Thread: Converting byte arrays to vectors

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    22

    Converting byte arrays to vectors

    I have function - Stash::add - to recieve any kind of value,
    and store that value as a byte array:

    Code:
    int Stash::add(const void* element) {
    	........
    	........
      // Copy element into storage,
      // starting at next empty space:
      int startBytes = next * size;  /* size - the size of the 
                                      data type passed to add() */
      unsigned char* e = (unsigned char*)element; /* storage is a
                                                  unsigned char array */
      for(int i = 0; i < size; i++)
        storage[startBytes + i] = e[i];
      next++;
      return(next - 1);
    }
    And - Stash::fetch - to get a value at a specific position in
    that byte array:

    Code:
    void* Stash::fetch(int index) {
    	........
    	........
      // Produce pointer to desired element:
      return &(storage[index * size]);
    }
    Now, I have to change this codes' underlying data structure
    to vector<char>.(This means to store each byte of 'element'
    in subsequent positions of the vector,simulating a char array, right?)
    So, I change it like this:

    Code:
    int Stash::add(const void* element) {
      unsigned char* e = (unsigned char*)element;
      for(int i = 0; i < size; i++)
        storage.push_back(e[i]); // now storage is changed to a vector
      next++;
      return(next - 1); 
    }
    
    void* Stash::fetch(int index) {
      int ind = index;
      int trueInd = ind * size;
    	........
    	........
      unsigned char* intstore = new unsigned char[size];
      for(int x=0; x<=size; x++)
       intstore[x] = storage.at(trueInd+x);
      return &intstore; 
    }
    In main(), the function calls are like this:

    Code:
    Stash intStash;
    	........
      for(int i = 0; i < 100; i++)
        intStash.add(&i);
      for(int j = 0; j < intStash.count(); j++)
        cout << *(int*)intStash.fetch(j) << endl;
    Is the changes I have made are correct?
    (If anybody wants the whole code to figure out what's actually happening,please be kind to give a little notification)

    - Wish a beautiful march to all -
    Last edited by kasun; 03-01-2004 at 10:13 AM.

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Posts
    1,348
    STL is a good solution. Check out various STL algorithms such as for_each(), etc.

    Kuphryn

  3. #3
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
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    22
    Thanks, gonna check STL algo soon.
    But for now, please check whether the code is OK,
    'cause it doesn't prints correct values.

    Here's the whole thing:
    Code:
    // header.h
    #include<vector>
    using namespace std;
    
    struct Stash {
      int size;      // Size of each space
      int quantity;  // Number of storage spaces
      int next;      // Next empty space
       // Dynamically allocated array of bytes:
      vector<char> storage;
    
      void initialize(int size);
      void cleanup();
      int add(const void* element);
      void* fetch(int index);
      int count();
      void inflate(int increase);
    };
    Code:
    // Declare structure and functions:
    #include "header.h"
    #include <iostream>
    #include <cassert>
    using namespace std;
    // Quantity of elements to add
    // when increasing storage:
    const int increment = 100;
     
    void Stash::initialize(int sz) {
      size = sz;
      quantity = 0;
      //storage = 0;
      next = 0;
    }
     
    int Stash::add(const void* element) {
     // if(next >= quantity) // Enough space left?
      //  inflate(increment);
      // Copy element into storage,
      // starting at next empty space:-
      unsigned char* e = (unsigned char*)element;
      for(int i = 0; i < size; i++)
        storage.push_back(e[i]); // ***
      next++;
      return(next - 1);
    }
     
    void* Stash::fetch(int index) {
    	int ind = index;
    	int trueInd = ind * size;
      // Check index boundaries:
      assert(0 <= index);
      if(index >= next)
        return 0; // To indicate the end
      // Produce pointer to desired element:
      unsigned char* intstore = new unsigned char[4];
      for(int x=0; x<=size; x++)
       intstore[x] = storage.at(trueInd+x);
      //delete []intstore;
      return &intstore; 
    }
    
    int Stash::count() {
      return storage.size(); // Number of elements in CStash
    }
     
    /*void Stash::cleanup() {
      if(storage != 0) {
        cout << "freeing storage" << endl;
    //    delete []storage;
      }
    } *
    Code:
    // main
    #include "header.h"
    //#include "../require.h"
    #include <fstream>
    #include <iostream>
    #include <string>
    using namespace std;
     
    int main() {
      Stash intStash;
      intStash.initialize(sizeof(int));
      for(int i = 0; i < 100; i++)
        intStash.add(&i);
      for(int j = 0; j < intStash.count(); j++)
        cout << "intStash.fetch(" << j << ") = "
             << *(int*)intStash.fetch(j)
             << endl;
    }
    Some are commented out, 'cause not sure whether they are needed with vectors.

  4. #4
    Registered User manofsteel972's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Posts
    317

    You are returning a bad pointer I think?

    Since variables declared withing a function are local they are out of scope once the function exits when that happens they are destroyed and the memory the pointer points to is freed.

    Code:
    void* Stash::fetch(int index) {
      int ind = index;
      int trueInd = ind * size;
    	........
    	........
      unsigned char* intstore = new unsigned char[size];
      for(int x=0; x<=size; x++)
       intstore[x] = storage.at(trueInd+x);
      return &intstore;  
    }

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