Thread: Overloading new operator

Code:

#include <cstdlib>
...
class Example
{
public:
	Example(){ cout << "Constructor called"; }
	void* operator new(size_t size)
	{ 
		return std::malloc(size); 
	}
};

I think you are mistaken about the role of the new operator. In fact, the overloaded new operator is not intended to do the initialization work or even to call the constructor. It's here only for allocating memory. So, you shouldn't be using the new operator which will call the constructor.

The second problem is that you didn't call the right operator, actually, you forgot the scope operator :: before the new keyword thus making your operator the local one so the fonction was calling itself.

Just try return ::new Example(); and you'll notice that the constructor is called twice.

As a matter of fact, we're missing something again; yes, we do not call the fonction an infinite time anymore but now we do the initialization twice... Because we're not calling the right operator once more. This time, we forgot the keyword operator which means that... we're using an operator. So, let us add it. With return :perator new(sizeof(Example)); we get what we expected, the object is correctly allocated, then initialized only once.

So, the thing works pretty well, but there's no interest in calling the original new inside of your's neither is there any good in calling malloc instead of using the default new operator as actually, the default new operator just allocate memory with malloc() or maybe a native routine which is then even faster. But I think your code was for learning purpose so there's no harm in doing so.

But why was it going fine considering it was calling itself again and again?
I don't really know but I guess that the stack limit was reached and the program was forced to stop.

I hope that long post was understandable and it could be of some help to you.