Initialize Pointer to Dynamic Array of Struct

[Ganellon]

I am working through Prata's C++ Primer 5th ed. and am stuck. This is a two-part problem. The first bit of code creates an array of struct, initializes the various bits, and then displays them using a pointer.

int main()
{
  using namespace std;
  struct candybar
  {
    char bar_name[15];
    float weight;
    short calories;
  };
  candybar snacks[3] = {{"Mocha Munch", 2.3, 350},
                        {"Cocoa Crush", 4.3, 920},
                        {"What Crap!", 3.7, 512}};
  candybar *p = snacks;
  for (; p < snacks+3; p++)
    cout << "Bar: " << p->bar_name
    << ", Weight: " << p->weight
    << ", Calories: " << p->calories << endl << endl;
  return 0;
}

When I create a standard array of struct "snacks" at compile time, it is very simple and tidy. I can't get my mind around how to initialize a pointer to an array of struct.

int main()
{
  using namespace std;
  struct candybar
  {
    char bar_name[12];
    float weight;
    short calories;
  };
  candybar *snacks = new candybar[3];
  // How do I get values into each snack?!
  // I know I can do this:

  // snacks[0].weight = 3.5;
  // snacks[0].calories = 250;

  // but to supply all those values one by one
  // seems terribly inconvenient when compared
  // to a regular array of struct:

  // candybar snacks[3] = {{"Mocha Munch", 2.3, 350},
  //                      {"Cocoa Crush", 4.3, 920},
  //                      {"What Crap!", 3.7, 512}};

  delete [] snacks;
  return 0;
}

I would sure appreciate any insight into this puzzle. The research that I dug up around the Net says it can't be done! Here is the exact wording of the question:

"...instead of declaring an array of three candybar structures, use new to allocate the array dynamically."

The trouble is not allocating it; I'm pretty sure I have that bit right. The trouble I have is initializing the values once the array is allocated.

[Scipio]

You could create a (member)function to initialize the values:

void candybar::initialize(char new_bar_name[15],float new_weight, short new_calories)
    {
         
        for (int i=0;i<15;i++) 
            bar_name[i]=new_bar_name[i];
        weight=new_weight;
        calories=new_calories;
    }

[Zaita]

Put on a constructor in your struct.

[Ganellon]

Thank you Scipio and Zaita.

As I suspected, the answers you provided involve subject matter not yet covered in the book. I thought perhaps I had overlooked something, but really I was just overreaching, thinking too far ahead. Hopefully this will become clearer in the upcoming chapters. Meanwhile, I'm still plugging away.

Thanks again for your time.