("pause");
return 0;
}
The console output is:
10 20 30 11 22 33
70 80 90 77 88 99
70 80 90 77 88 99
10 20 30 11 22 33
Press any key to continue . . .
Here, the handicap is, you have to define as many pointers as number of constant member variables you have.
we can change the const variable value by the following code :
const int x=5;
printf("\nValue of x=%d",x);
*(int *)&x=7;
printf("\nNew value of x=%d",x);
#include<stdio.h>
#include<stdlib.h>
int main(void) {
const int a = 1; //a is constant
fprintf(stdout,"%d\n",a);//prints 1
int* a_ptr = &a;
*a_ptr = 4;//memory leak in c(value of a changed)
fprintf(stdout,"%d",a);//prints 4
return 0;
}
Final Solution: it will change const variable a value;
cont int a = 10;
*(int*)&a= 5; // now a prints 5
// works fine.
The step you're missing is that you don't need the int* pointer. The line:
const int *ptr_to_a = &a; // I still promiss i won't change a;
actually says you won't change ptr_to_a, not a. So if you changed your code to read like this:
const int a = 3; // I promise I won't change a
const int *ptr_to_a = &a; // I promise I won't change ptr_to_a, not a.
(*ptr_to_a) = 5; // a is now 5
a is now 5. You can change a through ptr_to_a without any warning.
EDIT:
The above is incorrect. It turns out I was confusing a similar trick with a shared_ptr, in which you can get access to the raw pointer and modify the internal data value without firing off any warnings. That is:
#include <iostream>
#include <boost/shared_ptr.hpp>
int main()
{
const boost::shared_ptr<int>* a = new boost::shared_ptr<int>(new int(3));
*(a->get()) = 5;
std::cout << "A is: " << *(a->get()) << std::endl;
return 0;
}
Will produce 5.