pointer arithmetic in C++ using char* - c++

I'm having trouble understanding what the difference between these two code snippets is:
// out is of type char* of size N*D
// N, D are of type int
for (int i=0; i!=N; i++){
if (i % 1000 == 0){
std::cout << "i=" << i << std::endl;
}
for (int j=0; j!=D; j++) {
out[i*D + j] = 5;
}
}
This code runs fine, even for very big data sets (N=100000, D=30000). From what I understand about pointer arithmetic, this should give the same result:
for (int i=0; i!=N; i++){
if (i % 1000 == 0){
std::cout << "i=" << i << std::endl;
}
char* out2 = &out[i*D];
for (int j=0; j!=D; j++) {
out2[j] = 5;
}
}
However, the latter does not work (it freezes at index 143886 - I think it segfaults, but I'm not 100% sure as I'm not used to developing on windows) for a very big data set and I'm afraid I'm missing something obvious about how pointer arithmetic works. Could it be related to advancing char*?
EDIT: We have now established that the problem was an overflow of the index (i.e. (i*D + j) >= 2^32), so using uint64_t instead of int32_t fixed the problem. What's still unclear to me is why the first above case would run through, while the other one segfaults.

N * D is 3e9; that doesn't fit in a 32 bit int.

When using N as size of array, why use int?
does a negative value of an array has any logical meaning?
what do you mean "doesn't work"?
just think of pointers as addresses in memory and not as 'objects'.
char*
void*
int*
are all pointers to memory addresses, and so are exactly the same, when are defined or passes into a function.
char * a;
int* b = (char*)a;
void* c = (void*)b;
a == b == c;
The difference is that when accessing a, a[i], the value that is retrieved is the next sizeof(*a) bytes from the address a.
And when using ++ to advance a pointer the address that the pointer is set to is advanced by
sizeof(pointer_type) bytes.
Example:
char* a = 1;
a++;
a is now 2.
((int*)a)++;
a is now 6.
Another thing:
char* a = 10;
char* b = a + 10;
&(a[10]) == b
because in the end
a[10] == *((char*)(a + 10))
so there should not be a problem with array sizes in your example, because the two examples are the same.
EDIT
Now note that there is not a negative memory address so accessing an array with a signed negative value will convert the value to positive.
int a = -5;
char* data;
data[a] == data[MAX_INT - 5]
For that reason it might be that (when using sign values as array sizes!) your two examples will actually not get the same result.

Version 1
for (int i=0; i!=N; i++) // i starts at 0 and increments until N. Note: If you ever skip N, it will loop forever. You should do < N or <= N instead
{
if (i % 1000 == 0) // if i is a multiple of 1000
{
std::cout << "i=" << i << std::endl; // print i
}
for (int j=0; j!=D; j++) // same as with i, only j is going to D (same problem, should be < or <=)
{
out[i*D + j] = 5; // this is a way of faking a 2D array by making a large 1D array and doing the math yourself to offset the placement
}
}
Version 2
for (int i=0; i!=N; i++) // same as before
{
if (i % 1000 == 0) // same as before
{
std::cout << "i=" << i << std::endl; // same as before
}
char* out2 = &out[i*D]; // store the location of out[i*D]
for (int j=0; j!=D; j++)
{
out2[j] = 5; // set out[i*D+j] = 5;
}
}
They are doing the same thing, but if out is not large enough, they will both behave in an undefined manner (and likely crash).

Related

C++ Pointers/Arrays(I'm completely and utterly confused at this moment and really need help)

So This Is What I Ended up coming up with for it. I currently can't figure out how to put my reverseArray function into the main... If i just copy and paste the code into it, it crashes every time it's run... I don't know why it causes it to crash or anything. Thank you everyone that has helped me so far with this.
using namespace std;
// Prototype for printArray goes here
void reverseArray(int*, int);
void printArray(int*, int);
int main()
{
int size; // size of the dynamically allocated array
// Declare as needed for a dynamically allocated array of
ints named "data".
// Declare other variables as needed
// Edit to display your own name
cout << "" << endl << endl;
// Prompt the user for the array size
cout << "Array size: ";
cin >> size;
// Add code to validate array size, so it is greater than one
while (size < 2)
{
cout << "Array size must be greater than 1: ";
cin >> size;
}
// Add code to dynamically allocate "data". Don't forget to release the memory before
// the program ends
int *data = new int[size],
*p = data;
// Write a loop to fill the "data" array with random numbers from 1 - 100 (inclusive)
// This code must use POINTER NOTATION (no subscripting) to work with the array.
// Reminder: neither of these notations is acceptable here:
// data[n] or *(data + n)
// Instead this code will use pointer incrementing/decrementing and dereferencing
for (int i = 0; i < size; i++, p++)
{
*p = rand() % 100 + 1;
}
// Call function to print the original "data" array
cout << "\nOriginal array:\n" << endl;
printArray(data, size);
// Reset "data" to point to the beginning of the array
// Add code to reverse the array. Use 2 pointers: one starts at the beginning of the array and
// moves forward, the other starts at its last element and works backward. Swap the values they
// point to.
// Reminder: neither of these notations is acceptable here:
// data[n] or *(data + n)
// Instead this code will use pointer incrementing/decrementing and dereferencing
// For this, I made the function reverseArray instead of coding it in main.
reverseArray(data, size);
cout << endl;
cout << "\nReversed array:\n" << endl;
printArray(data, size);
cout << endl << endl;
// Finish up
delete[] data;
system("pause");
return 0;
}
// Function printArray() goes here. Print the array, 5 numbers per line,
right-aligned
void printArray(int*p, int size)
{
for (int i = 0; i < size; i++, p++)
{
cout << setw(5) << right << *p;
if ((i + 1) % 5 == 0)
{
cout << endl;
}
}
}
// Function reverseArray() Reverses the array.
void reverseArray(int *data, int size)
{
int *e = data + size - 1; // Pointer at the end
for (; e > data; data++, e--) // while end pointer (e)> start pointer, swap start w/ end
{
int arrayFlip = *data;
*data = *e;
*e = arrayFlip;
}
}
You may be torturing yourself for no reason, or beating your head into a brick wall (don't worry - we've all been there... and have the bruises to prove it.)
First, lets start with any allocated block of memory, say:
int *a = new int[NELEM], ...
What is a? (a pointer -- yes, but to what?) It is a pointer to the beginning address in a block of memory, NELEM * sizeof *a bytes in size. What type of pointer is it? (int). How many bytes per-int? (generally 4).
So why is having the pointer be type int important? (well, it sets the type-size that controls how pointer-arithmetic operates when referencing the block of memory though that pointer) Meaning since your pointer type is int, the compiler knows that a + 1 is a + 4-bytes which allows you to reference the next value in your block of memory.
OK, but I allocated memory for a, what are my responsibilities with regard to a? In any code you write that dynamically allocates memory, you have 2 responsibilities regarding any block of memory allocated: (1) always preserve a pointer to the starting address for the block of memory so, (2) it can be freed when it is no longer needed.
What does that mean to me? It means that if you cannot simply increment a (e.g. a++) in the scope where a was declared. If you do, you have lost your reference to the beginning address of the block and that block can no longer be freed (that's a memory leak).
So if I cannot use any indexing (e.g. a[i] or *(a + i)) and I can't increment my pointer a -- then what are my options? Use another pointer..., e.g.
int *a = new int[NELEM],
*p = a;
...
std::cout << "array : ";
for (int i = 0; i < NELEM; i++, p++) {
*p = rand() % 100 + 1;
std::cout << std::setw(5) << *p;
}
std::cout << '\n';
Have you satisfied your responsibilities regarding the block of memory you assigned to a? Sure, a still points to the beginning address of the block, so it can be freed. All you did was use a second pointer p and iterated using p leaving a unchanged.
Hmm.. Using a second pointer.. I wonder if I can reverse my array using that same scheme. Yep. In it simplest form, you could do something like:
void rev (int *a, size_t size)
{
int *e = a + size - 1; /* end pointer */
for (; e > a; a++, e--) { /* while end > start, swap start, end */
int tmp = *a;
*a = *e;
*e = tmp;
}
}
But wait!! You said you couldn't increment a without losing the starting address to my allocated block -- how can I free it now? (a in main() never changes, the function rev receives a copy of a and within rev you are free to increment/decrement or do whatever you like to a, within the bounds of the block of memory, because a in rev has its very own (and very different) address from your original pointer in main().
(an aside...) You could have declared a third pointer within rev, e.g.
int *s = a, /* start pointer */
*e = a + size - 1; /* end pointer */
and then used s instead of a in your iteration and swap, but there isn't any need to. You are free to do it that way if it is more clear to you which pointer you are working with. It's simply another 8-bytes (or 4 on x86), so the additional storage is a non-issue.
Putting it altogether in a short example, you could do something similar to the following:
#include <iostream>
#include <iomanip>
#include <cstdlib>
#define NELEM 10
void rev (int *a, size_t size)
{
int *e = a + size - 1; /* end pointer */
for (; e > a; a++, e--) { /* while end > start, swap start, end */
int tmp = *a;
*a = *e;
*e = tmp;
}
}
int main (void) {
int *a = new int[NELEM],
*p = a;
srand (20180502);
std::cout << "array : ";
for (int i = 0; i < NELEM; i++, p++) {
*p = rand() % 100 + 1;
std::cout << std::setw(5) << *p;
}
std::cout << '\n';
rev (a, NELEM);
p = a;
std::cout << "reverse: ";
for (int i = 0; i < NELEM; i++, p++)
std::cout << std::setw(5) << *p;
std::cout << '\n';
delete[] a;
}
Example Use/Output
$ ./bin/array_reverse
array : 11 6 78 93 25 71 82 58 97 68
reverse: 68 97 58 82 71 25 93 78 6 11
All of this takes a bit of time to sink in. We all have bruises on our foreheads from the same wall. Just make peace with the fact that a pointer is just a variable that holds the address of something else as it value (e.g. it points to where something else is stored).
Understand how the type of the pointer effects the pointer-arithmetic (and indexing), e.g. how many bytes are advanced with p++ or in for (i = 0; i < size; i++) p[i], and make sure you know exactly where your pointer is pointing and things should start to fall into place.
If you ever have any problems figuring out what is going on with your pointer, pull out an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper and a No.2 pencil and just draw it out -- on each iteration fill in the block where your pointer is pointing, etc.. -- it really helps. Once you have drawn enough diagrams, done enough linked-lists, stacks, etc... you won't need the paper as much as you do now (you will still need it -- so keep it handy)
Reversing in main() with a Function
In response to your comment, when you look at main(), you already have an additional pointer p declared. So you can simply use that as your start pointer and add e from from the rev() function as your end-pointer. A simple implementation would be:
int main (void) {
int *a = new int[NELEM],
*p = a,
*e = a + NELEM - 1;;
srand (20180502);
std::cout << "array : ";
for (int i = 0; i < NELEM; i++, p++) {
*p = rand() % 100 + 1;
std::cout << std::setw(5) << *p;
}
std::cout << '\n';
p = a; /* reset pointer */
for (; e > p; p++, e--) { /* reverse array */
int tmp = *p;
*p = *e;
*e = tmp;
}
p = a; /* reset pointer -- again */
std::cout << "reverse: ";
for (int i = 0; i < NELEM; i++, p++)
std::cout << std::setw(5) << *p;
std::cout << '\n';
delete[] a;
}
(same output)
Look things over and let me know if you have further questions.
The following lines in main are not correct.
*data = rand() % 100 + 1;
cout << setw(5) << right << *data;
They just set the value of the first element of the array and print the same element.
Use data[i] instead.
data[i] = rand() % 100 + 1;
cout << setw(5) << right << data[i];
If you must use the pointer notation, use *(data+i).
*(data+i) = rand() % 100 + 1;
cout << setw(5) << right << *(data+i);
Another method you can use is to use a temporary pointer variable just for iterating over the array.
int* iter = data;
for (int i = 0; i < size; i++. ++iter)
{
*iter = rand() % 100 + 1;
cout << setw(5) << right << *iter;
...
}
This makes sure that you don't lose the original pointer, which is necessary to be able to deallocate the memory.
PS There may be other errors, or not, but I noticed the above problem after a quick glance through your code.
Moving A Pointer
data++;
and
data--;
mostly. There are other things you could do, but your instructor asked for increment and decrement.
So
for (int i = 0; i < size; i++)
{
*data = rand() % 100 + 1;
cout << setw(5) << right << *data;
if ((i + 1) % 5 == 0)
{
cout << endl;
}
}
becomes
for (int i = 0; i < size; i++)
{
*data = rand() % 100 + 1;
cout << setw(5) << right << *data++; // change made here
if ((i + 1) % 5 == 0)
{
cout << endl;
}
}
Note only one data++, and it's on the second use of data. You should be able to figure out why.
Resetting A Pointer
The easiest and most obvious is to
int*reset = data;
then you can data around to your heart's content, and when you want to reset,
data = reset;
So the above loops wind up looking like
int*reset = data;
for (int i = 0; i < size; i++)
{
*data = rand() % 100 + 1;
cout << setw(5) << right << *data++; // change made here
if ((i + 1) % 5 == 0)
{
cout << endl;
}
}
data = reset;
But... You can also separate your logic out into functions and take advantage of pass by value
void fill(int * data,
int size)
{
for (int i = 0; i < size; i++)
{
*data = rand() % 100 + 1;
cout << setw(5) << right << *data++; // change made here
if ((i + 1) % 5 == 0)
{
cout << endl;
}
}
}
and the related part of main now looks something like
data = new int[size];
// Write a loop to fill the "data" array with random numbers from 1 - 100 (inclusive)
// This code must use POINTER NOTATION (no subscripting) to work with the array.
// Reminder: neither of these notations is acceptable here:
// data[n] or *(data + n)
// Instead this code will use pointer incrementing/decrementing and dereferencing
cout << "This is just the test to see if the pointer is successfully creating the array" << endl;
fill(data, size);
// Reset "data" to point to the beginning of the array
"Just wait a minute!" you're thinking. "How in Crom's name is int * data pass by value? That's a <expletive deleted>ing pointer!" The data pointed at is passed by reference, but the pointer itself is passed by value. data in fill is a copy of data in main. All of the data++ing in fill happens to a copy, so data in main is still pointing right where you left it.
No reset required and you've simplified main's responsibilities by spinning off part of them to their own simple and independently testable function. Keeping everything as simple, small, and stupid as possible is worth it's weight in bitcoin in my view.

Flipping an array using pointers

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int* flipArray(int input[], int n)
{
int output[n];
int pos = 0;
for (int i = n-1; i >= 0; i--)
{
output[pos++] = input[i];
}
int* p = output;
for (int k = 0; k < n; k++)
cout << *p-k << endl << endl;
return p;
}
int main()
{
const int SIZE = 5;
int firstArray[SIZE];
for (int n = 0; n < SIZE; n++)
{
firstArray[n] = n+1;
}
int* a;
a = flipArray(firstArray, SIZE);
for (int j = 0; j < SIZE; j++)
cout << *a-j << endl;
cout << endl;
cout << *a << '\t' << *a+1 << '\t' << *a+2;
return 0;
}
I am attempting to flip firstArray using a function that returns a pointer, but I am struggling to understand how accessing an index using a pointer works.
Here is why I am confused:
Within the function flipArray, the following for-loop:
for (int k = 0; k < n; k++)
cout << *p-k << ' ';
prints "5 4 3 2 1" to the console. It was my understanding that I should be accessing an element of a vector with *(p+k), not *(p-k). If I print *(p+k), "5 6 7 8 9" is printed to the console. If I print the array without pointers and using k as the index location, "5 4 3 2 1" is printed to the console.
Within my main function, however, the values of *a which is assigned pointer p from the flipArray function, I do not get the same results:
for (int j = 0; j < SIZE; j++)
cout << *a-j << endl;
prints 5
0
-1
-2
-3 to the console, and
for (int j = 0; j < SIZE; j++)
cout << *a+j << endl;
prints 5
2
3
4
5 to the console.
Further, I thought that the pointer location of *p and the pointer of location of *a should be the same! But when I print the address &p in the function, I get the location of 0x28fde0, and when I print the address of &a in the main, I get the location 0x28fedc. Of course, these were done during the same run.
Could someone tell me where I have gone astray? Thanks!
Thanks to everyone for the informative answers.
I have updated my solution, and it is now returning what I would expect it to. I have a new question about memory leaks and when pointers need to be deleted.
int* flipArray(int input[], int n)
{
int* output = new int[n];
int pos = 0;
for (int i = n-1; i >= 0; i--)
output[pos++] = input[i];
return output;
}
int main()
{
const int SIZE = 5;
int firstArray[SIZE];
for (int n = 0; n < SIZE; n++)
{
firstArray[n] = n+1;
}
int* a;
a = flipArray(firstArray, SIZE);
for (int j = 0; j < SIZE; j++)
cout << a[j] << " "; // can also be written as *(a+j), which is more prone to bugs
delete [] a;
return 0;
}
Will the pointer output be deleted when the function flipArray returns? If not, how should I delete output while also returning it? Is deleting the pointer a in my main function the same thing as deleting output, because they point to the same location?
It has been pointed out that your main problem is coming from the operator precedence. The * operator in *p - k is evaluated before the -. This means that k will be subtracted from the value of the int pointed at by p.
This is a huge pain, which is why the braces pointer[k] are commonly used. There are situations where using pointer arithmetic *(pointer + k) makes more sense, but it can be a source of bugs.
One point to note here: it is always better to use parenthesis even if you are not sure whether or not you need them.
You do have a second problem:
Here you are declaring output on the stack as a local variable, then you are returning output. When you return back to the previous stack frame, this pointer will be pointing to a decallocated buffer:
int* flipArray(int input[], int n)
{
int output[n]; // allocated on the stack
int pos = 0;
for (int i = n-1; i >= 0; i--)
{
output[pos++] = input[i];
}
int* p = output;
for (int k = 0; k < n; k++)
cout << *p-k << endl << endl;
return p; // this stack frame ends.
}
This means the contents of the buffer can be overwritten if the space the buffer is using is reallocated. Use new to allocate on the heap:
int* output = new int[n];
make sure to call delete on the pointer when you are done using it.
This bug can even present security vulnerabilities in your applications, so make sure you know when to allocate on the heap in C++.
Update:
Question: When this function returns, the array still exists in memory, and it's location is stored in the pointer a. Does returning the value output delete it? If not, will deleting the pointer a when I am done with it in the main function serve the same purpose?
When you delete the pointer, the memory pointed to that pointer is deallocated and the pointer is left dangling. A reference to a deleted pointer is pointing at memory that is technically free, which is bad. If the allocator library decides that it wants to reuse that space, your buffer, which is now in free space, will be reallocated. This means your buffer will lose all data integrity and the data inside of it cannot be trusted.
A common practice is to assign pointers to NULL when you are done using them. This way your program will crash and you will know where your bug is:
int* p = new int[10];
...
delete p;
p = NULL;
...
p[0] = 0; // this will now crash because you are accessing NULL.
for (int k = 0; k < n; k++)
cout << *p-k ;
It was my understanding that I should be accessing an element of a vector with *(p+k), not *(p-k).
Your understanding is right.You are not accessing the array here.p points to the first element 5 and every time k is substracted from it, which gives you 5-0 5-1 5-2 and so on which is equivalent to the filpped array.So if you want to access the array using the pointer
for (int k = 0; k < n; k++)
cout << *(p+k) ;// Note the paranthesis
for (int k = 0; k < n; k++)
cout << *p-k << endl << endl;
What this code is doing is completely different from what you think it does.
*p - k will be processed like
*p = 5 - 0 = 5
*p = 5 - 1 = 4
and so on not *(p+k) or *(p-k)
For your understanding :
int a[5] = { 1,2,6,4,5};
In order to access 3rd element in the array you do
a[2] = *(a+2)
and not
*a + 2
*(a + 2) = 6 and *a + 2 = 1 + 2 = 3
Take care of not returning the pointer to the local variable which will lead to undefined behavior

Why is the array size becoming so large?

I've been battling with figuring out how to pass a 2D array to a function and I think I've figured it out. My problem now though is for some reason this array (see below) is growing from 25 to 100 and I can't figure out why. I can't pinpoint where it's going haywire.
#include <iostream>
void testFunc(int (&n)[5][5]) {
n[0][0] = 5;
}
int main() {
int arr3[5][5];
// The array is initialized here with all values equaling 8.
for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
for (int j = 0; j < 5; j++) {
arr3[i][j] = 8;
}
}
testFunc(arr3); // Function is called here changing [0][0] to the value 5.
for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
for (int j = 0; j < 5; j++) {
std::cout << arr3[i][j] << ' ';
}
std::cout << '\n' << std::endl;
}
std::cout << sizeof(arr3) << std::endl;
return 0;
}
When I try to write the for-loop with i < sizeof(arr3) I get a size of 100. Not sure why. Where is it getting that value?
Your array size is 5*5 = 25, and int takes 4 bytes. so it becomes 100.
sizeofis not the number of elements. It's the size of the object in chars, that is, in bytes for most modern systems.
Your system has 32-bit (4 char/bytes) ints. Which gives you 5*5*4 = 100.
The size of data is also depend on size of CPU registers. In 32 bit machine the size of int is 4. However in earlier 16 bit machines the size of int is 2.

Filling an array with integers

I'm trying to fill an array with numbers 1111 to 8888, with each integer in the number being between 1 and 8 in c++. However, when I run it, it's only outputting large negative numbers indicating an error. I honestly have clue what the error is so it would be appreciated if you could help me out. Thanks!
int fillArray()
{
int arrayPosition;
int guesses[4096];
arrayPosition = 0;
for (int i = 1; i <= 8; i++)
for (int j = 1; j <= 8; j++)
for (int k = 1; k <= 8; k++)
for (int m = 1; m <= 8; m++)
{
guesses[arrayPosition] = ((i * 1000) + (j * 100) + (k *10) + m);
cout << guesses[arrayPosition];
arrayPosition++;
}
return guesses[4096];
}
Your return type is wrong. int fillArray(), but you're trying to return an int[4096] that was declared on the stack... What you're actually doing with return guesses[4096]; is returning the first memory location after your array in memory, which is probably just garbage, hence your issue with large negative numbers.
You can fix it by allocating your array in the heap, and returning a pointer to the start of that array:
int * fillArray()
{
int arrayPosition;
int * guesses = new int[4096];
// other stuff stays the same...
return guesses;
}
However, since your function is called fillArray, it would make more sense to pass in an array and fill it rather than creating the array in the function. (If you wanted to do that, might call it something like make_1_to_8_array instead, to make it more clear that you're constructing something that will need to be deleted later.) Giving an int* as the first argument would allow you to pass in the base address of your array that you want filled:
void fillArray(int * guesses)
{
int arrayPosition;
// other stuff stays the same...
}
Or, if you want to verify that the you're using an array of the exact size:
void fillArray(int (&guesses)[4096])
{
int arrayPosition;
// other stuff stays the same...
}
Note that the function now returns void since you just update the array that was passed in, and you don't need to return anything new.
Your for-loops look correct, but your array handling is off, as is highlighted by other answers.
It is more usual in C++ to use std::vector and to pass this in by reference as an argument. This saves you having to handle memory allocations and deallocations. Here's an example, including the output in the for-loops:
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
int fillArray(std::vector<int>& guesses)
{
for (int i = 1; i <= 8; i++)
for (int j = 1; j <= 8; j++)
for (int k = 1; k <= 8; k++)
for (int m = 1; m <= 8; m++)
{
guesses.push_back((i * 1000) + (j * 100) + (k * 10) + m);
std::cout << guesses.back() << std::endl;
}
return guesses.back();
}
int main()
{
std::vector<int> guesses;
std::cout << fillArray(guesses) << std::endl;
}
You are creating your array locally then attempting to return it. If you try printing (to debug) out the result of your array prior to returning, you will see it is ok. However, once you return, the array is no linger valid. Try passing in an array into your function instead.

Printing a dynamic array after increasing its size

I'm currently making a code on the MU game using dynamic arrays, and I've got a problem with printing a sequence.
Rule: If the first character is denoted by the character M, and the rest of the sequence is denoted by R, then the new sequence is MRR.
Examples include:
Current sequence: MIUI
New sequence: MIUIIUI
Current sequence: MUM
New sequence: MUMUM
Current sequence: MU
New sequence: MUU
Here are snippets of my code:
IN MAIN:
if (userchoice == 2)
{
if (rule2valid == false)
{
cout << "This rule may not be applied to your input." << endl;
return 0;
}
int newsize = size + size - 1;
char *resultant = new char[newsize];
resultant = applyRule2(userinput, size);
printarray (resultant, newsize);
}
In the function which applies the rule:
char *applyRule2(char* sequence, int size)
{
int newsize = size + size - 1;
int j = 1;
char* applyRule = new char[newsize];
for (int i = 0; i < size; i++)
applyRule[i] = sequence[i];
for (int i = size; i < newsize; i++)
{
applyRule[i] == sequence[j];
}
return applyRule;
}
and the function for printing:
void printarray(char* sequence, int size)
{
for (int i = 0; i < size; i++){
cout << sequence[i] << "\t";
}
cout << "The length of this array is : " << size;
cout << endl;
}
The problem is that when I run the program, my output is as such:
Input: M U M
Output: M U M, The length of this string is 5. (supposed to be M U M U M)
Input: M I U I
Output: M I U I, the length of this string is 7. (supposed to be M I U I I U I)
What I have done so far is that I allocated a new dynamic array with the new size, and added values into the array accordingly. I am, however, at a loss as to whether the problem lies in the applyRule2 function or in the printarray function.
It would be greatly appreciated if someone could point me out in the right direction.
There are a few error in your code. As Alf says you really should use std::string. but anyway here are some of the errors.
for (int i = size; i < newsize; i++)
{
applyRule[i] == sequence[j];
}
should be
for (int i = size; i < newsize; i++)
{
applyRule[i] = sequence[j];
}
You had a double equals == when you should have written one equals =. Your compiler should have warned you about this, pay attention to compiler warnings.
Another error
char *resultant = new char[newsize];
resultant = applyRule2(userinput, size);
should be
char *resultant = applyRule2(userinput, size);
The code you have written allocates some memory and then on the very next line it throws away that memory and instead uses the memory you allocated in applyRule2. So this isn't actually a bug, but it is a waste of resources. Your program will never get back the wasted memory. This is called a memory leak.
just use std::string instead of raw arrays and raw pointers and new