Node disallocation

**ch4** · 11-01-2008

Code:

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

typedef struct _Node Node;

struct _Node
{
 int ID;
 int ParentID;
 int Date_of_birth;
 int SpounceID;
 int k;
 int Generation;

};

int main(void)
{
 Node *lala;
 
     lala=(Node *)malloc(sizeof(Node));

     lala->ID=10;
     lala->ParentID=12;
     lala->Date_of_birth=1980;
     lala->SpounceID=89;
     lala->k=5;
     lala->Generation=2;
     
     printf("&#37;d %d %d %d %d %d\n",
          lala->ID,
          lala->ParentID,
          lala->Date_of_birth,
          lala->SpounceID,
          lala->k,
          lala->Generation);

     free(lala);
     
     printf("%d %d %d %d %d %d\n",
          lala->ID,
          lala->ParentID,
          lala->Date_of_birth,
          lala->SpounceID,
          lala->k,
          lala->Generation);


 return 0;
}

After free, printf still prints all info (ID,ParentID...) as i never disallocate lala node.
Is there another way to free lala node or i did something wrong?

**Salem** · 11-01-2008

> as i never disallocate lala node.
Yes you did, you called free().
That's it, end of memory, nothing more to see here.

> After free, printf still prints all info (ID,ParentID...)
Except your code is broken for even trying it.
Sometime later, on another machine, you're either looking at garbage or a segfault.

The memory doesn't physically disappear, only your right to access it. It might lie around for a while in an otherwise unused state, remembering (as memory does) the last thing stored there.

**ch4** · 11-01-2008

Thanks Salem

So if i set lala pointer to NULL in order (by checks) to avoid segfaults and continue executing code there will be no problem as far as memory and faults concern. Right ?

ex.

Code:

     free(lala);
     lala=NULL;
     
     if(lala==NULL)
        printf("Node is empty");
     else
         //code here

I mind about memory problem such as "not enough". I expected physically memory disallocation.
If i use free for a char * after, i can't print the string so, i thought that something like segfault i would get if try to print Node info.

**Elysia** · 11-01-2008

After freeing the memory, accessing it again is undefined behavior. It might work, it might not.
So yes, it is good behavior to make the pointer that you freed NULL. Even better is if you make the pointer go out of scope once you free it.

**ch4** · 11-01-2008

I understood.

Thank you both !

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