Thread: is there a runtime error here?

  1. #1
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    is there a runtime error here?

    is there a runtime error here when you call the get method?
    Code:
    #include <string>
    
    using namespace std;
    
    class A {
    public:
        string& get() {
            string abc = "abc";
            return abc;
        }
    };

  2. #2
    C++ Witch laserlight's Avatar
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    Why not just test and see? Of course, even if you do not get a runtime error, returning a reference to a local variable is still wrong.
    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.
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    Why not just test and see? Of course, even if you do not get a runtime error, returning a reference to a local variable is still wrong.


    Are you sure that even for a arge system we get an error?

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    C++ Witch laserlight's Avatar
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    Are you sure that even for a arge system we get an error?
    Large or small, it does not matter. It is wrong since the caller would refer to an object that no longer exists.
    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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    Quote Originally Posted by laserlight View Post
    Large or small, it does not matter. It is wrong since the caller would refer to an object that no longer exists.
    The question here is that is getting a runtime error a garuntee? I agree that it is wrong to refer to a local variable when it gets out of scope but in a large system is there a one in a million chance of getting abc back

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    Runtime error? That should return a compiler error or warning.
    Whatever you may say, returning a local variable is always wrong.

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    Officially An Architect brewbuck's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Elysia View Post
    Runtime error? That should return a compiler error or warning.
    Whatever you may say, returning a local variable is always wrong.
    Returning a reference or pointer to a local variable is wrong. Returning the variable by value, of course, is not.

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    Quote Originally Posted by brewbuck View Post
    Returning the variable by value, of course, is not.
    But that's not the issue here, is it?

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    C++ Witch laserlight's Avatar
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    The question here is that is getting a runtime error a garuntee?
    What is your rationale for wanting to know if there is such a guarantee?

    That should return a compiler error or warning.
    To confirm that: I get a compiler warning on the MinGW port of g++ 3.4.2.
    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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    Cat without Hat CornedBee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Elysia View Post
    But that's not the issue here, is it?
    No, but it is what you, intentionally or not, said.
    All the buzzt!
    CornedBee

    "There is not now, nor has there ever been, nor will there ever be, any programming language in which it is the least bit difficult to write bad code."
    - Flon's Law

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    Quote Originally Posted by CornedBee View Post
    No, but it is what you, intentionally or not, said.
    Is it? That was never my intention, though it is correct: returning by value is safe, returning by reference is not. This is in regards to a local variable or object.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by rnx40401 View Post
    The question here is that is getting a runtime error a garuntee? I agree that it is wrong to refer to a local variable when it gets out of scope but in a large system is there a one in a million chance of getting abc back
    I believe what you'll get in that case is 'undefined behavior'. You might be able to reference the memory of the string you returned and it might work fine if that memory hasn't been overwritten; but then again, it could quite easily blow up (if you're lucky).

    So the simple answer is: Don't use variables beyond their lifetime.

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    Quote Originally Posted by laserlight View Post
    What is your rationale for wanting to know if there is such a guarantee?

    As I asked earlier is there a remote chance of getting abc back in a large system? I guess it would behave differently on a laptop from a 1500 system environment

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    Quote Originally Posted by rnx40401 View Post
    As I asked earlier is there a remote chance of getting abc back in a large system? I guess it would behave differently on a laptop from a 1500 system environment
    No! Don't count on it!
    Keep it by returning a pointer or by value.
    It's even harder in big systems since the (mow) freed memory will be overwritten.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Elysia View Post
    No! Don't count on it!
    Keep it by returning a pointer or by value.
    It's even harder in big systems since the (mow) freed memory will be overwritten.
    I agree that getting abc back would be harder in a big system but in which case do we get a runtime error? when the memory is freed or when the memory is overwritten. My guess is that when the memory is overwritten we get some garbage back and no runtime error.

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