initialize array based on condition.

[cjjoy1980]

I want to declare an array based on the condition (board type). I get the board type as return value from a function. Have written the snippet of the code from my project below.

#include <stdio.h>

#define F120 1
#define F120EX 2

 int getPlatformType();
int main()
{

    int platformType;

    platformType = getPlatformType();


    if (platformType == F120) {
        const char *portList[] = {"eth0", "eth1" };
    } else if (platformType == F120EX ) {
        const char *portList[] = {"eth0", "eth1", "eth3", "eth4"};

    }

   int portsize = sizeof(portList) / sizeof(portList[0]);

// other code follows..
    return 0;
}


/* Test purpose only */
int getPlatformType()
{

    return F120;


}

I am getting the following compilation error :


g++ portdefine.cpp
portdefine.cpp: In function 'int main()':
portdefine.cpp:23: error: 'portList' was not declared in this scope[/B]


Please let me know the correct method

[hk_mp5kpdw]

I'd suggest using a std::vector of std::string objects.

[Rodaxoleaux]

I concur. I'm in the process now of trying to stay with one language and one only. When I was first picking up C++, I had a mix of things going on using printf instead of iostream and almost never using string and stringstreams, etc. The more STL containers I use and the more C++ methods I use, the happier I am becoming with my code and the easier it is becoming to read it. I will never say that I am good at C because I am awful at it, but I can say that I love C++ and can do it with pride although not necessarily ease.

Also you could make them non-constant and just declare it before, initializing it in your conditions.

Also, if you don't know, the reason that you are receiving that error is because those const variables only have scope for those if statements. Once those statements pass, those char* arrays no longer exist, and therefore cannot be referenced. You have to declare them before, or better, use an STL container such as std::vector mentioned above.

[whiteflags]

You could also try to get this to work at compile time with macros, I think, but it depends on what getPlatform is really supposed to do.

[King Mir]

Few things:
1) Prefer stl containers like vector to arrays. Here the size of the container will depend on a runtime condition, so a vector is the perfect choice.
2) In this case it's probably easier to default initialize the array/containers, and then change them based on the condition. This is easy with std::vector.
3) In other cases where you need to initialize based on a runtime condition, the way to do it is to have a "Factory" that will build the object you want, and return it so you can initialize your local object. That's overkill here.

[Rodaxoleaux]

array - C++ Reference

*angelic choir*