Thread: Endless Looping with const_iterator

Hi All,

I am encountering issue whereby my function enters an infinite loop in the below example.

Code:

Function a{
      :
const sparse_data& sparse = ra_data->sparse(x, y, site, colum); 
for(sparse_data::const_iterator si = sparse.begin(); si != sparse.end();) {

    // Invoked some function B that alters the content of sdata->sparse
    // Does si++ in the for loop

}
     :
}

I tried removing the referencing and this actually solved my problem.

Code:

Function a {
        :
const sparse_data sparse = sdata->sparse(x, y, site, column); 
for(sparse_data::const_iterator si = sparse.begin(); si != sparse.end();) {

    // Invoked some function B that alters the content of sdata->sparse
    // Does si++ in the for loop

}
          :
}

I was hoping someone can guide me on why does this happen.

My guess on the issue is that the function B inside the for loop changes the sparse since it is a reference to sdata->sparse. Hence when the for loop checks the end condition, si = sparse.end is no longer valid fulfiled.

Apologies for the lack of actual coding as they are proprietary information of my company.

The problem looks simpler than you think.
There's no ++si in the loop.
I'd say that the copy-constructor for sparse_data doesn't copy sparse, hence in the second one the container is empty and it never enters the infinite loop.

So, is the problem solved?

If not, it is pretty much impossible to tell without some actual code. One strange thing is that you have const all over the place, yet the purpose of the loop is to alter things...