🔒 Locked

Quick question about scope

Started by Obolus Aug 7, 2001 at 4:29 PM 1 replies 500+ views

Original Post

Aug 7, 2001 at 4:29 PM

Hi all! Do variables and objects that are declared on the free store (heap) have scope? In other words, can I create a variable on the free store in my class constructor, and set a member pointer of the class to point to that variable, without the variable going out of scope as soon as the constructor terminates? Thanks! Gareth

Xai

Aug 7, 2001 at 4:59 PM

That is the purpose of dynamically allocated memory - to bring an object into scope dynamically, use it for as long as you want, and then free it dynamically as well.

If you use the free store (heap) ... then the object has scope until one of the following:

1. The program terminates.
2. You free the memory.

It is very important that you free the memory in the same basic way you alloc it ... as follows:

1. allocate with malloc() or realloc(), free with free()
2. allocate with new, free with delete
3. allocate with new[], free with delete[]

it''s been so long since i used calloc i can''t remember any rules for it .. i think you use free.

Obolus

Aug 8, 2001 at 5:48 AM

Thanks a lot Xai, that''s perfect.

Topic Locked

This topic has been locked by a moderator. New replies are not allowed.