Unitialized local variable and help correcting - c++

Question

I am learning about pointers and the new operator in class.
In my readArray function I am to read in a size. Use the size to dynamically create an integer array. Then assign the array to a pointer, fill it, and return the size and array.
I believe I've gotten that part corrected and fixed but when I try to sort the array, i get the error "uninitialized local variable temp used."
The problem is though I get that error when I am trying to intialize it.
Any help appreciated thank you. Seeing my errors is very helpful for me.
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int* readArray(int&);
void sortArray(int *, const int * );
int main ()
{
int size = 0;
int *arrPTR = readArray(size);
const int *sizePTR = &size;
sortArray(arrPTR, sizePTR);
cout<<arrPTR[1]<<arrPTR[2]<<arrPTR[3]<<arrPTR[4];
system("pause");
return 0;
}
int* readArray(int &size)
{
cout<<"Enter a number for size of array.\n";
cin>>size;
int *arrPTR = new int[size];
for(int count = 0; count < (size-1); count++)
{
cout<<"Enter positive numbers to completely fill the array.\n";
cin>>*(arrPTR+count);
}
return arrPTR;
}
void sortArray(int *arrPTR, const int *sizePTR)
{
int *temp;
bool *swap;
do
{
swap = false;
for(int count = 0; count < (*sizePTR - 1); count++)
{
if(arrPTR[count] > arrPTR[count+1])
{
*temp = arrPTR[count];
arrPTR[count] = arrPTR[count+1];
arrPTR[count+1] = *temp;
*swap = true;
}
}
}while (swap);
}

Answer 1

You make temp an int pointer (uninitiialized), and then set the thing it points at (anything/nothing) to arrPTR[ccount]. Since you are using temp only to swap, it should be the same type as those being swapped, in this case: an int.
If it absolutely must be a pointer (there is no good reason for this, it's slow, confusing, adds potential for errors, and adds potential for memory leaks):
int *temp = new int; //make an int for the pointer to point at
bool *swap = new bool; //make an bool for the pointer to point at
do
{
//your code
}while (swap);
delete temp;
delete swap;

Answer 2

You declared temp as a pointer. You need to allocate it on the heap before dereferencing and assigning to it later. However perhaps a variable on the stack would be preferable?
FYI: You should be aware of the memory leak in readArray as well which is leaving callers responsible for calling delete []
Edit: I hope this will help clear up some of the other problems.
#include <iostream>
int* readArray(int&);
void sortArray(int*, int);
int main ()
{
int size(0); // use stack when possible
int *arrPTR = readArray(size);
sortArray(arrPTR, size);
// arrays are zero based index so loop from 0 to size
for (int index(0); index < size; ++index)
std::cout << arrPTR[index];
delete [] arrPTR; // remember to delete array or we have a memory leak!
// note: because we did new[] for an array we match it with delete[]
// if we just did new we would match it with delete
system("pause");
return 0;
}
int* readArray(int& size)
{
std::cout << "Enter a number for size of array.\n";
std::cin >> size;
int *arrPTR = new int[size]; // all news must be deleted!
// prefer pre-increment to post-increment where you can
for(int count(0); count < size; ++count)
{
std::cout << "Enter positive numbers to completely fill the array.\n";
std::cin >> arrPTR[count];
}
return arrPTR;
}
// passing size by value is fine (it may be smaller than pointer on some architectures)
void sortArray(int *arrPTR, int size)
{
// you may want to check if size >= 2 for sanity
// we do the two loops to avoid going out of bounds of array on last iteration
for(int i(0); i < size-1; ++i) // the first to compare (all except last)
{
for(int j(i+1); j < size; ++j) // the second to compare (all except first)
{
// do comparison
if (arrPTR[i] > arrPTR[j]) // from smallest to biggest (use < to go from biggest to smallest)
{
// swap if needed
int temp(arrPTR[i]); // put this on stack
arrPTR[i] = arrPTR[j];
arrPTR[j] = temp;
}
}
}
}

Answer 3

temp is a "pointer to int, which you're not initializing. When you say *temp = ... you're actually assigning to whatever temp happens to be pointing, but since you haven't told it what to point to, it can write pretty much anywhere in the address space of your program.
Because of the way you're using them, it seems that temp and swap shouldn't be pointers at all, just a plain int and bool.

Answer 4

You didn't initialize the temp pointer do when you dereference it you are writing to a random part of memory. Temp doesn't need to be a pointer, it can just be an int. Just replace EVERY instance of *temp with temp.