Allocation of data through a list of pointers in C++ - c++

Question

I'm trying to read the data of several objects from a file. The reading itself works fine, but I'm having trouble with writing the data into a std::list<MyObject*>. I tried a couple of things but it always ends with the application crashing after printing some stuff, which I think is random memory content. Below you can find the current version. I also tried Iterators but that didn't work either.
Here's what happens in the calling method:
PAProject proj2 = PAProject();
proj2.projectName = "myfirstOne";
PaFigureLoader::loadFigures(&proj2);
std::list<PAFigure*>::iterator figIterator;
for(figIterator = proj2.figures.begin();
figIterator != (proj2.figures.end());
figIterator++) {
PAFigure* fig = *figIterator;
if(fig->firstname.empty()) {
std::cout << "Nothing to see here\n";
break;
} else {
std::cout << fig->firstname << "\n";
}
}
The list is std::list<PAFigure*> figures
Method causing all the trouble:
static void loadFigures(PAProject *project)
{
//open input stream
fs::ifstream ifstream(filename);
std::string input;
ifstream >> input;
PAFigure * fig;
//keep a string for all the splitting:
std::string result;
//define regexs
std::regex reg1 ("(<firstname>)([a-zA-Z0-9]*)(</firstname>)");
std::regex reg2 ("(<lastname>)([a-zA-Z0-9]*)(</lastname>)");
//iterate through file to find all figures
while(input.compare("</allfigures>") != 0) {
//do the figure-loading stuff
if(input.compare("<figure>")==0) {
PAFigure newFigure = PAFigure();
project->figures.push_front(&newFigure);
fig = &newFigure;
}
//find contents
if(input.find("<firstname>")!= std::string::npos) {
std::regex_replace (std::back_inserter(result), input.begin(), input.end(), reg1, "$2");
fig->firstname = result;
result.erase();
std::cout << fig->firstname << " is firstname\n";
}
if(input.find("<lastname>")!= std::string::npos) {
std::regex_replace (std::back_inserter(result), input.begin(), input.end(), reg2, "$2");
fig->lastname = result;
result.erase();
}
//read next line
ifstream >> input;
}
PAFigure * figtest = project->figures.back();
std::cout << figtest->firstname << " last element\n";
figtest = project->figures.front();
std::cout << figtest->firstname << " first element\n";
}
Here's the output:
died
Anna is firstname
died
Dorian is firstname
Dorian last element
Dorian first element
Dorian died
Anna died
I added
PAFigure::~PAFigure()
{
std::cout << this->firstname << " died\n";
}
because I had that weird feeling that my elements were just gone, and apparently the PAFigure newFigure = PAFigure() does infact never get a firstname.
I admit that my coding experience in C++ and especially with pointer/references is very... basic. I have no idea how to solve this, not even talking about solving it in an elegant way.

Answer 1

Use pointer rather than reference.
Here is what's wrong:
PAFigure newFigure = PAFigure();
You should use a pointer to push, rather than reference.
PAFigure *newFigure = new PAFigure();
project->figures.push_front(newFigure);
// and create another object too.
PAFigure *fig = new PAFigure();