Thread: malloc() allocs memory already allocated to something else - help

  1. #1
    Registered User
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    Dec 2005
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    malloc() allocs memory already allocated to something else - help

    Hi all,

    I'm trying to readin a 2D array of long integers, of unknown row and col size to start with.

    Here is the relevant part of the code
    Code:
    ...
    ...
    long int **datacols; 
    
    colstofindcount=6; 
    datacols=(long int **)malloc(colstofindcount*sizeof(long int *)); 
    if (datacols==NULL){ 
    printf("Unable to allocate memory to datacols\n"); 
    exit(1); 
    } 
    colslen=26416; 
    for(i=0;i<noofcolstofind;i++){ 
    *(datacols+i)=(long int *)malloc(colslen*sizeof(long int)); 
    if (*(datacols+i)==NULL){ 
    printf("Unable to allocate memory\n"); 
    exit(1); 
    } 
    } /* end of for loop allocating memory to all cols*/
    Here is the memory map of what the compiler allocates


    datacols= 0x94f5968

    I expect datacols to be allocated 24 bytes as sizeof(long int) on my machine is 4 bytes

    So I expect the memory from 0x94f5968 to 0x94f598c to be allocated, as is shown below.

    (datacols+0) 0x94f5968
    (datacols+1) 0x94f596c
    (datacols+2) 0x94f5970
    (datacols+3) 0x94f5974
    (datacols+4) 0x94f5978
    (datacols+5) 0x94f597c

    If we see the blocks of memory allocated in the for loop, I see

    *(datacols+0) 0x94f5978
    *(datacols+1) 0x950f638
    *(datacols+2) 0x95292f8
    *(datacols+3) 0x9542fb8
    *(datacols+4) 0x955cc78
    *(datacols+5) 0x9576938

    Please note that the first block allocated starts at 0x94f5978 which has already been allocated for the malloc call before the for loop. The compiler for some reason seem to reserve only 12 bytes instead of 24.

    Can some one explain / help. I'm wondering what I'm doing wrong.

    I'm running gcc4.0.1 on Fedora Core 4
    I'm able to duplicate the same error on gcc running in Cygwin.
    Thanks
    Senthil

    PS: Please note that colstofindcount and colslen are being calculated at runtime, and I have just put in the numbers for this example.

  2. #2

  3. #3
    Just Lurking Dave_Sinkula's Avatar
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    The compiler for some reason seem to reserve only 12 bytes instead of 24.
    0x94f5968 - 0x94f598c = 0x24 = 36 (decimal)

    0x94f5968 + 24 (decimal) = 0x94F5980.
    Last edited by Dave_Sinkula; 12-01-2005 at 04:27 PM. Reason: Removed code snippet.
    7. It is easier to write an incorrect program than understand a correct one.
    40. There are two ways to write error-free programs; only the third one works.*

  4. #4
    Gawking at stupidity
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    I don't have the same problem:
    Code:
    #include <stdio.h>
    #include <stdlib.h>
    
    int main(void)
    {
      int i;
      int nrows = 6, ncols = 26416;
      long int **data;
    
      data = malloc(sizeof(long int *) * nrows);
      printf("data = %p\n\n", data);
    
      for(i = 0;i < nrows;++i)
      {
        *(data + i) = malloc(sizeof(long int) * ncols);
        printf("*(data + %d) = %p\n", i, *(data + i));
      }
    
      return 0;
    }
    Code:
    itsme@itsme:~/C$ ./multimem
    data = 0x804a050
    
    *(data + 0) = 0x804a070
    *(data + 1) = 0x8063d38
    *(data + 2) = 0x807da00
    *(data + 3) = 0x80976c8
    *(data + 4) = 0x80b1390
    *(data + 5) = 0x80cb058
    0x804a070 - 0x804a050 = 0x20 = 32 (decimal)

    That's using gcc-3.4.4
    If you understand what you're doing, you're not learning anything.

  5. #5
    Registered User
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    Firstly, thx everyone. Dave, I did the additon in hex mode when posting. Sorry ! about that.

    The problem is with the different variables I have used in the first malloc and the following for loop

    Code:
    datacols=(long int **)malloc(colstofindcount*sizeof(long int *)); 
    for(i=0;i<noofcolstofind;i++){
    Those two variables, should be the same, but they are not and have different values. During runtime, colstofindcount is zero, malloc just returns a valid pointer, but zero bytes are allocated.

    I'm sorry about the line which says
    Code:
    colstofindcount=6;
    I just added that during the original post, to make the question clearer, but I was not paying enough attention.

    Thanks again for all the help and suggestions

    Senthil

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