string variable inside vector causes massive error (WinMainCRTStartup) - c++

I have a string variable inside a vector that gets a string.
#include <vector>
#include <string>
using namespace std;
vector <string> buffer;
main(int argc, char *argv[]){
buffer[0] = "foobar";
return 0;
}
It causes this massive command line compiler error that starts with:
Multiple definition of WinMainCRTStartUP...
Then the error continues with roughly 500 lines of incoherent stuff.
I've successfully compiled other C++ programs with this compiler(GNU compiler). I don't know why this specific program is causing an error.

There are two problems. The first of all you need to add return type to main:
int main() {
...
}
Second. You have an empty buffer, so when your are doing buffer[0] = "anything" you will corrupt the memory (what may be discovered later when another function will access to the corrupted object). This happened because operator [] is unchecked for vector. If you will change it as:
int main() {
buffer.at(0) = "foobar";
return 0;
}
You will get an exception.

Related

How to return a string in C++ [duplicate]

This question already has answers here:
Can a local variable's memory be accessed outside its scope?
(20 answers)
Closed 6 years ago.
#include <iostream>
#include<string.h>
using namespace std;
char *rt()
{
char a[20];
strcpy(a,"I am a beginner");
cout<<a;
return a;
}
int main()
{
char *a;
a=rt();
cout<<endl;
cout<<a;
return 0;
}
Here I have made a short program for understanding the same....I was expecting the output to be as
I am a beginner
I am a beginner
UPDATE:
But it turned out to be
I am a beginner
ëóG
I have read many articles and post but I am not able to understand their complex language....so I will appreciate a no-nonsense answer ( for a stupid...like me!!)
UPDATE:
Actually, there is one question in my assignment which goes like this
class COMPUTER
{
char chiptype[10];
int speed;
public:
void showdetails()
{
cout<<chiptype;
cout<<"\t"<<speed;
}
void getdetails()
{
cin.getline(chiptype,10);
cin>>speed;
}
};
Here the data has to be read and stored into a binary file....and the records having chiptype as "CD" are to be displayed.
Now my question is that...as the variable chiptype is private so I can't use it for comparison in main()....so I thought of making a function which returned the value stored in chiptype.
And I am not allowed to use std::string as well as node implementation...
char a[20]; is allocated on stack. When the function rt() returns, the stack unwinds and a goes out of scope. Hence you do not get your desired result.
While you are on C++, may I suggest using std::string
Read the comment below:
The other trick is to wrap the array in a struct, and return the
struct. Since a struct is copyable, the array internally becomes
copyable and will not lose scope. See this answer. Then you're not
dealing with pointers at all. See this live example – PaulMcKenzie
Use std::string instead of char[]
#include <iostream>
#include<string>
std::string rt()
{
std::string a("I am a beginner");
std::cout<<a;
return a;
}
int main()
{
std::string a;
a=rt();
std::cout<<std::endl;
std::cout<<a;
return 0;
}
In your original code char a[20] is allocated on the stack and return a; will return a pointer to a stack variable that is no longer valid when you receive it in you main() -- handling strings in c++ should generally be done using std::string as it handles all the nasty memory management that wil kill your program if you aren't careful.
If you have to use pointers and not use std::string, you would need to go the c style way with the risk of having memory leaks if you miss a step or two. The code would look something like this using c style (keeping the cout c++)
#include <iostream>
#include <strings.h>
std::string rt()
{
char *a = malloc(20); // allocate the memory on heap
strcpy(a,"I am a beginner");
std::cout<<a;
return a;
}
int main()
{
char *a;
a=rt();
std::cout<<std::endl;
std::cout<<a;
free(a); // release the memory
return 0;
}
Caution: I don't recommend that you do the above style -- in a real world application you will likely get into trouble by either forgetting to free the memory, or accidentally accessing the memory after it has been free'd
The problem is that the memory of a will be destroyed as soon as program returns from the function. I do not think you should work with dynamic memory at your level of knowledge, so I suggest you define the array outside and just modify it inside the function:
#include <iostream>
#include<string.h>
#define MAX_LENGTH 20
using namespace std;
void rt(char *a)
{
strcpy(a,"I am a beginner");
cout<<a;
}
int main()
{
char a[MAX_LENGTH];
rt(a);
cout<<endl;
cout<<a;
return 0;
}
Furthermore, you should take care that rt is not writing more than MAX_LENGTH characters.
As mentioned by other use std::string instead of char [].
std::string rt()
{
std:: string a = "I am a beginner"; // This statement is equivalent to std::string a("I am a beginner");
std::cout << a "\n";
return a;
}
Main reason of not getting the desired result is " char a[] is allocated on stack, but when function return stack become empty.
P.S : You need to include <string> in your program, to use std::string

pointer segfault vs undefined behavior

Why does this code produce a segfault when running regularly, but undefined behavior instead of a segfault if I either add a command line argument or comment out calling the cpy function?
#include <cstdlib>
#include <iostream>
#include <cstring>
using namespace std;
int *p;
void fn() {
int n[1];
n[0]=99;
p = n;
}
void cpy(char *v) {
char x[8];
strncpy(x,v,8);
}
int main(int argc, char** argv) {
fn();
cpy(argv[1]);
cout << "p[0]:" << p[0];
}
I know n is a local var for the function fn, but is there a way I can overflow a buffer or enter something as argv[1] to get it to print the value that n held from wherever it is/was in memory?
If you don't pass an argument, then argv[1]==nullptr. Then cpy(argv[1]) is cpy(nullptr) and cpy invokes strncpy(x,nullptr,8) and segfaults.
If you comment out the cpy, then no segfault.
If you pass an argument, then cpy won't segfault. But then you get to a different problem: fn did p=n but n was declared on the stack, and so back in main at cout<<p[0], p points at the object n which no longer exists, and so the behavior is undefined.

Function in a class string setAstring(Astring){//code} cannot change using set fuction, program crashes

So I'm trying to use get/set functions, and I'm having a problem changing the default Astring using the set fuction. Program crashes after when I try to run with this:
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
using namespace std;
class Example{
private:
string m_Astring;
public:
Example()
{
m_Astring="123456789012";
}
string setAstring(string Astring){m_Astring=Astring;}
string getAstring(){return m_Astring;}
};
int main(){
Example test;
test.setAstring("250687354221");
cout<<test.getAstring()<<endl;
return 0;
}
The problem is here:
string setAstring(string Astring){m_Astring=Astring;}
^^^^^^ ^^^^
return a string no return of string
Your program crashes because you never returned anything from this function, and that is undefined.
(I suspect that the crash occurs when destroying the non-existent return value, but I haven't confirmed this.)

c++ memory access violation

I am learning C++ and I am having quite a lot of trouble with my current assignment. I have completed a good amount of it so far. However I have been making very slow progress of late due to what I think is my poor understanding of what is going on behind the scenes.
What I am trying to do in the following code is:
Get two separate values (Bullet damage). Done.
Create a dynamic array. Done.
Fill a part (that is the size of a modulus of a random number between 1 and 10) of said dynamic array with one value and the rest with the other in a random order. Here I am having trouble.
Clean up the memory used by said dynamic array. Done.
The error I get is as follows:
Unhandled exception at 0x00a323e3 in Class 3.exe: 0xC0000005: Access
violation reading location 0xcdcdcdcd.
I'm pretty sure that the error occurs when I try to set ammoArray[i] to a value. But I don't know why it's giving it to me, my code compiles fine. I played around with it a bit and in one case I got it to store the memory addresses of bDamage and sDamage and then print out the memory addresses of each element of the array. What I want it to do is store the values held by bDamage and sDamage.
Now for my question:
Why won't ammoArray store the values of bDamage and sDamage instead of the memory addresses of the array's elements? And How do I get it to store them?
Here is my Main.cpp:
#include <cstdlib>
#include "Ammunition.h"
#include "AmmunitionManager.h"
#include "Bullet.h"
#include "Game.h"
#include "Pistol.h"
#include "Player.h"
#include "Point.h"
#include "Shell.h"
#include "Shotgun.h"
#include "WeaponManager.h"
#include "Weapons.h"
using namespace std;
void main()
{
Ammunition amVar;
AmmunitionManager *var = new AmmunitionManager();
amVar.setBDamage(6);
amVar.setSDamage(2);
var->FillAmmoArray(amVar.getSDamage(),amVar.getBDamage());
system("PAUSE");
}
Here is the .h file of the class in question:
#ifndef AMMUNITIONMANAGER_H
#define AMMUNITIONMANAGER_H
#include "Point.h"
#include "Ammunition.h"
class AmmunitionManager
{
public:
AmmunitionManager();
AmmunitionManager(int,int);
~AmmunitionManager();
void FillAmmoArray(int,int);
private:
Ammunition Ammo;
int **ammoArray;
};
#endif
Here is the .cpp file of the class in question:
#include <iostream>
#include <cstdlib>
#include <ctime>
#include "AmmunitionManager.h"
#include "Point.h"
#include "Ammunition.h"
using namespace std;
AmmunitionManager::AmmunitionManager()
{
}
AmmunitionManager::AmmunitionManager(int sDamage,int bDamage)
:Ammo(sDamage,bDamage)
{
cout << "Filling ammo reservoir." << endl;
ammoArray = new int* [10];
}
void AmmunitionManager::FillAmmoArray(int sDamage,int bDamage)
{
srand(time(NULL));
int *holdS = &sDamage;
int *holdB = &bDamage;
if(ammoArray)
{
for(int i = 0;i < 9;i++)
{
int randC = rand() % 2 + 1;
if(randC == 1)
{
cout << "Was: " << ammoArray[i] << endl;//I am getting the error here.
ammoArray[i] = holdS;
cout << "Is: " << ammoArray[i] << endl;
}
if(randC == 2)
{
cout << "Was: " << ammoArray[i] << endl;//I am getting the error here.
ammoArray[i] = holdB;
cout << "Is: " << ammoArray[i] << endl;
}
}
}
}
AmmunitionManager::~AmmunitionManager()
{
*ammoArray = 0;
if(ammoArray)
{
delete [] ammoArray;
}
}
Why won't ammoArray store the values of bDamage and sDamage instead of the memory addresses of the array's elements?
Because you said it should store addresses.
Here is a pointer to a pointer:
int **ammoArray;
and here is an array of pointers:
ammoArray = new int* [10];
And How do I get it to store them?
By doing this instead:
int *ammoArray;
and this:
ammoArray = new int [10];
and adjusting FillAmmoArray accordingly.
The default constructor should look like this:
AmmunitionManager::AmmunitionManager()
: ammoArray(nullptr)
{
}
The destructor should look like this:
AmmunitionManager::~AmmunitionManager()
{
delete [] ammoArray;
}
And you should only call srand once.
It's usually done at the beginning of main.
I'm not getting any errors (VS2013). But the values stored are the addresses of sDamage and bDamage.
Did you properly use AmmunitionManager(int sDamage,int bDamage) as a constructor for creating the AmmunitionManager object? From what I'm seeing, you're not.
Apart from that, may I ask why you're using exotic constructs such as **ammoArray instead of e.g. a simple vector<int>? I'm guessing it's part of your assignment, but I'm asking just to make sure I'm not missing anything.
I called the object like this:
int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[])
{
AmmunitionManager* tc = new AmmunitionManager(5,10);
tc->FillAmmoArray(10,10);
return 0;
}
The problem is that you initialize AmmunitionManager with the default constructor:
AmmunitionManager *var = new AmmunitionManager();
In you default constructor you do nothing so ammoArray may contain any value.
It is better to initialize all the data to their default values:
AmmunitionManager::AmmunitionManager() : Ammo(), ammoArray(NULL/* or nullptr for C++11 */)
{
}
Now if you call for
var->FillAmmoArray(amVar.getSDamage(),amVar.getBDamage());
It will exit immediately since ammoArray is NULL.
Or probably you want to initialize ammoArray anyway, so the default constructor should have its initialization as well:
AmmunitionManager::AmmunitionManager() : Ammo()
{
ammoArray = new int* [10];
}
Also srand should be called only once, so better to place this code
srand(time(NULL));
in the main() or any other module which is guaranteed to be executed only once.
In the destructor, there is no need to zero *ammoArray=0, it actually puts 0 at the first element of that array (and that's it), you anyway delete it. And imagine that ammoArray is NULL, accessing *ammoArray would cause another segmentation fault.
Also there is no need to check for ammoArray beibg NULL before deleting it. The standard allows to 'delete' NULL pointers. delete will just return without doing nothing.
General note
It is better to use (safer and easier to maintain) std::vector instead of (dynamic) arrays and smart pointers instead of flat ones.
It's a bit tricky answering without building and debugging, but the first thing that strikes me are: Why are you using pointers (*) to int throughout?
Why don't you just have the array as a pointer:
int *ammoArray;
and make the other int-instances (remove the pointers - * and the address-of's (&))?
Regards

Vector of input streams?

Im looking to create a vector that stores a list of different input streams including cin and a few text files. So far I have this.
vector<istream> inStreams;
vector<istream>::iterator streamsIterator;
streamsIterator = inStreams.begin();
streamsIterator = inStreams.insert(streamsIterator, cin); ////this has error!
for (char i = 1; argv[i] != NULL; i++) {
streamsIterator = inStreams.insert(streamsIterator, ifstream(argv[i], ifstream::in));
}
The problem is that the compiler spits out a big error that goes deep into the template library that I just cant decipher.
There are a few problems here. First is streams are not copyable so you can't copy them into a container. Although if you have a very recent compiler that supports it, streams are moveable.
However because you want to store different types in the one container that are polymorphic you can't even move them in. You can't store a std::fstream in the space allocated to a std::istream because you get slicing (corruption).
One way to do this is using pointers to store in your container:
int main(int, char* argv[])
{
std::vector<std::istream*> istreams;
istreams.push_back(&std::cin);
for(char** arg = argv + 1; *arg; ++arg)
{
istreams.push_back(new std::ifstream(*arg));
}
}
Unfortunately now you have a problem of ownership. The std::ifstream objects you added that were created with new need to be deleted but the global std::cin object should not be deleted.
How you solve that problem depends on what you are trying to do overall but mixing pointers that need deleting with those that should not be deleted is problematic.
This program does not compile, because you have no default constructor for std::istream class.
This code would compile if you use references instead of raw type. Make sure you free items when you remove them from the vector:
#include <vector>
#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>
#include <istream>
using namespace std;
int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
vector<istream*> inStreams;
vector<istream*>::iterator streamsIterator;
streamsIterator = inStreams.begin();
streamsIterator = inStreams.insert(streamsIterator, &cin); ////this has no error now
for (char i = 1; argv[i] != NULL; i++) {
auto str = new ifstream(argv[i], ifstream::in);
streamsIterator = inStreams.insert(streamsIterator, str);
}
return 0;
}