how to determine if an object was allocated on the heap

is there a C or C++ standard library function to determine if a pointer points to an object that was allocated on the heap via malloc() or new? I suspect it would be platform/implementation dependent, but I was just curious about this.

for example:

Code:

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void blah()
{
  char* foo = new char[42];
  char* bar = foo + 23;
  char* baz = is_heap_ptr(bar); // returns a pointer to the base of the allocated block (foo) if bar is on the heap, NULL otherwise;
}

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Quote:

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is there a C or C++ standard library function to determine if a pointer points to an object that was allocated on the heap via malloc() or new?

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No, there is no standard library function to do this. Depending on your platform, there may be an OS system function which can do this.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Elkvis

is there a C or C++ standard library function to determine if a pointer points to an object that was allocated on the heap via malloc() or new?

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Technically? Yes.
You overload operator new and create some "tracing" mechanism that will let you indirectly know whether the object is on the heap. Can be as simple as an array of pointers to heap allocated objects. Might want to also overload delete to clean up after yourself.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mario F.

Technically? Yes.
You overload operator new and create some "tracing" mechanism that will let you indirectly know whether the object is on the heap. Can be as simple as an array of pointers to heap allocated objects. Might want to also overload delete to clean up after yourself.

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That will only tell him if an object was declared with "new" or not. It will not say whether a pointer points to memory that was allocated on the heap.

I will reiterate that there is no standard library function that will tell you if an object was created on the stack or the heap.

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Originally Posted by bithub

That will only tell him if an object was declared with "new" or not. It will not say whether a pointer points to memory that was allocated on the heap.

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uh?
If the memory address pointed to by your pointer is on that array, your object is on the heap... because it was declared with new.

What if the pointer points to memory that was allocated with malloc()? What if it was allocated with VirtualAlloc()? What if it was allocated with posic_memalign()? Or any of the other functions that can be used to allocate heap memory?

Ok. You are being picky. He asked for C and C++. I gave him a C++ answer. If you want I can give a C answer:

Do all your allocation/deallocation through functions. Implement similar functionality on those functions.

I can also give a VirtualAlloc() answer... which is similar to the C answer... or a posic_memalign() answer which is similar to the C answer too.

I thought my answer would enlighten the OP enough.

But if you want, I can go the extra mile:

Before you allocate something add it's memory location to an array. Before you deallocate anything remove it from that array.

Sheesh! Remind me why I avoid the C++ forum...

Look, I never said there was not a way to do this. I said, "there is no standard library function to do this". The OP asked for a standard library function function. One does not exist. The fact that there are different tricks to do what he wanted with various allocation functions is interesting, but it doesn't change the fact that the answer to his question is still "no".

Yes. Your initial answer was right. I never questioned it. While the rest of your diatribe was unnecessary.

No. I didn't show him a standard function. I showed him a standard portable way. With one correction...

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Before you allocate something add it's memory location to an array.

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After you allocate something