Thread: Deleting an array from the heap

  1. #1
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    Deleting an array from the heap

    I have never been in a situation where I wanted to use one until now, so I was a little surprised when I went to delete it and got a "Debug Assertion Error". I can access the array directly through the pointer as though the pointer itself were the array, but I cannot delete the pointer without that error popping up.

    I don't want the memory to be sitting on the stack when I am done using it, so I would rather not declare the array normally if it can be avoided. I thought about using a linked list (the array items are class objects), however when I finish debugging the class I am going to implement a linked list into its container class anyway. This array is needed only for a short portion of the program.

    Any easy way around this?

  2. #2
    and the Hat of Guessing tabstop's Avatar
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    Well, the way around this is to fix what you're doing wrong. I guess if you've got an array on the heap, you used new[]? If so, use delete[] to delete it. Or if you leak your memory you should fix that. Without more information, I don't know what's gone wrong.

  3. #3
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    The declaration goes like this:
    Code:
    GameSprite* pSpritePointer=new GameSprite[4];
    Originally, I had attempted to delete it like this:
    Code:
    if(pSpritePointer)
        {
        delete pSpritePointer;
        }
    That generated the debug assertion error. However, I did what you said by using

    Code:
    delete[4] pSpritePointer;
    and it worked fine. Like I said I never was in a situation where i wanted to use it before so I didnt know you could use delete[]. Thanks for the tip!

  4. #4
    and the hat of sweating
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    Just delete [] pSpritePointer; not delete[4] pSpritePointer;
    "I am probably the laziest programmer on the planet, a fact with which anyone who has ever seen my code will agree." - esbo, 11/15/2008

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  5. #5
    C++ Witch laserlight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DarkMasterBosel
    Any easy way around this?
    #include <vector> and use a std::vector. Read Stroustrup's answers to the FAQs: How do I deal with memory leaks? and What's wrong with arrays? (though the latter has fixed size arrays as its focus).
    Quote Originally Posted by Bjarne Stroustrup (2000-10-14)
    I get maybe two dozen requests for help with some sort of programming or design problem every day. Most have more sense than to send me hundreds of lines of code. If they do, I ask them to find the smallest example that exhibits the problem and send me that. Mostly, they then find the error themselves. "Finding the smallest program that demonstrates the error" is a powerful debugging tool.
    Look up a C++ Reference and learn How To Ask Questions The Smart Way

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