Realloc problems with sturcture array inside structure

I have searched the forum and cant find the answer so i thought that i would ask.


I am using C and have the following two structures:

typedef struct{
int origX, origY, origZ, maxLengthBool;
float currentLength[3];
float dirX, dirY, dirZ;
double maxLength;

}BRANCH;


typedef struct{

int branchCount;
BRANCH *branches;
COLOUR treeColour;
int dirBias;

}TREE;

You should be able to see that there is a pointer for branch in the tree sturucture.

I can assign memeory using calloc for the BRANCH pojnter/array

mainTree->branches = calloc(0,sizeof(BRANCH));

This works and creates an array of branches. But i jave a problem when i try and realloc the memory and increase the size of the array i use this code, which is part of a method/function:

tree->branches = realloc(tree->branches, brSize*sizeof(BRANCH));

Where brSize is the new size that i would like.

In windows using VC++ and openGL it causes a fatal error. I know it is this section, the realloc as the program doesnt get furthur than this point.

Can anyone suggest a solution as i am lost and dont understand the problem.

>> calloc(0,sizeof(BRANCH));

You're using calloc wrong. The first arg is the number of items, the second is the size of each item. Also, always check the return value when making allocations.

Yeah, but for an expanding array, it won't actually matter.
In fact, the preferred way to start and expanding array such as this is
mainTree->branches = NULL;
mainTree->branchCount = 0;

Passing NULL to realloc is the same as calling malloc.

> tree->branches = realloc(tree->branches, brSize*sizeof(BRANCH));
You lose rather badly if realloc fails, you've just lost your pointer to your memory you did have.
Do it like this

Code:

---

void *temp = realloc(tree->branches, brSize*sizeof(BRANCH));
if ( temp != NULL ) {
  tree->branches = temp;
} else {
  // some error, continue with existing tree->branches
}

---

> the realloc as the program doesnt get furthur than this point.
Unfortunately, this is seldom where the problem actually is. The true cause of where the problem is will likely be elsewhere in the code. This is just where the problem is noticed by the memory allocation routines.

Example

Code:

---

int *p1 = malloc( sizeof *p1 );  // an int
p1[1] = 0;  // oops, out of bounds
// but unlikely to cause an immediate failure

// lots more code
int *p2 = malloc( sizeof *p2 ); // this one crashes the machine
// but the damage was caused by overstepping p1

---