How to init an array dynamically on the heap?

Hi!

How to init an array dynamically on the heap in C ( in C++ its easy). To init an array on the stack, I write:

int size = 1000;
int stackarray[size];

How to do the same on the heap?

int* heaparray = (int*) malloc (size);

But: my heaparray pointer doesnot know its a pointer to an array. And I want him to know that, because my Borland VCC6 Debugger should show me the array fields. Is there a way to do that with simple typecasting like

(int[size]) heaparray

which doesnot work.

???

You mean this?

Code:

---

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

int main(void)
{
  int *p, i;
 
  p = malloc(10 * sizeof(*p));
 
  if (p != NULL)
  {
    for (i = 0; i < 10; i++)
      p[i] = i;
    for (i = 0; i < 10; i++)
      printf ("p[%d] is %d\n", i, p[i]);
  }
 
  return 0;
}

---

I thought that any variable declared within a function was placed in the stack, and only global variables were allocated on the heap? Is that wrong?

>>I thought that any variable declared within a function was placed in the stack, and only global variables were allocated on the heap?
It really is better to think of memory as coming in two variants; the first is your McDonald's happy meal prepackaged static memory. The second is "have it your way" Burger King dynamic memory.

Static memory is named storage controlled by the compiler, like

Code:

---

int a = 10;
int *b;

b = &a;

---

a is static memory, b is a pointer to static memory, behind the pointer there's named storage that the compiler takes care of. Next is dynamic memory, this is anonymous storage that is *only* referenced by a pointer

Code:

---

int *b;

b = malloc(sizeof(int));

---

The compiler doesn't do any housekeeping and there's no name behind the pointer, just unnamed memory that you have control over. When all you think about is static and dynamic you have a lot less confusion and you don't run into problems like this

Code:

---

char *f(void)
{
  char a[100]; /* Static memory! */

  fgets(a, 100, stdin);

  return a; /* Uh-oh, static memory gets cleaned up, you return garbage */
}

---

Hi Hammer,

not exactly. What I want is a kind of arrayTYPE for heap-allocated memory. :(

>not exactly. What I want is a kind of arrayTYPE for heap-allocated memory.<

Which you have given (assuming an int is one byte wide). You should be able to use heaparray as an array. If your debugging enviroment is foobarred, try something else.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by karantsch
Hi!

How to init an array dynamically on the heap in C ( in C++ its easy). To init an array on the stack, I write:

int size = 1000;
int stackarray[size];

How to do the same on the heap?

int* heaparray = (int*) malloc (size);

But: my heaparray pointer doesnot know its a pointer to an array. And I want him to know that, because my Borland VCC6 Debugger should show me the array fields. Is there a way to do that with simple typecasting like

(int[size]) heaparray

which doesnot work.

???

---

No.