More dynamic array truble

I have a class that I have problems with accesing some of the information from

Code:

---

class Scene
{
    public:
      ...
      Sphere getSphere(int i)

      private:
      Sphere** sphereList;
}

---

Here is where I add info to the sphereList

Code:

---

void Scene::createScene()
 {
          //Create a container for all the spheres
          sphereList = new Sphere*[100];
         
          // Create the scene
          // ------------------------------------------
         
                  // Sphere1 - a blue one
                  // A few variables for the first sphere
                  Vector3D pos1(50,0,0);
                  Material blue(0,0,200);
                  // Create the first sphere
                  sphereList[0] = new Sphere;
                  sphereList[0]->setPosition(pos1);
                  sphereList[0]->setRadius(50);
                  sphereList[0]->setMaterial(blue);
 
 
                  // Sphere2 - a red one
                  // A few variables for the second sphere
                  Vector3D pos2(-50,0,0);
                  Material red(200,0,0);
                  // Create the second sphere
                  sphereList[1] = new Sphere;
                  sphereList[1]->setPosition(pos2);
                  sphereList[1]->setRadius(50);
                  sphereList[1]->setMaterial(red);
                 
                  // Sphere3 - a green one
                  // A few variables for the second sphere
                  Vector3D pos3(0,-50,0);
                  Material green(200,0,0);
                  // Create the second sphere
                  sphereList[2] = new Sphere;
                  sphereList[2]->setPosition(pos2);
                  sphereList[2]->setRadius(50);
                  sphereList[2]->setMaterial(green);
                 
                  /*
                  // Sphere3 - a light source
                  sphereList[2] = new Sphere;
                  sphereList[2]->setLight(1);
                  */
         
          // ------------------------------------------       
          // Done with the scene
         
          // Set how many spheres there are, to make stuff
          // easier
          noOfObjects = 2;
         
          // Print some info
          std::cout << "Scene sucsesfully created" << std::endl;
          std::cout << "Two spheres created! " << std::endl;
 }

---

And this is how I acces the list later on:

Code:

---

Sphere Scene::getSphere(int i)
{
    return *sphereList[i];
}

---

But for some reason I dont get the right sphere returned. I looks like getSphere(0) returns the first sphere, but all other values return the last spere.

Any ideas on what is wrong ?

Thanks

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by h3ro

Code:

---


                  // Sphere3 - a green one
                  // A few variables for the second sphere
                  Vector3D pos3(0,-50,0);
                  Material green(200,0,0);
                  // Create the second sphere
                  sphereList[2] = new Sphere;
                  sphereList[2]->setPosition(pos2);
                  sphereList[2]->setRadius(50);
                  sphereList[2]->setMaterial(green);
                 
                  /*
                  // Sphere3 - a light source
                  sphereList[2] = new Sphere;
                  sphereList[2]->setLight(1);
                  */

---

---

You reuse index 2. Oops?

Quote:

---

Code:

---

Sphere Scene::getSphere(int i)
{
    return *sphereList[i];
}

---

---

This returns a Sphere by value. This means you need to either declare an appropriate assignment operator and copy constructor, or the class needs to be designed such that the default ones the compiler provides work properly.

Quote:

---

You reuse index 2. Oops?

---

No, I just commented out the light, as I have not added that function so far. I guess I could delete it, but I kind of likes to be reminded of that I have to add it later on :p

Quote:

---

This returns a Sphere by value. This means you need to either declare an appropriate assignment operator and copy constructor, or the class needs to be designed such that the default ones the compiler provides work properly.

---

So I need to do this?

Code:

---

Sphere Scene::getSphere(int i)
{
    Sphere returnSphere = sphereList[i];
    return returnSphere
}

---

Sorry for asking for the spoon feeding here, but pointers and dynamic arrays are a mistery so far for me.

EDIT:
I think its allready is returning a sphere, as I do a printing of the position of the sphere later on in my code, and then I get the position of one of the spheres. Or am I wrong?

This looks like a bug

Code:

---

  sphereList[1]->setPosition(pos2);
  // ...
  sphereList[2]->setPosition(pos2);

---

This is definitely a disgusting example, name wise, but it shows that you really don't have to declare another variable:

Code:

---

class thing
{
public:
    int thingy;
};

class thing2
{
public:
    thing thingy2[4];

    thing &getat( int pos )
    {
        return thingy2[pos];
    }
};

int main( void )
{
    thing2 t2;
    thing  t;

    t2.thingy2[2].thingy = 42;

    t = t2.getat(2);

    std::cout<< t.thingy;

    return 0;
}

---

in the getSphere() function. Returning a local variable is definitely unnecessary!

> Material green(200,0,0);
Maybe:

Code:

---

                  Material green(0,200,0);

---

> sphereList[2]->setPosition(pos2);
Maybe:

Code:

---

                  sphereList[2]->setPosition(pos3);

---

> Sphere** sphereList;
I'm not sure why spereList needs to be a double pointer, but you may have a good reason. Why not just:

Code:

---

      Sphere* sphereList;
.
.
void Scene::createScene()
 {
          //Create a container for all the spheres
          sphereList = new Sphere[100];
.
.
                  sphereList[0].setPosition(pos1);
                  sphereList[0].setRadius(50);
                  sphereList[0].setMaterial(blue);

---

I found out that this part of my program accually works, the problem was that I had "sphereList[2]->setPosition(pos2);" which made it look like something was wrong.

This is part of a raytracer I am writing, and for some reason the raytracer will only trace one object. So no matter how many spheres I have in my scene, only the last one will be displayed. Driving me mad!

Thanks for your time and effort :)