C++ passing an array pointer as a function argument - c++

Question

I'm trying to use pointers of arrays to use as arguments for a function which generates an array.
void generateArray(int *a[], int *si){
srand(time(0));
for (int j=0;j<*si;j++)
*a[j]=(0+rand()%9);
} //end generateArray;
int main() {
const int size=5;
int a[size];
generateArray(&a, &size);
return 0;
} //end main
But when I compile this this message appears:
cannot convert `int (*)[5]' to `int**' for argument `1' to `void generateArray(int**, int*)'

Answer 1

You're over-complicating it - it just needs to be:
void generateArray(int *a, int si)
{
for (int j = 0; j < si; j++)
a[j] = rand() % 9;
}
int main()
{
const int size=5;
int a[size];
generateArray(a, size);
return 0;
}
When you pass an array as a parameter to a function it decays to a pointer to the first element of the array. So there is normally never a need to pass a pointer to an array.

Answer 2

int *a[], when used as a function parameter (but not in normal declarations), is a pointer to a pointer, not a pointer to an array (in normal declarations, it is an array of pointers). A pointer to an array looks like this:
int (*aptr)[N]
Where N is a particular positive integer (not a variable).
If you make your function a template, you can do it and you don't even need to pass the size of the array (because it is automatically deduced):
template<size_t SZ>
void generateArray(int (*aptr)[SZ])
{
for (size_t i=0; i<SZ; ++i)
(*aptr)[i] = rand() % 9;
}
int main()
{
int a[5];
generateArray(&a);
}
You could also take a reference:
template<size_t SZ>
void generateArray(int (&arr)[SZ])
{
for (size_t i=0; i<SZ; ++i)
arr[i] = rand() % 9;
}
int main()
{
int a[5];
generateArray(a);
}

Answer 3

You do not need to take a pointer to the array in order to pass it to an array-generating function, because arrays already decay to pointers when you pass them to functions. Simply make the parameter int a[], and use it as a regular array inside the function, the changes will be made to the array that you have passed in.
void generateArray(int a[], int si) {
srand(time(0));
for (int j=0;j<*si;j++)
a[j]=(0+rand()%9);
}
int main(){
const int size=5;
int a[size];
generateArray(a, size);
return 0;
}
As a side note, you do not need to pass the size by pointer, because you are not changing it inside the function. Moreover, it is not a good idea to pass a pointer to constant to a parameter that expects a pointer to non-constant.

Answer 4

I'm guessing this will help.
When passed as functions arguments, arrays act the same way as pointers. So you don't need to reference them. Simply type:
int x[]
or
int x[a]
. Both ways will work. I guess its the same thing Konrad Rudolf was saying, figured as much.

Answer 5

This is another method . Passing array as a pointer to the function
void generateArray(int *array, int size) {
srand(time(0));
for (int j=0;j<size;j++)
array[j]=(0+rand()%9);
}
int main(){
const int size=5;
int a[size];
generateArray(a, size);
return 0;
}