Sending an array between two functions C++ - c++

Question

I am trying to send a array of 15 integers between two functions in C++. The first enables the user to enter taxi IDs and the second functions allows the user to delete taxi IDs from the array. However I am having an issue sending the array between the functions.
void startShift ()
{
int array [15]; //array of 15 declared
for (int i = 0; i < 15; i++)
{
cout << "Please enter the taxis ID: ";
cin >> array[i]; //user enters taxi IDs
if (array[i] == 0)
break;
}
cout << "Enter 0 to return to main menu: ";
cin >> goBack;
cout << "\n";
if (goBack == 0)
update();
}
void endShift ()
{
//need the array to be sent to here
cout << "Enter 0 to return to main menu: ";
cin >> goBack;
cout << "\n";
if (goBack == 0)
update();
}
Any help is great valued. Many thanks.

Answer 1

Since the array has been created on the stack, you would just need to pass the pointer to the first element, as an int*
void endshift(int* arr)
{
int val = arr[1];
printf("val is %d", val);
}
int main(void)
{
int array[15];
array[1] = 5;
endshift(array);
}
Since the array is created on the stack, it will no longer exist once the routine in which it was created has exited.

Answer 2

Declare the array outside of those functions and pass it to them by reference.
void startShift(int (&shifts)[15]) {
// ...
}
void endShift(int (&shifts)[15]) {
// ...
}
int main() {
int array[15];
startShift(array);
endShift(array);
}
This isn't exactly pretty syntax or all that common. A much more likely way to write this is to pass a pointer to the array and its length.
void startShift(int* shifts, size_t len) {
// work with the pointer
}
int main() {
int array[15];
startShift(array, 15);
}
Idiomatic C++ would be different altogether and use iterators to abstract away from the container, but I suppose that is out of scope here. The example anyway:
template<typename Iterator>
void startShift(Iterator begin, Iterator end) {
// work with the iterators
}
int main() {
int array[15];
startShift(array, array + 15);
}
You also wouldn't use a raw array, but std::array.

Answer 3

It won't work to use a local array in the startShift() function. You are best off to do one or more of the following:
Use an array in the function calling startShift() and endShift() and pass the array to these functions, e.g.:
void startShift(int* array) { ... }
void endShift(int* array) { ... }
int main() {
int arrray[15];
// ...
startShift(array);
// ...
endShift(array);
// ...
}
Don't use built-in arrays in the first place: use std::vector<int> instead: that class automatically maintains the current size of the array. You can also return it from a function altough you are probably still best off to pass the objects to the function.

Answer 4

void endShift (int* arr)
{
arr[0] = 5;
}