Thread: scope of dynamically allocated variables

  1. #1
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    scope of dynamically allocated variables

    I've been debugging a "segmentation fault" error, which boils down to some dynamically allocated memory gets altered at places where no pointer to the address was used.

    I'm now puzzled since there didn't seem to be any illegal memory reference. I was under the impression that dynamically allocated memory will not be recycled unless it's explicitly freed. Can someone confirm this? thanks.

  2. #2
    ATH0 quzah's Avatar
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    Just because it's not freed doesn't mean something else can't modify it. You can blow by the space of one, and potentially run over top of another one.

    Quzah.
    Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by quzah
    Just because it's not freed doesn't mean something else can't modify it. You can blow by the space of one, and potentially run over top of another one.

    Quzah.
    Thanks. I understand that it can be altered by messing up with pointers. However, the line of code where the memory gets changed doesn't even involved pointers. And that's why I'm puzzled.

  4. #4
    ATH0 quzah's Avatar
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    Well, since you haven't posted any code...

    Quzah.
    Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment.

  5. #5
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    Doesnt matter if it uses pointers or not, you've probably misallocated you memory somewhere, go through your code and check your allocations make sure their correct.
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