Call by Reference with char array pointer - c++

Question

I need to read a stream out of a binary file from a function. I'd like to call it by reference of that char * to have a pointer to the start of the stream in the end. However, Every attempt of mine, did either not change the pointer, or caused an Memory Access Violation.
I call the method from another function.
Here the calling function:
APP_ERROR EncryptionHandler::encryptFile(char *file)
{
char *i_Stream = ""; // I get a compiler error if I dont initialize this
if(this->readFileStream("picture.png", i_Stream) != OPERATION_SUCCESSFUL) // Call the function and return a custom error, if the function does so
return ERROR_FILE_READING;
}
Here the function to read the file
APP_ERROR EncryptionHandler::readFileStream(char *fileName, char *Stream)
{
char *fileStream;
FILE *file = fopen(fileName, "rb");
// Some logic to get the file size
fileStream = new char[maxFileSize];
fread(fileStream, 1, maxFileSize, file); // Fill the stream with the fread function
fclose(file);
Stream = fileStream; // Set the given Pointer to my fileStream pointer
return OPERATION_SUCCESSFUL;
}
How ever in the calling function, the Variable i_Stream has never changed. It's still pointing to "" which causes problems in my program, later
I don't get this, as I set the given pointer = my fileStream pointer
However following methods didn't work aswell:
this->readFileStream("picture.png", char &i_Stream);
i_Error EncryptionHandler::readFileStream(char *fileName, char **Stream)
this->readFileStream("picture.png", char *i_Stream);
i_Error EncryptionHandler::readFileStream(char *fileName, char &Stream)
Procedures like memcpy aren't the right thing I think, as I've already got this pointer to my Stream. And they caused Access Violation Errors aswell...
There must be an easy way to give that stream pointer from within my file reading function to my calling methods variable...
I cannot use the return value of the function, because I am using my own Error system, as you can see...
It is also binary Data and the use of any strings is not welcome.
So what is the proper way of calling a char array by reference?

Answer 1

You should declare EncryptionHandler::readFileStream() as
APP_ERROR EncryptionHandler::readFileStream(char *fileName, char *&Stream)
Note the type of parameter Stream. With reference of pointer, you can pass the change of Stream inside readFileStream() back to caller.
Without the reference, the pointer is simply copied into readFileStream().

Answer 2

In addition to what #timrau said, I see a memory allocation problem. I don't see any code that allocates memory to hold the data that you are reading from the file. Something like the code below should work.
PP_ERROR EncryptionHandler::readFileStream(char *fileName, char*& Stream)
{
char *fileStream;
FILE *file = fopen(fileName, "rb");
// Some logic to get the file size
// Allocate memory for the data.
fileStream = new char[maxFileSize];
fread(fileStream, 1, maxFileSize, file); // Fill the stream with the fread function
fclose(file);
Stream = fileStream; // Set the given Pointer to my fileStream pointer
return OPERATION_SUCCESSFUL;
}
You can simplify the function a little bit by just using Stream.
PP_ERROR EncryptionHandler::readFileStream(char *fileName, char*& Stream)
{
FILE *file = fopen(fileName, "rb");
// Some logic to get the file size
// Allocate memory for the data.
Stream = new char[maxFileSize];
fread(Stream, 1, maxFileSize, file); // Fill the stream with the fread function
fclose(file);
return OPERATION_SUCCESSFUL;
}