Unable to access members of a class; SegFault - c++

Question

I have a program where I am setting up a closed hash table. In each Element of the Hash table, there is a Student class which holds varies members (name, id, year, etc.). I am simply trying to print out what has been added to my array, but I keep getting a SegFault, and I don't know why. It is only in my print function, though. I have copied the line of code to my other functions or put them in different classes, and they work there, but not when I try to print from my print function. I am at the end of my rope, trying to figure out why I can access the memory location of each member, but not it's actual value.
Here is my program:
main.cpp:
using namespace std;
#include <cstdlib>
#include "hash.h"
int main()
{
string temp1;
string temp2;
string temp3;
string temp4;
string temp5;
string temp6;
Hash h;
do{
cout << "set> ";
cin >> temp1;
//Checking for quit command.
if(temp1.compare("quit") == 0)
{
return 0;
}
//checking for add command.
else if(temp1.compare("add") == 0)
{
cin >> temp2;
cin >> temp3;
cin >> temp4;
cin >> temp5;
cin >> temp6;
Student *s1 = new Student(temp2, temp3, temp4, temp5, temp6);
Element e1(s1);
h.add(e1);
}
//checking for remove command.
else if(temp1.compare("remove") == 0)
{
int r;
cin >> r;
h.remove(r);
}
//checking for print command.
else if(temp1.compare("print") == 0)
{
h.print();
}
//Anything else must be an error.
else
{
cout << endl;
cout << "Error! "<< endl;
}
}while(temp1.compare("quit") != 0);
}
hash.h:
#include <string>
#include <iostream>
#include <cstdlib>
using namespace std;
// Student Class
class Student{
private:
string firstName;
string lastName;
string id;
string year;
string major;
public:
//Constructor
Student(string a, string b, string c, string d, string e);
friend class Element;
friend class Hash;
};
//Element class
class Element{
private:
Student *data;
public:
int getKey();
Student* getData();
void printStudent();
//Constructor
Element(Student *e)
{
data = e;
};
friend class Hash;
};
class Hash{
private:
Element **array;
public:
void add(Element);
void print();
void remove(int);
//Constructor
Hash()
{
array = new Element *[10];
};
friend class Student;
};
hash.cpp:
#include "hash.h"
//The Constructor for Student
Student::Student(string a, string b, string c, string d, string e)
{
firstName = a;
lastName = b;
id = c;
year = d;
major = e;
}
//getKey function for Element Class
int Element::getKey()
{
int key = atoi(getData()->id.c_str());
return key;
}
Student* Element::getData()
{
return data;
}
void Element::printStudent()
{
string c = data->firstName;
cout<< "(" << c << ")";
}
//The add command
void Hash::add(Element e1)
{
int x = e1.getKey()%10;
int i = 0;
if(array[x] == NULL || array[x]->getData() == NULL)
{
array[x] = &e1;
}
else
{while(array[x] != NULL || array[x]->getData() != NULL)
{
x=(x+(i*i))%10;
if(array[x] == NULL || array[x]->getData() == NULL)
{
array[x] = &e1;
break;
}
else
{
i++;
}
}}
}
//The remove command
void Hash::remove(int n)
{
Element e2(NULL);
for(int j = 0; j<10; j++)
{
if(n == array[j]->getKey())
{
array[j] = &e2;
cout << "true" << endl;
break;
}
}
cout << "false" << endl;
}
//The Print command
void Hash::print()
{ int k = 0;
while(k<10)
{
if(array[k] == NULL)
{
cout << "(NULL)";
}
else if(array[k]->getData() == NULL)
{
cout << "(DEL)";
}
else
{
cout << "(" << array[k]->getData()->firstName << ")";
}
k++;
}
cout << endl;
}
Thank you for your help.

Answer 1

You have dangling pointers.
This function gets a temporary copy of an Element, calling it e1.
//The add command
void Hash::add(Element e1)
{
It then stores the address of this local variable.
array[x] = &e1;
And when Hash::add leaves scope, e1 no longer exists.
}
array[x] now points to memory that is no longer Element e1.
The general problem you are facing is that you have designed a Hash class that maintains pointers to objects, but has little control or knowledge regarding when those objects get destroyed.
You will need to personally ensure that objects added to your Hash last at least as long as the Hash does.

Answer 2

Simplest solution for your problem could be to store Element instances in Hash by value not by pointers. So:
class Hash{
private:
Element *array;
public:
void add(Element);
void print();
void remove(int);
//Constructor
Hash()
{
array = new Element[10];
};
friend class Student;
};
Now when you store new element or remove existing you copy them:
array[x] = e1; // not &e1 anymore
This is not very good practice, but at least could change your program in some workable state with minimal changes.