C++ initializer constantly creating new objects at same memory location - c++

Question

I have a simple recursive-type container object "Level" (such as a directory, which can contain multiples of itself), although I'm not sure that's related to this problem.
//Level.h
class Level
{
public:
Level();
vector<Level*> SubLevels;
Level CreateSubLevel();
}
//Level.cpp
Level::Level()
{
SubLevels = vector<Level*>();
}
Level Level::CreateSubLevel()
{
Level NewLevel = Level();
SubLevels.push_back(&NewLevel);
return NewLevel;
}
If then in my main loop I call
//main.cpp
Level MasterLevel = Level();
MasterLevel.CreateSubLevel();
MasterLevel.CreateSubLevel();
MasterLevel.CreateSubLevel();
I find that indeed the vector MasterLevel.SubLevels contains three pointers to Level objects. However, they are all pointers to the same address!
I'm not sure why this is happening. My memory management skills are lacking - but I'm suspecting that it's because every time CreateSubLevel() is called, a new object is created, but then it is deleted when CreateSubLevel() exits? I thought that ARC would keep track of the fact that the pointer to it still exists, but perhaps I'm mistaken? Or is it another issue entirely?
How can I best fix this problem?
Thanks!

Answer 1

SubLevels is holding onto three pointers to temporaries. It's not a surprise that the compiler chose to reuse the same memory for the temporary each time - why not?
If you want to actually store three different Levels correctly, you will either have to store them by value:
vector<Level> SubLevels;
SubLevels.push_back(Level());
Or actually allocate Levels:
vector<Level*> SubLevels;
SubLevels.push_back(new Level); // don't forget to delete!

Answer 2

The reason you come up with the same value every time is because you are using the address of a temporary variable (on the stack). Every time the function CreateSubLevel() is called, the stack is reused, thus the objects are stored in the same location every call.
You can allocate objects on the heap using operator new():
vector<Level*> SubLevels;
SubLevels.push_back(new Level);
Then you can delete them in a destructor:
Level::~Level()
{
vector<Level*>::iterator i;
for (i = SubLevels.begin(); i != SubLevels.end(); ++i)
delete *i;
}

Answer 3

You have three calls to MasterLevel.CreateSubLevel(); one after the other. Each call creates a stack frame that is of the same size. Hence, the address of the local variable is the same. You are storing the address of the local variable in SubLevels.
If you use the address stored in SubLevels, you will run into undefined behavior. You need to allocate memory from heap.
While you are at it, keep a list of smart pointers, std::unique_ptr or std::shared_ptr instead of storing raw pointers.
Use
vector<std::shared_ptr<Level>> SubLevels;
and use it as:
void Level::CreateSubLevel()
{
SubLevels.push_back(std::make_shared<Level>());
}