Malloc and Automatic variable deallocation

**FireHead** · 08-11-2006

Hello World,

The scenario

I have function called int ReturnObject(char *source,char* dest);

The objective of this function is to return a dest object by passing source object.

Example:

Code:

int ReturnObject(char* source,char* dest){

int string_length = (strlen(source))+1;
char* real_result = "";
char* buffer =(char *)malloc(string_length);

buffer = strcpy(buffer, dest);

//--------- I AM NOT ABLE TO THIS ---- HENCE SEGMENTATION ERROR---//
real_result = strcpy(buffer,"World");

free(buffer);

//--- I THINK?!
dest = &real_result;
}

///------------ Intention ---------------------//
int main(int argc,char *argv[]){
char* source ="Hello";

char* dest="";

if(ReturnObject(source,&dest)==EXIT_SUCCESS)
             if(dest == "World")
                   printf("Hello New World");

}

However Almost works:

Code:

int string_length = (strlen(source))+1;
char byte = '\0';

//--------- ALMOST worked---//
strcpy(&byte,"World");


//--- I THINK?!
dest = &byte;
source=""; //----------- This line for some reason chops the ' dest ' to Original Strlen to 4 bytes?

dest =0;

Why does this happen?

I hope I make sense.

Thankyou WORLD.

**quzah** · 08-11-2006

You'll need a pointer to a pointer, if I understand what you're actually trying to do.

Code:

void fill( char **s, char *with )
{
    if( with == NULL )
        *s = NULL;
    else
    {
        size_t x = strlen( with ) + 1;

        *s = malloc( x );
        strncpy( *s, with, x );
    }
}

If you want a pointer whose scope is outside of a function, to be updated to point to something new inside of a function, and to keep that change when the function returns, you need a pointer to that pointer. Just like if you want an integer outside a function to store some change you make in the function, you need a pointer to it.

All objects are this way. To update an object inside a function, (to change its value, so it persists after the function ends) you need a pointer to that object. The only exception to this are arrays, which are degnerate. That is to say, boozers and tramps.

Anyway, you'd use it something like so...

Code:

int main( void )
{
    char *foo = NULL;
    char *bar = "baz";

    fill( &foo, bar );

    if( foo )
    {
        printf( "%s\n", foo );
        free( foo );
    }

    return 0;
}

Quzah.

**rdrast** · 08-11-2006

I'm confused... what are you actually trying to do?

In any event, see comments...

Code:

int ReturnObject(char* source,char* dest){

int string_length = (strlen(source))+1;          // What if source length  is less than 6? 
                                                                      // Your malloc() will
                                                                      // be too small to hold "World" below.
char* real_result = "";                                  // You don't need = "" here, you just need to
                                                                     // delcare space to hold a char *
char* buffer =(char *)malloc(string_length);// See above, and no check for NULL?

buffer = strcpy(buffer, dest);                        // You don't need to use buffer as an lvalue here,
                                                                     // the assignment (probably optimized out) is
                                                                    // just assigning the address of buffer to itself.

//--------- I AM NOT ABLE TO THIS ---- HENCE SEGMENTATION ERROR---//
real_result = strcpy(buffer,"World");          // You are assigning a delcared local, which is
                                                                   // pointing to "" to a new address, this is probably
                                                                  // not what you intend.  Also, you don't know that
                                                                  // buffer is big enough to hold "World", also this
                                                                  // completely invalidates the above strcpy()

free(buffer);                                              // freeing buffer will be a problem, as you are going
                                                                 // to try to return it's address as a valid memory block
                                                                

//--- I THINK?!
dest = &real_result;                                //  Okay, except the memory block of real_result
                                                               //  has been freed, and is invalid.  Also, dest was
                                                               // passed in, do you want to overwrite it?
}                                                             // You didn't return anything.

**FireHead** · 08-14-2006

Current Code:

Code:

/*
Will BE MULTITHREADED
open a original file (source file)
Look for the existing custom folder in the HOME directory
If the HOME directory does not exist
Then see if the specs exists in the /usr/local/share (Default)
If the /usr/local/share does not exist then create a template
create a temp
*/  

#include <cliargs.h>

short get_Stream(FILE* pSource,char* result);
char* get_Copy(char* pStr);

char* get_Copy(char* pStr){
u_int8_t *temp =0;
u_int8_t *final =0;
u_int8_t byte = 0;
u_int8_t dummy = 0;
temp = pStr;
int pos = 0;
final = &dummy;
//initilize the contents with new address
do{
	*final = &dummy;final++;
	byte = *temp; temp++;
}while(byte!='\0');

 temp = "";
 temp = pStr;
//clean up everything

char *results = "";
 results = strcpy( final,temp);

 return results;
}//EOF

short get_Stream(FILE* pSource,char* result){
  size_t buflen = 0; 
  char offset= 0; 
  int ret=EXIT_SUCCESS;
  fpos_t* pCurPos=0 ; //current file position
  fpos_t* pOldPos=0 ; //old file position
  char *finally = "";
  //get the starting File pointer position
  fgetpos(pSource,&pOldPos); 
  //find the newline  = 0x13
  //0F ==  15
  //0E == 14
  //0D == 13
  //0C == 12
  //0B == 11
  //0A == 10
  do{offset=0;  offset=fgetc(pSource); }
  while(offset!=0x0A && offset!=0x0D && offset!=EOF && offset!=NULL);
  //Are we at end of the file?
  if(offset == EOF || offset==NULL)
    ret= EXIT_FAILURE;
  else{
    //get the Current File position
    fgetpos (pSource,&pCurPos); 
    //Total Buffer Length
    buflen = (size_t)pCurPos - (size_t)pOldPos;    
    if(buflen == EXIT_FAILURE){
    //NEWLINE
      ret = EXIT_FAILURE;
    }else{
      //Reset Everything
      fsetpos (pSource,&pOldPos);    
      char *buffer = 0;
      //allocate memory for the new address register
      buffer = (char *)malloc(buflen);
      //read file buffer using fgets
      fgets(buffer,buflen,pSource);
      //copy the string to a automatic variable register
	printf("%s",buffer);
      //finally = get_Copy(buffer);
      //free the contents
      free(buffer);  buffer=0;
      printf("Finally =%s",finally);
    }//ELSE
  }//ELSE
  pCurPos = 0;
  pOldPos = 0;   
  return ret;
}//EOF
  
int main(int argc,const char* argv[]){

  struct FileSettings{
    //  DIR *pFolder;
    FILE rTmpFile;
    FILE rSourceFile;
    const char* ATOMIC_NAME;
  };

  struct FileSettings setting;
   //setting.ATOMIC_NAME = "/home/generic/config.log";
   setting.ATOMIC_NAME = "/home/SatishAt/config.log";
  //    setting.ATOMIC_NAME = "/usr/share/units.dat";
  FILE *pFile = 0;

  printf("%s\n",setting.ATOMIC_NAME); 
  pFile = fopen(setting.ATOMIC_NAME,"rb");

  if(pFile==NULL){
      printf("File not found");
      exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
    }
  else{
    fseek(pFile,SEEK_SET,SEEK_SET);
  }
  char* ret = "";
while(feof(pFile)==EXIT_SUCCESS){
  if(get_Stream(pFile,ret)==EXIT_SUCCESS){
      printf("<2>\n<1>");
  }
 }
 fclose(pFile);
}//End of Main Application

pseudocode:
Read the File
Get the length of each line
allocate memory for each line
return the contents of allocated memory with a different memory address
free the existing allocated memory
print the previous allocated contents on the screen.

About:
get_Copy() : Returns a copy of string pointer which was allocated by malloc into a string pointer which returns from a different memory address.

I have got Linux and cygwin to expirement to test these code.
In Linux the get_Copy function returns a Segmentation error after while but it does not the entire line of the File Pointer.

In cygwin it does not display anything on the screen.

I hope I have cleared the confusion.

Ultimately how do I get rid of the segmentation error created by get_Copy and make it have all the contents of a allocated string but returing it to different pointer object.

Thanks for the HELP.
http://cboard.cprogramming.com/images/icons/icon4.gif
Exclamation

**Kennedy** · 08-14-2006

A stupid question: Why are you attempting to read the length of the line, allocate memory for it, _THEN_ read the line?? If you are wanting to read the file and put it into a dynamic array of chars why no do something like:

Code:

char **readfile(const char *filename){
    FILE *file;
    char *tmp, **list = NULL;
    int listlen = 0;

    if ((file = fopen(filename, "rb")) == NULL){
        return NULL;
    }
    tmp = malloc(1024);
    while (!feof(file)){
        if (fscanf(file, "%[^\n]\n", tmp)){
            listlen++;
            list = (char **) realloc(list, sizeof(char *) * listlen);
            list[listlen - 1] = strdup(tmp);
        }
    }
    // Now, create a blank location to store a NULL in the last element (so you don't have to store the length
    list = (char **) realloc(list, sizeof(char *) * (listlen + 1));
    list[listlen] = NULL;
    fclose(file);
    free(tmp);
    return list;
}

I do this in many of my programs. I even have a freebuff that parses the list and removes all the memory. I have found that this is the best way (for me) to manipulate text files (such as /etc files etc

.

Andy

**Dave_Sinkula** · 08-14-2006

Originally Posted by Kennedy

Code:

    while (!feof(file)){
        if (fscanf(file, "%[^\n]\n", tmp)){
            listlen++;
            list = (char **) realloc(list, sizeof(char *) * listlen);

Ick. FAQ, etc.

**itsme86** · 08-15-2006

Code:

    char *tmp
...
    tmp = malloc(1024);

What's the point?

Code:

char tmp[1024];

**Kennedy** · 08-15-2006

Originally Posted by itsme86

Code:

    char *tmp
...
    tmp = malloc(1024);

What's the point?

Code:

char tmp[1024];

Sorry, I'm old school. . . from the days of 64K memory. I'm still in the habbit of dynamic allocation of memory so as not to waist space.

There was a time like that, you know.

**itsme86** · 08-15-2006

I don't believe dynamic memory allocation ever wasted less space than growing the stack by 1KB, actually. 1KB of stack space uses exactly that much memory, whereas dynamic memory allocation has some internal memory overhead.

**ZuK** · 08-15-2006

Yeah but there was a time when the stack was only a few kb.
Kurt

**Salem** · 08-15-2006

Yeah, it still happens.

We see the occasional post with int matrix[1000][1000] or suchlike, and the questions as to why it segfaults.

For normal work, the char array on the stack ought to be good enough for most purposes.

Of course, there's always going to be exceptions to the rule

**FireHead** · 08-19-2006

Hello WORLD

Latest Code:

Code:

/*
Will BE MULTITHREADED
open a original file (source file)
Look for the existing custom folder in the HOME directory
If the HOME directory does not exist
Then see if the specs exists in the /usr/local/share (Default)
If the /usr/local/share does not exist then create a template
create a temp
*/  

#include <cliargs.h>

short get_Stream(FILE* pSource,char* result);

char* get_Copy(char* pStr);

char* get_Copy(char* pStr){
  char *final=0;
  unsigned char byte = 0;
  unsigned char dummy = 0;
  final = &dummy;
*final = &dummy;
unsigned char *temp=0;temp = pStr;
  //initilize the contents with new address
do{    byte = 0;byte = *temp;
	*final = &byte;
	final++; temp++;
}while(byte!='\0');
final++;
*final='\0';
temp = 0;temp = pStr;
  final = strcpy(final,temp);
  return final;
}//EOF

short get_Stream(FILE* pSource,char* result){
  size_t buflen = 0; 
  char offset= 0; 
  int ret=EXIT_SUCCESS;
  fpos_t* pCurPos=0 ; //current file position
  fpos_t* pOldPos=0 ; //old file position
  char *finally = 0;
  const char *buffer = 0;
  //get the starting File pointer position
  fgetpos(pSource,&pOldPos); 
  //find the newline  = 0x13
  //0F ==  15
  //0E == 14
  //0D == 13
  //0C == 12
  //0B == 11
  //0A == 10
  do{offset=0;  offset=fgetc(pSource); }
  while(offset!=0x0A && offset!=0x0D && offset!=EOF && offset!=NULL);
  //Are we at end of the file?
  if(offset == EOF || offset==NULL)
    ret= EXIT_FAILURE;
  else{
    //get the Current File position
    fgetpos (pSource,&pCurPos); 
    //Total Buffer Length
    buflen = (size_t)pCurPos - (size_t)pOldPos;    
    if(buflen == EXIT_FAILURE){
      ret = EXIT_FAILURE;
    }else{
      //Reset Everything
      fsetpos (pSource,&pOldPos);    
      //allocate memory for the new address register
      buffer = (const char *)malloc(buflen);
      //read file buffer using fgets
      fgets(buffer,buflen,pSource);
       
      //copy the string to a automatic variable register
     finally = get_Copy(buffer);
      //free the contents
      free(buffer); 
    }//ELSE
  }//ELSE
//  buffer=0;
printf("%s",finally);
  pCurPos = 0;
  pOldPos = 0;   
  return ret;
}//EOF
  
int main(int argc,const char* argv[]){

  struct FileSettings{
    //  DIR *pFolder;
    FILE* rTmpFile;
    FILE* rSourceFile;
    const char* ATOMIC_NAME;
  };

  struct FileSettings *pSetting=0;
    char* ret="";
  pSetting = (struct FileSettings *)malloc(sizeof(struct FileSettings));

  pSetting->ATOMIC_NAME = "/home/generic/config.log";
   
  pSetting->rSourceFile = fopen(pSetting->ATOMIC_NAME,"rb");

  if(pSetting->rSourceFile==NULL){
      printf("File not found");
    }
  else{
     fseek(pSetting->rSourceFile,SEEK_SET,SEEK_SET);
      while(feof(pSetting->rSourceFile)==EXIT_SUCCESS)
      if(get_Stream(pSetting->rSourceFile,ret)==EXIT_SUCCESS){
      printf("<2>\n<1>");
      }
  }
  fclose(pSetting->rSourceFile);
  free(pSetting);
}//End of Main Application

Question 1
In stdout stream I get the following output:
( I specifed this) <1> (null) (null) The main output ( I specifed this) <2>
How do I get rid of the null object from the output.

I have nearly got the program to work.
How do I clean up this program?

Thanks for the help guys and girls( if any).

**quzah** · 08-19-2006

Code:

char* get_Copy(char* pStr){
  char *final=0;
  unsigned char byte = 0;
  unsigned char dummy = 0;
  final = &dummy;
*final = &dummy;

What exactly are you trying to do with these last two lines of code? First off, a 'char *' is not the same as a 'unsigned char *'. Second, a 'char' is not an 'unsigned char *'.

Now the next line...

Code:

unsigned char *temp=0;temp = pStr;

Same thing here. Stop mixing your pointer types. Do you even compile with warnings on?

Same song, second verse. Couldn't get better, so it's gotta get worse...

Code:

do{    byte = 0;byte = *temp;
	*final = &byte;
	final++; temp++;
}while(byte!='\0');

'final', which points to ... in theory ... one unsigned character, gets incremented. Now what is it pointing to?

Code:

final++;
*final='\0';
temp = 0;temp = pStr;
  final = strcpy(final,temp);
  return final;
}//EOF

So much bad code. *head asplodes*

Quzah.

**FireHead** · 08-19-2006

How would you create a function which a string object which the contents of malloc object?
To answer this question i used function called get_Copy().

To quzah:
How would you rewrite this function?

**itsme86** · 08-19-2006

How would you create a function which a string object which the contents of malloc object?

Huh?

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