Referencing Elements of Class Arrays using C++ - c++

Question

I am trying to switch the elements of a class array using pointers. It is not outputting what I want. I tried using pointers in the function, but it's not allowed. It's also not allowed to call the function onto the class object without using a pointer, since I declared the class object using a double pointer. I am not using this method simply to solve a small problem, but just to practice using this method for more difficult problems.
Here is my code:
#include <iostream>
#include <algorithm>
using namespace std;
class thing{
public:
int index;
int value;
thing();
private: int number;
};
thing::thing()
{
number = 0;
}
void arrange(thing array[]){
for(int i=0; i<19; ++i){
if(array[i].value<array[i+1].value){
swap(array[i], array[i+1]);
arrange(array);
}
}
}
int main(){
thing** things = new thing*[20];
for (int i=0; i < 20; ++i)
{
things[i] = new thing(); // default constructor
things[i]->index = i;
things[i]->value=rand() % 100;
}
cout << "The random array is: " << endl;
for(int i=0;i<20;++i){
cout << things[i]->value << endl;
}
arrange(*things);
cout << "The arranged array is: " << endl;
for (int i=0; i < 20; ++i)
{
cout << things[i]->value << endl;
}
return 0;
}

Answer 1

When you call arrange(*things), you're just passing the first element of things to the function, not the array. It should be array(things). Then the arrange function should be written to use pointers:
void arrange(thing* array[]){
for(int i=0; i<19; ++i){
if(array[i]->value<array[i+1]->value){
swap(array[i], array[i+1]);
arrange(array);
}
}
}

Answer 2

Here you create an array of pointers to thing:
thing** things = new thing*[20];
Here you dereference it and get a pointer to thing which is stored at thing[0]:
arrange(*things);
But this function declaration
void arrange(thing array[])
treats this pointer as an array of thing, so that *things points to it first element, which is absolutely not what it really is.
You should change your arrange() function to use correct type:
void arrange(thing* array[]){
for(int i=0; i<19; ++i){
if(array[i]->value<array[i+1]->value){
swap(array[i], array[i+1]);
arrange(array);
}
}
}
And call it as:
arrange(things);
Regarding using vectors, you don't need to use any pointers at all.
std::vector<thing> things(20);
for (int i=0; i < things.size(); ++i)
{
things[i].index = i;
things[i].value=rand() % 100;
}
arrange(things);
void arrange(std::vector<thing>& array){
for(int i=0; i + 1 < things.size(); ++i){
if(array[i].value<array[i+1].value){
swap(array[i], array[i+1]);
arrange(array);
}
}
}